...Cultural Protectionism (Human Geography) What are the benefits/costs of cultural protection of secularism in Canada? Should government enforce cultural protection of secularism? The government of Canada should accept all forms of cultural and religious regalia instead of imposing restrictions on symbols, garbs, veils, turbans, and kippahs, worn in public sector workplaces. Canada's cultural protection of secularism have remained fairly good through the federal government's experience but with little criticism compared to Quebec's recent controversy with Bill 60. This bill is a perfect example as to why Canada doesn't need a new legislation. Bill 60 initially planned to ban religious wearing from public places, educational institutes and jobs. Canada is a multicultural nation with a diverse range of cultural and religious groups that seamlessly work together in many different environments. To simply ban religious regalia would be huge for Canadian citizens that make up majority of public sector workplaces. The benefits of a cultural protection of secularism are usually created to protect cultural values, traditions, languages and identity. For example, Bill 101 in Quebec was passed to protect the French language. Most recently Bill 60 became very controversial and received a lot of criticism. The bill intended to adjust Quebec's Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, develop neutrality amongst all state employees in workplaces, restrict wearing religious symbols, make...
Words: 1070 - Pages: 5
...accepted as others. This video explains how Canada needs to make an effort towards indigenization in schools and in social work. Cindy Blackstock explained in the video that it can be beneficial to have knowledge of an Indigenous worldview, so you are able to provide cultural services an Indigenous client might need (ACSW, 2018). Changes need to be implemented throughout the federal laws and in social work, so that social workers are able to do this. Just like any other culture or religion,...
Words: 810 - Pages: 4
...Struggle of Aboriginals in Canada “We owe the aboriginal peoples a debt that is four centuries old. It is their turn to become full partners in developing an even greater Canada. And the reconciliation required may be less a matter of legal texts than of attitudes of the heart.” - Roméo LeBlanc Aboriginal people are called the people from “First Nations” in Canada who have rich historical, cultural and spiritual traditions. However, many of these traditions were altered or even taken away upon the arrival of British and French settlers in Canada. Since then, forcing colonial culture and values on Aboriginal societies, the dispossession of Aboriginal lands and the seclusion of Aboriginals from modern amenities created a sequence of social, physical and spiritual devastation of their culture. Effect of these is quite noticeable even today. This is mainly because the Federal Government is not taking enough responsibility for providing proper support to Aboriginals with growing problems in the reserves. The Government of Canada recognizes the inherent right of self-government as an existing Aboriginal right under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 (AANDC). It recognizes that the inherent right may find expression in treaties, and in the context of the Crown's relationship with treaty First Nations. Recognition of the inherent right is based on the view that the Aboriginal peoples of Canada have the right to govern themselves in relation to matters that...
Words: 1821 - Pages: 8
...history of Canada has gone through various events, some of which produced a nightmare for the country and from which the people as well as the leaders are still trying to awake, while making sure that such events do not take place ever again. In this essay I discuss the Canadian Ethnic problems and it's multiculturalism by mainly focus on two typical examples :the aboriginal people and the Chinese who have suffered injustice through out the history in different aspects such as politics and cultural. And later ,by looking at the current situations of the Canadian ethnicity in general and going over the past decisions that the government had made, I try to suggest the possible solutions. Introduction: As we all know, Canada is a country with large immigrants. Therefore , the history of Canada is largely the history of the meeting of different cultures. As its early settlers are mostly immigrants from Central and Western Europe, European culture is playing a dominant role in Canada's culture. Since the eightieth of the twentieth century, as the number of immigrants from different parts increased significantly, the new immigrants brought in their own culture with them as well. Thus, people are now feeling more of the tensions between those cultures and of prejudice felt among these groups toward one another. For this reason, how to deal with the relationship between the different nationalities became a big problem for the Canada government...
Words: 2058 - Pages: 9
...Knowing who you are is an essential part of understanding how you fit into society. For most, understanding who you are is based on an understanding of where you come from (Wagamese, 1993). Many Aboriginal people identity themselves by their band, family, or nation which allows them to show historical roots and connection to their ancestral land. Others use their matrilineal or patrilineal genealogy to connect them to a nation or traditional territory. Regardless of the connection, this ability to identify with a community has deeper significance than merely labelling oneself, it serves as a reminder of one's spiritual connection to land, culture, and traditions, and helps to solidify one's self-concept (First Nations Studies Program [FNSP],...
