AboriginalsAboriginals have been impacted by other Canadians for centuries. Today, some do feel proud to be Canadian, but many are frustrated with the existing conflicts between them and other Canadians due to lack of understanding of their different culture. There are historical events that impact their feeling of nationalism. For example, the Oka Crisis, when the expansion of a golf course on sacred burial grounds of the Mohawks caused an escalated protest which resulted in a police officer being shot. Land and culture are very important to Aboriginals, so the struggle with land claims being settled also impact their nationalism. Residential Schools, where Aboriginal children were sent to be assimilated, has left a long lasting impact. The Canadian government is reconciling contending loyalties, but for some Aboriginals that is not enough. Other Aboriginals have thrived while living in Canada, not letting the events from the past affect their future. They would have a different feeling of Canadian nationalism than those who have been damaged by the past.
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Francophones
For Francophones, especially who live in Quebec, their main focus is to preserve their language and culture and not be assimilated due to being a minority in Canada. Many events where Francophones have been mistreated impact their ambition to be nationalistic towards Canada. The Conquest impacted their identity when the French were defeated by the British on the Plains of Abraham, which commenced the increase of English speaking people in Canada. Today, the French are fighting for rights in order to protect their rights protecting their language and culture. When Stephen Harper recognized Quebec as a nation within a nation-state, it gave Quebecois an official status that other Canadians could recognize as a nation who deserve special rights. This is what it means to be a Canadian for Francophones, for their rights to be recognized and to get others to understand that their language and culture are a part of their identity.
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Alberta
In Canada, we have democracy, but it is based on representation by population. This means Ontario and Quebec (central and Eastern Canada) are going to have the majority of the political power. The Western provinces like Alberta feel left out because of this. Alberta was impacted when the price of oil increased worldwide in the 1980’s because this is when the government enacted the National Energy Policy (NEP). It controlled the price of oil in Alberta industries and ensure Eastern Canada would not be greatly impacted by this crisis. This made Albertans feel like the government was only trying to protect the Eastern countries, just like when Canada was first settled and the Western regions were seen just as a source of economic resources. Government policies tended to favor the Eastern industries rather than the extract resources to the West. In the past, government agencies and companies in the East had the ability to place tariffs on manufactured goods to ensure that Canadians would buy goods from the east, marking western farmers compete for markets, leading to lower profits. Many Albertans felt as if they were left out when the federal government was more focused on providing for the east, thus creating a different perspective on what it means for them to be a Canadian.
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Immigrants
Canada was the first country in the world to create an official multiculturalism policy. Canada is home to many immigrants, which helps us celebrate our difference and attract others to our country. Though this can also be seen as a negative feature because it can result in a lack of unity in the nation-state and cause conflicts between different nations. For example, when the Chinese immigration occurred during the building of the railway they were faced with discrimination as they were unable to vote and could only work in certain areas if they chose to stay. Canadians forced many to leave as soon as the railway was built. Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau wanted to create a “just society” in which we would focus on Canadian federalism instead of cultural differences. When he was in power, Canada became more cosmopolitan and it exposed us to more cultural practices from around the world and within our country. Reasonable accommodation is when the law allows religious and cultural difference to occur within reason, which provides us a chance to promote a Canadian attribute of tolerance. Today, Canada welcomes many immigrants. Not all immigrants feel the same way about Canada due to past events, but as Canadians work together and become more willing to accept changes, it provides the opportunity for Canada’s nationality to grow.
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Personal Opinion
I think the promotion of Canadian national identity is a positive thing. Increasing our patriotism will unify the many different nations within Canada, which would make Canadians feel a stronger national loyalty. I believe if all nations kept their different cultures and did not try and change each other, there would be reduced conflict and more peace. This is achievable because in Canada, it is possible to be part of more than one nation, but still feel an overall nationalism towards the nation-state for providing that opportunity.