Multiculturalism in Canada and the USA

This paper seeks to discuss the various policies adopted by the United States of America and Canada on the issues of multiculturalism. Multiculturalism is gaining a strong presence in almost all the countries of the world. The paper concludes with the significance of the concept of equality, which is a universal human right granted to all individual without discrimination. Policies on multiculturalism needs to be maintained in order to safeguard this concept of equality.

Running Head: MULTICULTURALISM IN CANADA AND THE USA
Multiculturalism in Canada and the USA
Name of the Student
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Executive Summary
This paper seeks to discuss the various policies adopted by the United States of America and
Canada on the issues of multiculturalism. Multiculturalism is gaining a strong presence in almost
all the countries of the world. As such, the Governments needs to ensure that proper policies are
framed which will provide protection and support to the immigrants coming into the host
countries. The paper concludes with the significance of the concept of equality, which is a
universal human right granted to all individual without discrimination. Policies on
multiculturalism needs to be maintained in order to safeguard this concept of equality.

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Table of Contents
Introduction and Background..........................................................................................................3
Summary of Sources researched......................................................................................................3
Explanatory Analysis of Multiculturalism in Canada and the United States..................................4
Summary of Findings......................................................................................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................6
References........................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction and Background
The contemporary globalized world of today has brought about many changes in the
world. One of the most important consequence is the removal of geographic boundaries of the
different territories. Many people have left their home country and settled in different parts of the
world for many different reasons, but mainly due to employment purposes (Hansen, 2017). This
has led to the intermingling of people from different cultural backgrounds, different ethnicities
and different believes. This gave birth to the concept of multiculturalism which is a political
philosophical ideology. This paper seeks to discuss the various policies adopted by the United
States of America and Canada with respect to the dominant prevalence of multiculturalism. The
paper will analyze several scholarly article sand will make a detailed evaluation of such analyses
which deals with multiculturalism in these two countries. It will finally conclude with the
importance and significance of multiculturalism in the contemporary world.
The significance of this topic is that multiculturalism has a wide prevalence in the
contemporary period. Almost every nation of the world has people of different cultural
background. Since it is the primary duty of the State to serve its citizens, the States need to
formulate policies which will respect the existence of multiculturalism and fulfill the needs of its
citizens without discrimination.
Summary of Sources researched
Through the years, Canada became a host to many different ethnicities. People migrated
to Canada for various reasons and built a home there. To accommodate these people and to
prevent the outbreak of any conflicts among the people belonging to different cultures, the
Government of Canada framed several important policies to uphold the spirit of

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multiculturalism. Canada is home to more than two hundred different ethnic backgrounds.
According to Guo & Wong (2015), in the book “Revisiting multiculturalism in Canada:
Theories, policies and debates” Canada passed its first policy for multiculturalism in 1971
known as the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism. This policy laid to rest the
conflict that emerged between the French in Quebec and the Englishmen in other parts of
Canada. This paved the way for the formulation of the Canadian Multiculturalism Act of 1988.
The harmonious presence of different ethnicities in Canada is lauded by many other
nations of the world. According to Kenyeres (2014), in the article “Aspects of Canadian
multiculturalism: history, policy, theory and impact”, Canada provides natural harmony among
the people belonging to different cultural backgrounds. Canada framed the Canadian Charter of
Rights and Freedom in 1982, which provided with a section, Section 27, which upheld the soul
of multiculturalism and made multiculturalism as one of the fundamental aspects of Canadian
value. This provided the immigrants with relief, as any discrimination made against them is
constitutionally illegal.
The policies related to multiculturalism are not as strong in the United States as they are
in Canada. The United States of America does not have a separate multicultural policy as Canada
does. According to Nieto (2017) in the article “Re-imagining multicultural education: New
visions, new possibilities”, the policies for education vary widely across the different States
within the country. Moreover, there is no fixed policy to accommodate the people belonging to
different cultural backgrounds within the United States. The immigration policy has also been
restricted severely with the changes in regime in the recent times.

