Excerpt from www.culture.ca
“The world is forever getting smaller - and cultural diversity is a very current subject in international relations. It refers to the presence of different cultural groups in one place. In 2001, the UNESCO Declaration of Cultural Diversity was adopted. Canada has been a leader in the formulation and the promotion of the Declaration of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions in 2005.
Canada has a deep commitment to cultural diversity. When everyone is accepted and respected, the result is a more harmonious, a more creative, and indeed, a more stable society.
When Europeans arrived on the shores of what is now Canada, there were already 56 Aboriginal nations with more than 30 languages. Today, diversity is a key part of the Canadian fabric. Canada is a country of 32 million people, with cultural groups from all over the world, and a yearly immigration rate of about 200,000. Canada’s cultural diversity is expanding.
The sense of belonging and inclusion, some of the hallmarks of Canada, are attributes that need to be cultivated and maintained. This is process - not an end. Our continued success in this process is one of the foundations of Canada. Part of the success is the will to pursue. In Canada, we have that. We are up to the challenge.”