Bryce Segovia
221690409
Goldsmith (2020), in his article “Our Identity is Defined by Multiculturalism,” talks about the
creation of the Multiculturalism policy introduced by Pierre Trudeau. The author explains that
this “new policy” was a response to the Quebec Crisis. Goldsmith mentions that the goal of this
policy was the integration and recognition of Canada as a multicultural country. Goldsmith
highlights how this policy helped Canadians feel proud of their identity as part of a diverse and
inclusive country. This article also talks about how Canadians accept newcomers mainly
because of the fact that there are immigrants with higher education or the academic success of
their children. However, this article does not include other reasons why diversity works in
Canada, such as the cultural exchanges that occur between newcomers and the Canadian
community. Yet Goldsmith tries to make a critical point on multiculturalism by repeating its
success, his explanation remains incomplete, basically narrowing it down to professional and
academic achievements, leaving aside the impacts of cultural traditions and shared
experiences.
Personally, I agree with Goldsmith when he says that Canadians feel more identified and
prouder of being part of a multicultural country. The author argues that the success in the fields
of new religions, cultures and traditions embraced by the Canadian people makes Canada more
diverse and welcoming. This idea reveals how multiculturalism has brought a sense of unity with
respect for different cultural identities. Celebrating cultural festivals or recognizing holidays of
different religions are some of the ways Canada celebrates diversity. In my opinion, it will be a
source of pride if those communities can welcome others with different backgrounds. This way
of looking at multiculturalism, as Goldsmith describes it, makes every Canadian part of a
multidiverse nation to which everyone belongs. I think this is the strongest point of the article, as
it really shows how multiculturalism has shaped Canadian identity in such a positive way.
However, I disagree with Goldsmith when he talks about why Canadians “accept” newcomers.
The author claims that this acceptance happens because some immigrants have postgraduate
degrees or because the second generation of immigrants goes to college. While this may be
true in some cases, it still does not explain the whole picture. Since the author has only focused
on education, he has completely left out other important reasons that allow Canadians and
newcomers to stay together peacefully. For example, cultural exchange is seen as playing a
huge role in creating understanding between people in terms of understanding new traditions,
authentic cuisines and different celebrations. These exchanges between cultures give meaning
to diversity because they create avenues for people to relate to each other well beyond their
academic or professional success. I believe this is the key to how multiculturalism works in
Canada and exactly what Goldsmith should have laid out to complete his explanation of the
openness of Canadians to new citizens.
To conclude, Goldsmith’s article highlights how multiculturalism helps Canadians identify as a
multiethnic and multireligious country, which I agree is an excellent point. At the same time, this
is very much aligned with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, in which cultural and
religious expressions are protected. These “protections” are primarily intended to ensure that
immigrants can preserve their cultural or religious identity, while contributing to multiculturalism
in Canada, fostering harmony and pride in diversity. However, I disagree with Goldsmith's
assumption that Canadians tolerate new immigrants mostly because they are well educated or
have professional status. This is a limited point of view, which only takes into account economic
factors and ignores the cultural impact that immigrants can have by introducing traditions,
celebrations, or shared experiences. The Charter also supports these cultural exchanges, which
are crucial to building inclusive communities. While Goldsmith offers valuable insights, he could
have addressed how these rights and cultural aspects contribute to the multicultural success of
Canada, by providing a more complete understanding of why Canadians embrace diversity