CULT206 Film Response: Examining Multiculturalism in Canada

This report is a film response focusing on multiculturalism in Canada. The student summarizes the film, highlighting key themes such as the historical context of immigration, the diverse ethnic and linguistic groups, and the evolving definition of Canadian identity. The report discusses perspectives on multiculturalism, including those who express concerns about its impact on national unity and those who see it as a positive force for inclusion. The analysis connects the film's content to specific course readings, exploring concepts like the challenges of integrating diverse cultures, the role of language, and the debates surrounding the multiculturalism policy. The report concludes by suggesting that the film doesn't provide a definitive answer on the nature of Canadian identity, but rather presents a range of perspectives and historical developments that shape the ongoing discussion. References are provided to support the analysis.

Running Head: FILM RESPONSE ON MULTICULTURALISM IN CANADA
Film Response on Multiculturalism in Canada
Name of the Student:
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1FILM RESPONSE ON MULTICULTURALISM IN CANADA
Introduction
The history of Canada in terms of its settlement along with colonization has produced
a societal order that is multicultural in nature. It consists of groups such as Indigenous people,
the French, and the British along with a number of racial and ethnic groups. First Nations
(Status and Non-Status Indians), Métis and Inuit are the ones who are considered to be a part
of the Indigenous people groups. Insights Canada's 2016 Census uncovered the fact that
simply more than 2.1 million individuals have one or the other Indigenous family line,
speaking to 6.2% of the all-out populace (Brosseau & Dewing, 2018). By examination, in the
2011 Census, individuals with Indigenous heritage spoke to 4.3% of the populace.
Discussion
Colonizers, both British and French started showing up during the mid-1600s, as well
as at the hour of Confederation, Canada's populace consisted mainly British (60%) along with
French (30%). Beginning of the twentieth century, migrants from other European nations
were permitted section into Canada. The rate of terms, inundation crested in 1912-1913,
yearly appearances surpassed 5% of the all-out populace (Brosseau & Dewing, 2018). The
extent of the populace brought into the world outside the nation dropped at the time of the
Great Depression as well as the Second World War, yet ascended during mid-1950s.
Wellsprings of movement have likewise moved toward areas, for example, Asia, the
Caribbean, and South and Central America (Brosseau & Dewing, 2018).
By 1981, mix of a faller birth rate and progressing movement witnessed the British
along with the French populaces decrease to 40% along with 27%, separately. Toward the
starting of 21st century, the extent of individuals with British, French, as well as Canadian
ethnic causes had dropped to 46%. (The expression "Canadian" ethnicity cause was finitially
presented in the 1996 Census (Brosseau & Dewing, 2018)). An ethnic assorted variety study

2FILM RESPONSE ON MULTICULTURALISM IN CANADA
distributed by Statistics Canada in 2003 demonstrated that 21% of the populace matured 15
years and more established was of British-only family line, while 10% revealed just French
inceptions, 8% were Canadian just, and 7% were a blend of these three roots (Brosseau &
Dewing, 2018).
Phonetic assorted variety is additionally at the centre of Canadian multiculturalism. In
2016, as per enumeration information, English was the principal language (primary language)
for 58.1% of the populace. This was a slight lessening from 2011, when 58.6% of the
populace said English was their first language (Brosseau & Dewing, 2018).
A similar pattern was watched for the French, the basic primary language that comes
after English: 21.4% populace detailed communicating in French as their first language,
contrasted and 22% in 2011 (Brosseau & Dewing, 2018). In conclusion, the level of those
whose first language was a language apart from English or French went up to 22.9% in 2016.
In the year 2016, "settler" - dialects other apart from the English, French, and along
with the Indigenous dialects or gesture based communication – the primary languages of
22.3% that includes the Canadian populace (a number more than 7.7 million individuals).
Migrant dialects spoken frequently at home including Mandarin, Cantonese, Punjabi,
Spanish, Tagalog along with Arabic. The Indigenous dialects used by the biggest number of
individuals were Cree dialects, Inuktitut, Ojibway, Oji-Cree, Dene along with Montagnais
(Innu) (Brosseau & Dewing, 2018).
Perspectives toward multiculturalism shift from area to locale. Specifically, numerous
Québécois have communicated disquiet about, or even protection from, the government
multiculturalism strategy since its commencement (Harewood, 2004). This anxiety is to a
great extent clarified as far as the recognition, by numerous Québécois that shows
multiculturalism in the form of another interruption by government specialists into their

