Multiculturalism: Editorial

By Dale Sproule

The Patchwork Quilt and the Melting Pot

At school in the 1960s, children were taught that Canada and United States had very different ways of dealing with immigrants.

The US was referred to as a "Melting Pot", a country where newcomers were encouraged to quickly forget about the customs and traditions of the countries where they were born, so that they and their families would soon come to identify themselves simply as "Americans".

Canada, on the other hand, was called a "Patchwork Quilt" or "Cultural Mosaic" - where newcomers were welcomed, but encouraged to hold onto their heritage.
This is no surprise, since the two modern countries are based on ideals no more alike than earth and fire.

America, as we know it today, was created when the settlers in New England violently rebelled from the British homeland while Canada was the place where British settlers came if they wanted to remain loyal to the queen.

After taking the land from the aboriginal people, deporting the Acadians, defeating the French, and putting down the Metis (aboriginal/French) rebellion, the British learned to get along well enough with French Canadians to forge a country with two official languages.

While Americans embraced guns and firearms as symbols of their freedom and glory, 19th and 20th century Canadians learned to be patient and tolerant, to negotiate and compromise.

In 2004, the Canadian mosaic grows much bigger and brighter each day.
Toronto is home to over 200 rapidly growing ethnic communities and Vancouver's visible minorities are now a majority.

Canada is one of the only places where such a vibrant, global culture could truly emerge since, as a country, we are not united in spite of our differences but because of them.

Dale Sproule
Editor

CNM