research on Multiculturalism in Canada (problem)

Unofficially, belief in the value of Canada’s multicultural society is widespread and talked about
casually in everyday life. Often, Canadians use “multiculturalism” to differentiate their culture from the largely influential, predominant culture of the United States. The acknowledgement of Canada’s diversity is taught to students of all ages in Canadian schools without regularly being challenged.

Although the concept of “multiculturalism” raises the potential for many positive developments in society, it can also be responsible for perpetuating the inherent possibility of segregation and division present in a community containing many cultural and ethnic groups. In some cases, it creates a feeling of “otherness” by implying that Canadians can be divided into “us” and “them” groups. “Us” indicates the White dominant culture, while “they” are the “other” who do not belong wholly to the dominant culture for whatever reason (skin colour, birthplace, etc.).This message is reinforced by use of the concepts of tolerance, accommodation, sensitivity, harmony, and diversity. Because the word “tolerance” implies accommodating something that is not entirely desired, emphasis on these concepts suggests that one must accept and deal with “the other” within the dominant (superior) culture, without necessarily respecting or feeling equal with the different cultural groups. By not acknowledging the weaknesses of official multicultural policy, the seemingly harmless beliefs that are nurtured through the use of words like “tolerance” and “diversity” are hidden.
Because it is likely that the word multiculturalism will often be used defensively in order to
prove Canada’s innocence in issues of racism, it is important to address these hidden assumptions, so that people may begin to question and identify what their own beliefs are.