Canadian Multiculturalism and National Identity - A 50 year Relationship

Abstract

As the Canadian policy of multiculturalism has existed for 50 years, many might ask, ‘what has it achieved?’ I argue that it is likely to have been effective at encouraging national identity, but why is this an achievement? To understand why, we need to know what national identity is, why governments should encourage it and why doing so is difficult; thus, I begin by briefly explaining these points. I then discuss the Canadian policy of multiculturalism, why it is likely to have been effective at encouraging national identity, and what the implications of this are.