Multicultural Education, Diversity, and Citizenship in Canada

Abstract

Multiculturalism in Canada refers exclusively to a concern with cultural diversity, thus addressing issues of immigrant integration, cultural identity, racism, religious diversity, and linguistic diversity. These issues have been part of a discussion of Canadian identity that began at the time Canada officially became a country in 1867. From the outset, cultural diversity has been an important part of Canadian policy. Initially the concern was how to bring together the so-called 'two founding nations' (the British and French colonizers), assimilate other immigrants, and administer the relationship between the State and the original peoples of the land. Education has always been seen as a key to ensuring that cultural diversity was managed properly. What has changed over time is the value and meaning that Canadians have attached to cultural diversity. In this chapter we will outline the historical underpinnings of multiculturalism, discuss contemporary meanings of multiculturalism as it has been expressed in educational policies, and provide some examples of the practice of multicultural education in schools and classrooms.