Farah E.

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Red River Heritage Fair

Canadian Multiculturalism

Multiculturalism is a very important factor in Canadian society, without it, Canada would be very different from today. During my presentation I talked about what multiculturalism meant, how immigration connects to multiculturalism, the multiculturalism policy and act, the positives and negatives, and what the general public thinks of Canadian diversity.

 

What was the most interesting thing you learned about your topic?

In the past, the general public was very unsupportive towards the topic of Canadian diversity, but now, the most modern surveys show that most Canadians currently feel that multiculturalism is an important factor in Canadian identity, and they agree to the fact that multiculturalism has been beneficial to Canada. I found this interesting because it shows how Canadians are becoming more accepting of other cultures, races and religions.

What important lessons have you learned that you want to share with other Canadians?

I want everyone to know that Canadian multiculturalism didn't just happen by accident, but the government actually promoted multiculturalism because they knew that the positives would outnumber the negatives by a landslide. They also knew that without multiculturalism, the Canadian economy would go downhill since the population was so low.

How would you compare your life today to the lives of those studied in your project?

Today, I am able to learn about so many different religions and cultures without even stepping a foot out Winnipeg, but in the past, when the idea of Canadian multiculturalism wasn't heard of, people would have had to travel in order to experience the first-hand joy of learning about other people, which is why I consider myself to be very lucky.