Words: 2358 - Pages: 10
...Mexico: Cultural Analysis This paper is a cultural analysis of the Mexican culture through the lens of the 5-D Model developed by Professor Geert Hofstede. The five dimensions of the model include: Power Distance (PDI), Individualism versus Collectivism (IDV), Masculinity versus Femininity (MAS), Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI), and Long term versus short term orientation. In recent years a sixth dimension named Indulgence versus Restraint has been added. There are no rankings for this dimension as it has only been recently added and researched (Hofstede, 2012). This Model gives one an important tool for gaining insights into given cultures which can improve business opportunities and interactions (International business etiquette, manners and culture, 2012). Power Distance Index (PDI) is the degree to which the less powerful members of a society accept and expect that power is distributed unequally. The issue is how a society handles inequalities. Mexico, ranking 81on the PDI, is a hierarchical society. Regionally, Mexico ranks higher on PDI than the United States (rank 39) and Canada (rank 40), whose ranks indicate that their cultures strive to equalize the distribution of power and demand justification for inequalities of power. Globally, however, countries vary greatly in PDI, (average PDI rank of 60; Clearly Cultural, 2012). One must consider the PDI rank when doing business with a given country in a certain region. For example, Mexican businesses hoping to successfully...
Words: 1796 - Pages: 8
... an individual’s health can be shaped by his or her social and economic environment, physical environment, and characteristics and behaviours. These factors can be influenced by external forces, such as government legislation and regulations. A piece of Canadian legislation that can indirectly influence an individual’s health and well-being is the Multiculturalism Act. This legislation promotes and protects diversity and allows individuals to practice their diverse cultural traditions (Canadian Multiculturalism Act, 1988). Along with identity, which can play an essential role in health and wellbeing, this legislation can affect certain social determinants of health, such as employment. This paper will provide an overview of the Canadian Multiculturalism Act, including its origin and intentions in regard to health, and include a discussion around the legislation’s ability to fulfil its intentions. The Multiculturalism Act...
Words: 459 - Pages: 2
...The residential schools of Canada can be dated back to the 1870s. Before 1996, when the last of 170 schools were closed, an estimated 150,000 indigenous youth were forced to attend. In an attempt to blend indigenous youth into Canadian society, both the Canadian government and Christian churches believed educating and converting the youth would achieve their goal of integrating them into Canadian society (Miller, 2014). The infliction of economic self sufficiency and religious conversion caused the loss of languages which further resulted in the loss of culture among traditional indigenous peoples. The death of a language is more complex than simply a loss of communication, it is a loss of knowledge. "The wisdom of humanity is summarized in...
Words: 1079 - Pages: 5
...the use of biometric documentation of civilians is creating a system of controlling the population, and getting rid of life that is read to be potentially dangerous. The second article focuses on the racialization of surveillance in Canada’s North-West, and how the aim to manage the population of indigenous people is created by a system that still follows the societal normalities produced by settler societies. The system supports the racialization of society, and also feeds into the prejudice held against indigenous peoples. The third article I read focused on the racialized, and gendered sexual violence of honour crimes. Also the article looks at how honour crimes and cultural otherness brought on by people immigrating from places where the social norms are different or strongly held together by tradition and religion. The fourth and final article that I read talked about the tolerance at the Spanish- Moroccan border and the four racialized groups of people that occupy the border town of Ceuta. Through the reading of the four articles, there were three prominent themes that were found in most- if not all of them. I first recognized that all pieces had a racialized ideal that the article would refer to, which was usually “white”. Secondly, the prominence of religious stereotypes is shown in all articles. Thirdly, the aspect of some sort of control over the...
Words: 809 - Pages: 4
...Intentions When the Multiculturalism Act was created, the intentions were positive, however, since the legislation was enacted in 1988, the effects have been positive and negative on individuals’ health and well-being. Identity The Multiculturalism Act has played a role in allowing individuals to retain their identities and practice cultural traditions and customs. This legislation has encouraged the celebration of many cultural and religious festivals and holidays across Canada that are essential to individuals’ identity (The Red and White, 2015). For example, the Sikh religious festival Vaisakhi is celebrated in many cities across Canada. It has been celebrated in Surrey for the past 17 years and individuals of all races and cultures attend and participate in the celebration (Surrey Vaisakhi Parade, 2015). These types of multicultural festivals and events can allow individuals to preserve their traditions and allow others to...
Words: 1057 - Pages: 5
...Geert Hofstede™ Cultural Dimensions Source: http://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_dimensions.php http://geert-hofstede.com/dimensions.html 1. Power Distance (PDI) This dimension expresses the degree to which the less powerful members of a society accept and expect that power is distributed unequally. The fundamental issue here is how a society handles inequalities among people. People in societies exhibiting a large degree of power distance accept a hierarchical order in which everybody has a place and which needs no further justification. In societies with low power distance, people strive to equalise the distribution of power and demand justification for inequalities of power. < an example of Power Distance by Geert Hofstede 2. Individualism versus collectivism (IDV) The high side of this dimension, called Individualism, can be defined as a preference for a loosely-knit social framework in which individuals are expected to take care of themselves and their immediate families only. Its opposite, Collectivism, represents a preference for a tightly-knit framework in society in which individuals can expect their relatives or members of a particular in-group to look after them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty. A society's position on this dimension is reflected in whether people’s self-image is defined in terms of “I” or “we.” < 3. Masculinity versus femininity (MAS) The masculinity side of this dimension represents a preference in society for achievement...