3FILM RESPONSE ON MULTICULTURALISM IN CANADA
region's interior issues. Many are slanted to see multiculturalism used as a tool to minimize
those particular society status that belongs to Québécois to the extent of an ethnic culture
which is a minority comes under the supremacy of English-versed Canadians.
Multiculturalism, when is subsequently observed in the form of an endeavour for weakening
the reality of the French in Canada, debilitating status of being francophone and undermining
any of the organization of any Canadian who speaks English or French (Harewood, 2004).
For some of the Québécois, lessening the privileges of being French-speaking Canadians is to
a similar to that of any other ethno-racial minorities which is just for establishing
multicultural fairness for the sake of it; it is conflicting since the unique is reduced between
the three establishing people groups of Canada.
Moreover, a few analysts have communicated the dread that the multiculturalism
approach is advancing an excess of decent variety to the detriment of solidarity. Pundits state
the strategy is troublesome in light of the fact that it accentuates what is extraordinary,
instead of the qualities that are Canadian. Culture and images of Canada are being disposed
of in the in the attempt of pushing to suit different societies (Harewood, 2004). Then again,
safeguards of Canada's way to deal with multiculturalism contend that it empowers
reconciliation by advising settlers they don't need to pick between saving their social legacy
and taking an interest in Canadian culture. Or maybe, they can do both.
In writer Neil Bissoondath’s book Illusions: The Cult of Multiculturalism in Canada,
distributed in 1994, he drives the charge held against the administration's strategy of
multiculturalism. The book emphasizes on his anxiety over the potentiality of disruptiveness
that is innately present in government advancement of social assorted variety (Harewood,
2004). As Bissoondath would see it, the administration's consolation of ethnic contrasts
drives workers to embrace a brain science of partition from point of view of the standard
culture. The concept of Multiculturalism is accused in terms of secluding any ethno-racial

4FILM RESPONSE ON MULTICULTURALISM IN CANADA
gatherings, particularly enclaves that cultivate the internal centred mind-set that thrusts a
wedge amidst Canadians who belong to various ethnicities (Harewood, 2004). The creator
contends- solidarity as well as attachment that are being relinquished for finding a way of
thinking which shall isolate, increase misconception and threaten vibe, and set one gathering
in opposition to another in the opposition for force and assets (Harewood, 2004).
Conclusion
In conclusion, it can be said that the film does not provide the audience with a definite
answer, neither does the research that has been conducted to determine the multicultural
nature of the society. It is perhaps up to the differences in perspectives as that of the various
narrators in the film, on which the essence of Canadian identity is build. It is an
amalgamation and juxtaposition of numerous connotations of the history, and the
developments witnessed hence forth that has brought the changes in the definition of a true
Canadian identity.

5FILM RESPONSE ON MULTICULTURALISM IN CANADA
Reference
Brosseau, L., & Dewing, M. (2018). Canadian Multiculturalism. Lop.parl.ca. Retrieved 21
March 2020, from
https://lop.parl.ca/sites/PublicWebsite/default/en_CA/ResearchPublications/
200920E#a2-3.
Harewood, A. (2004). True Canadians: Multiculturalism in Canada debated - CBC Archives.
Cbc.ca. Retrieved 21 March 2020, from https://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/true-
canadians-multiculturalism-in-canada-debated.