01.12.2022 Written by Padma Patil
In my opinion, Canada’s immigration policy since Confederation has encouraged a “cultural mosaic” rather than a “melting pot”, since multiculturalism has always been reflected in Canada’s past and present. Canada is known for its diversity and multiculturalism. The term “cultural mosaic” represents a country which strives on and celebrates the inclusion and acknowledgment of diverse ethnicities and races of its citizens. Contrastingly, the term “melting pot” refers to a country where citizens of all cultures assimilate into a cohesive culture. There have been many incidents in Canadian history which exhibit the characteristics of a “cultural mosaic”.
From a political perspective, an example of this could be the “Canadian Multiculturalism Policy” of 1971. Multiculturalism was intended to conserve cultural freedom of groups of individuals belonging to different ethnic groups, as well as to acknowledge the contribution these ethnic groups have given to Canadian society. It was formed to respect the cultural identities of different people and to promote them to form their own ethnic groups in Canada. This policy still impacts Canadians today as it was one of the most significant political foundations of the multiculturalism we see in Canada today. Another social example would be the ‘The Ward’, Toronto’s first immigrant community.
‘The Ward’ was a slum area allocated to Irish, Italian, African-America, Jewish and Asian immigrants in downtown Toronto, where City Hall and Eaton’s Center are now located. Immigrants resided there from the mid 1800s to the mid 1900s. This was one of the first social examples of multiculturalism seen in Canada. Immigrants from different races and ethnicities lived relatively harmoniously together in a small area. In many ways, this led to the wide multiculturalism we see in Toronto today. In conclusion, Canada is a “cultural mosaic” because cultural identities of diverse, ethnic groups can be clearly seen in Canada today and Canada in the past.
