Chapter 2: How do you Define
Citizenship
Introduction
• Think about what it means to be Canadian
– We’re talking our rights, our responsibilities, our
customs, values, etc...
• So how do you define a Canadian?
• Canada is a “Salad Bowl” nation rather than a
“Melting Pot”.
– Is this good or bad... Think about it!
Citizenship and the Aboriginal Peoples
of Canada
Who Were the Aboriginal Peoples?
• Three distinct groups...
– First Nations, Inuit, and Metis
• They are mostly the same as everyone
else, but they have a special right to “SelfGovernment”
– They get to control their health, education,
housing, etc.
– They have been treated poorly by the
Canadian Government in the past
• forced out of land
• Had the “Indian Act” of 1876 that banned
ancient practices
Organization and Assimilation...
(Hey Look! Isms!)
• Canada tried to “Assimilate” the natives
– We had residential schools that took kids away from their
families
– 100,000 kids attended these schools
– Eventually it was decided that this was wrong and
“survivors” were given 1.9 billion dollars as a settlement.
• Aboriginals have become increasingly politically active
over the last century
– Formed the National Indian Brotherhood in 1968
– Assembly of First Nations which still exists today and
serves as a voice in Ottawa
• Many argue that Aboriginals do not share equally in
Canada’s prosperity... What do you think?... (This is a
thorny issue!)
– Canada is ranked very high on the HDI but aboriginals in
Canada continue to rank very low (life expectancy,
education, income)
Two European Founders
• Brief History Reminders...
– First European to arrive in Canada was Jacques Cartier in 1534
(from France)
– France established the first Colony in Acadia
– In 1759 they were defeated by the British and Canada became
a British Colony
– To make friends with the French, the British let them keep
their language and religeon
– In 1867 the British North America Act creates a unified Canada
and formally recognizes French-Language Rights
– Lots of talk about Separation... The FLQ and the PQ... Pierre
Trudeau passes the Official Languages Act in 1969
– Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
says parents have the right to have their children educated in
their language... Even if they are the minority
• The British
– Following the American Revolution many British
move north to stay British Citizens
– United Empire Loyalists – over 40000!
– So many that Canada became a predominantly
English Nation
– Many Scottish people move to the eastern areas
as well– Nova Scotia (New Scotland)
– Lots of Irish people cross as well– Escaped mass
starvation in Ireland
Canadian Immigration
• Immigration has changed in Canada to
a drastic degree over the last 150
years.
– Originally Canada only wanted White
people– like Ukrainians, Scandinavians,
Americans...
– Eventually they let 15,000 Chinese in,
but only to work on the Railroads (they
were not allowed citizenship)
– Only 400 Japanese were allowed in per
year!
– A head tax needed to be paid on every
Chinese person who entered – 50$ a
person
• Until 1947 there was no such thing as
“citizenship”. You were considered “subjects of
the British Empire living in Canada”.
• By 1960 immigration policy began to change–
prejudice was slowly fading so that people were
judged less on just the colour of their skin or
ethnicity.
• The “Points System” is developed in 1976 where
you are allowed in based on your understanding
of our Languages, level of education, and job
skills
• Recently, as a result, the primary sources of
immigration have changed from Europe to Africa
and Asia
– In 1960 only 3.2% of our immigrants came from
Asia. Today over 58% are! How could this change
the character of our nation?
• We also are one of the world’s largest refugeereceiving nations
Citizenship and Multiculturalism
• Canada is the first nation in the world to adopt
Multiculturalism as an official policy
– This allows immigrants to keep their own language,
heritage, and identity when they move here (keeps
them from being assimilated)
• This policy helps us the value diversity as a
people instead of just accepting it
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Human Rights Day
National Aboriginal Day
Black History Month
Asian Heritage Month
For Journal Entry
Review the “Immigration: Open Borders or
Lockdown?” article on page 42
• Read and critically examine questions 1-3
• Answer questions 1-3
• Be sure that you have at least 1 paragraph (4-5
sentences at least) to make your points
• Be sure that your paragraphs are organized properly
(topic sentence, example, explain, concluding
sentence)