Canada is a country of globally connected people in a world that needs cultural translators.

The views expressed in this publication are provided here to stimulate discussion and learning. They do not reflect the views of Canada’s World staff, reviewers, funders, collaborators, or the SFU Centre for Dialogue.

Canadians often have conversations like the one you are about to begin, where we discuss our identity and what it means to be a Canadian.  Perhaps we continually ask this question because we are continually evolving as a country.  Perhaps it is because of the feeling that the world is closer to home than ever before.

Originally inhabited by Aboriginal peoples, the colonies which were to become Canada, experienced different waves of immigration.  This began with French and then British colonialization in the 17th century, and continued through the 18th-19th centuries with the immigration of United Empire Loyalists fleeing the newly created United States. This was followed by successive waves of immigration from Europe in the late 19th century and into mid 20th century, followed by other waves of immigrants from many different countries in the last six decades.

Diversity has been important in shaping our country.  For instance, the Québec Act of 1774 recognized the legitimacy of the French language, Roman Catholic faith, and French civil law in Québec , though our Aboriginal peoples did not enjoy the same rights.  Immigrants helped to "settle" the West and build the trans-Canada railway, but were also often subject to prejudicial treatment. 

In 1971, the Trudeau government made Canada the first country in the world to enact an official Multiculturalism Policy, which was affirmed by former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney's Multiculturalism Act of 1988.   Various debates on our constitutional evolution have also centred on accommodating diversity in the federation, including the founding of Canada itself, the Charlottetown Accord and Meech Lake proposals, and ongoing debates on Aboriginal self-government.

Indeed, Canadian diversity continues to play a significant role as our world has become more global. Aboriginal peoples now assert their rights and independence at international forums; Québec has its own seat at UNESCO and other international bodies and about 2.7 million Canadians - nearly 10% of our population - live overseas.   Canada's diversity has directly and indirectly shaped some of our international policies.  This includes: promoting democracy abroad; sharing expertise in federalism in developing and former Soviet bloc countries; advising on the rule of law and human rights; and Canada's role in peacebuilding.   Other manifestations include consultations with Diaspora groups (e.g. Haitian-Canadians and Muslims) on post-conflict reconstruction and security.

Diversity issues will continue to play a significant role in the years ahead.  The 2006 census reports that 20% of all Canadians are foreign-born - the highest proportion in 75 years.  Of all developed countries, only Australia has a higher proportion foreign-born. Sometime in the 2020-2046 period, immigration is projected to account for all of Canada's population growth.    By Canada's 150th birthday in 2017, roughly one in five (or between 19-23%) Canadians will be a member of a visible minority, and over half the population of Toronto (and close to half the population of Vancouver) will belong to a visible minority group.   By 2017, roughly 4.1% of the Canadian population will be Aboriginal (up from 3.3% in 2006) and from 2001-2017, there will be an increase of 41.9% of young Aboriginal adults into the Canadian labour market. 

All of us - newcomers, ancestors of those who came before and the ancestors of our original peoples - are part of the rich diversity of Canada.   But our diversity also extends well beyond race or ethnicity, religion, culture, historical roots or newcomer status.  Indeed, our diversity is reflected in our geography (spanning three oceans, the Arctic, prairies, mountains, urban, rural and remote landscapes), two official and many other languages, the internal pluralism within our many communities, cultures, politics, gender, life styles (urban and rural), religious affiliations and beliefs, sexual orientation, economic status, abilities, interests and connections to the rest of world. 

What does this all mean for our role in the world, if anything at all? This discussion guide sets the stage for a conversation that focuses on how Canadian diversity shapes and could shape our role and place in the world. It provides background and historical information to help inform your discussions.  It also supplies some approaches for future directions to spark your thinking about what actions need to be taken to leverage our increasingly multicultural and diverse reality.  

Want to read the rest of this discussion guide? Download it in PDF format! Or join the conversation on Diversity Matters online!