1. Cultural Diversity: Assimilation or Integration?
Is the Canada a
“melting pot” or a “salad bowl”?
Fill maple leaf in with Canadian, traits, values, ideas, and culture…

2. Diversity - main characteristic of the Canadian society
Canada is a country of immigrants:
1600s: the first overseas settlers came from France, followed later by other Europeans
(during the American Revolution): thousands of American loyalists came
1900s (before the WWI) : a substantial number of Italians arrived
: the second wave of Italian immigrants
today: immigrants per year from all over the world

3. Canada today
the second largest country in the world, covering an area of 10 million km2
about people from all over the world, representing more than 200 groups of different ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic heritage;
two official languages (English and French), but more than 80 languages, spoken ‘at home’ by various groups and communities

4. Conclusion:
diversity is a fundamental and enduring characteristic of the Canadian society;
mutual tolerance and respect are some of the core values of the Canadian identity;
these values are embedded in the Canadian social and political model.
Canada = the first country in the world to proclaim and pursue multiculturalism as an official policy of the government (1971)

5. 1971 Multicultural Policy of Canada
Recognized:
value of all regardless of race, ethnic origin, gender, or religion
Confirmed:
rights of Aboriginal peoples
two official languages
integration of cultures, not assimilation
equality and opportunity through the law

6. Melting Pot
the newcomers should give up their specific ethnic identities, cultural characteristics and traditions in favor of some new, universalized, set of values and symbols (a policy of assimilation)

7. Mosaic (or Salad Bowl)
each cultural group is preserving their cultural and religious heritage, while contributing to the development of the country as a whole (integration)

8. Melting Pot or Salad Bowl
Are we melting into one?
Or are we still separate? Integrated?