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Explanatory Analysis of Multiculturalism in Canada and the United States
The advent of multiculturalism necessitated an interference from the State Governments
to formulate policies, which will help to maintain peace and harmony among the people
belonging to different ethnicities and cultural background (Banks, 2014). Canada was the first
country to incorporate a State backed policy for multiculturalism. It even went so far as to create
a Multicultural Act to protect the citizens and to ensure that everyone is equal in the eyes of the
State. However, Canada faces problems when it comes to the local units. Conflicts continue to
exist in the local village units of Canada and the State policies to safeguard multiculturalism
faces problem to penetrate deep down to the individual local units (Fleras, 2015).
The policies, which ensure multiculturalism in schools, is also very strong in Canada. A
Directorate for Multiculturalism was founded in 1972 whose main aim is to integrate the children
and the youth, coming from various cultural backgrounds, harmoniously in the educational
curriculum (Fleras, 2015). The main motive behind this step is to uphold the universal principles
of equity and diversity in its true spirit.
Another land mark within the sphere of multiculturalism in Canada is the decision of the
Government of Canada to allow people for dual and multiple citizenship (Kenyeres, 2014). This
policy meant that people who are already citizens of Canada, can acquire citizenship of another
country as well, without the fear of losing her/his Canadian citizenship.
The Multiculturalism Act passed by the Government of Canada in 1988 incorporated a
provision to maintain the different cultures existing in Canada (Guo & Wong 2015). The Act
provides funds to the concerned authorities for such purposes, which will ensure that all the
people of Canada feel included in this activity.

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The United States is popularly known as the ‘melting pot’ of the world. People from
diverse ethnicities and cultural backgrounds have found their home within this country and has
made a living (Ansell, 2016). However, there is no fixed policy for safeguarding
multiculturalism within the United States of America. A persistent conflict has ensued between
the individuals of different racial background and this can be evidenced even in the
contemporary world (Tyrrell, 2015). No policy has been framed to address this issue which
gravely violates the tune of multiculturalism.
The United States of America also does not believe in the funding of various activities
and organizations, which work for the integration of the immigrants in the mainstream society
(Spring, 2016). The State has a clear policy of maintaining a neutral stand when it comes to
giving support to the immigrants.
A commendable step taken by the Government of the United States is the provision of
affirmative actions to the immigrants who are disadvantaged. The State does not make any
discrimination while formulating policies which provides employment on the basis of education,
race, gender or religion. Everyone is treated equally by the State.
Summary of Findings
Based on the analyses of the various scholarly articles, it can inferred that Canada has a
strong policy on multiculturalism. The Government of Canada takes an active interest in the lives
of the immigrants and continually finds out various steps and measures by which their standard
of living and quality of life can be improved. On the other hand, the Government of the United
Sates takes a neutral approach where the immigrants are concerned (Manning, Baruth & Lee,

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2017). The United Sates does not have any formal policy on multiculturalism; however, it
expects its citizens to uphold the spirit of equality as guaranteed by the Constitution.
Conclusion
To conclude, we can deduce that multiculturalism has gained a strong foothold in almost
all the parts of the world. Many State Governments have taken positive action to safeguard the
people of various cultural backgrounds residing within the concerned territory, such as Canada.
Canada plays host to over two hundred different ethnicities and the Canadian Government has
realized the importance of multiculturalism. The Government takes measures which ensures the
harmonious relationship amongst the various cultures. United States on the other hand, has
chosen to be neutral and has not framed an official policy on multiculturalism. However, the
Government of the United States gives utmost priority to its Constitution, which clearly
enshrines the spirit of equality. Equality is a universal human right, which is available to every
individual, and the various State Governments must ensure that they do not breach on the human
rights.

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References:
Ansell, A. E. (2016). New right, new racism: Race and reaction in the United States and Britain.
Springer.
Banks, J. A. (2014). Diversity, group identity, and citizenship education in a global age. Journal
of Education, 194(3), 1-12.
Fleras, A. (2015). Beyond Multiculturalism. In Revisiting Multiculturalism in Canada (pp. 311-
334). SensePublishers, Rotterdam.
Guo, S., & Wong, L. (Eds.). (2015). Revisiting multiculturalism in Canada: Theories, policies
and debates. Springer.
Hansen, R. (2017). Why Both the Left and the Right Are Wrong: Immigration and
Multiculturalism in Canada. PS: Political Science & Politics, 50(3), 712-716.
Kenyeres, J. (2014). Aspects of Canadian multiculturalism: history, policy, theory and impact.
Central European Journal of Canadian Studies. Vol 9 (27-44)
Manning, M. L., Baruth, L. G., & Lee, G. L. (2017). Multicultural education of children and
adolescents. Taylor & Francis.
Nieto, S. (2017). Re-imagining multicultural education: New visions, new
possibilities. Multicultural Education Review, 9(1), 1-10.
Spring, J. (2016). Deculturalization and the struggle for equality: A brief history of the
education of dominated cultures in the United States. Routledge.

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Tyrrell, I. (2015). Transnational nation: United States history in global perspective since 1789.
Palgrave Macmillan Education.