Words: 1566 - Pages: 7
...Is Canada a nation? A nation is a group of people that have similar beliefs, values and common in language. However, it can also refer to people who share a common territory and government. As we know Canada is a nation famous for its tolerance for different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. In facts, all the Canadians are treated the same with the same respect, even we are described as a nation of immigrants. Moreover, most of the citizens believe that Canada is a civic nation. However, some of them are certainly think Canada is a country. What makes a country as a nation? Is Canada also a nation? First of all, citizen one believes that Canada is a nation. Although, most of people think that Canada is as a civic nation which as an association of people who identify themselves as belonging to the nation, who have equal and shared political rights, and allegiance to similar political procedures. As she saying, we may not all look the same, share the same cultural traditions, and the linguistic nation is different. However, as Canadians, we are certainly share beliefs and values. We also have freedom of speech, free and fair elections, and freedom of peace assembly. This means, people have a right to say what they want, the right to vote and freedom to join an association. To me, I agree with a person one’s opinion. In facts, we are from many various backgrounds, but we all desired to become Canadians, to make a better life with a democratic, peaceful and tolerant society. This...
Words: 294 - Pages: 2
...Canada, A Cultural Analysis Abstract Canada is a beautiful country that is adjacent to the United States of America. There are many resemblances between Canadian culture and American culture. It is also common for Canadians to expect great communications in the workplace and friendliness. It is valued to be respectful of others ethical background as well. It is also standard to see similarities in basic hand shake as a cultural behavior to mean many things. In a business environment in Canada, business people often begin relationships in a reserved manner; once people get to know one another they usually become friendly and informal. Canada as the United States encourages small businesses to grow and prosper as well as their economic. In regards to the workplace, Canada also promotes from within companies and wants its workforce to be involved in a company’s growth and offers great benefits to its employees. Canada as the Unites States offers great cultural diversity among its people and within the workforce as well. It would be easier for an individual to adapt to Canadian ethical behavior since it is similar and diverse as the United States. There are many similarities and differences between the culture of the United States and the culture of Canada. While there are many preconceptions about the culture and behaviors of Canadians, many of the country’s customs are similar to those found in the United States, despite differences in culture and government...
Words: 3252 - Pages: 14
...analyzing interrelation between language and ethnicity I faced the problem of identifying the concept of ‘ethnicity’ itself. Thus, Fishman (1997: 327) points out that ‘ethnicity’ like other notions it is in a close association with, i.e. ‘race’, ‘people’, ‘nation’, ‘nationality’, is not “an exact scientific term”. Therefore it is not clearly defined and thus is open to interpretations (Ibid). In my search I came across a number of rather vogue explanations, and the most common aggregated dictionary definition of ‘ethnicity’ is ‘a belonging to a particular social group that has a common national or cultural tradition’ (MacMillan Dictionary, Oxford Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, etc.). Dictionary of Cultural Literacy does single out and include language into the ethnicity definition saying that it is an “identity with or membership in a particular racial, national, or cultural group and observance of that group's customs, beliefs, and language”. However, is language always an inevitable part of one’s ethnicity or the ethnicity of a group? Definitely, the most understandable case of interrelation between language and ethnicity is the one when a person is born and lives on a specific territory which historically had one dominant ethnos and one dominant language, so ethnicity is predetermined by close bound between language and territory (Fishman 1997). Thus, Tabouret-Keller (1997) gives an example of a school boy from Belize who identifies himself as Belizean because he was...
Words: 1357 - Pages: 6
...UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: the role of languages and culture in the promotion and protection of the rights and identity of Indigenous peoples. The State of Indigenous Peoples’ Languages and Cultures in Canada Submission by Kontinónhstats - The Mohawk Language Custodians Submitted by: Kontinónhstats – The Mohawk Language Custodians 14A Sóse Onahsakenrat (Joseph Swan Road) Kanehsatà:ke, Quebec Canada J0N 1E0 Phone: 450-479-1651 Email: Ellen Gabriel kontinonhstats2@hotmail.com Hilda Nicholas kononkwe@inbox.com Table of Contents Page Executive Summary ………………………………………………………. 3 - 6 Introduction ……………………………………………………………….. 6 – 7 Current Situation ………………………………………………………..... 7 – 9 Conclusion …………………………………………………………………. 9 - 11 Recommendations ……………………………………………………….... 12 End Notes …………………………………………………………………...13 - 14 Annex 1………………………………………………………………………15 -16 Annex 2………………………………………………………………………17 Suggested Questions ………………………………………………………..18 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This submission on Indigenous languages, culture and identity demonstrates the manner in which Canada continues to practice institutionalized racial discrimination and assimilation against Indigenous peoples’ human rights and fundamental freedoms through the imposition of their policies and programs which are based upon the archaic legislation of...
Words: 6213 - Pages: 25
