1. What is
Canadian
Identity?

2. Multiculturalism
& National Identity

3. The ideal
Canadian Multiculturalism Act (proposed 1971, enacted 1988)

4. Some of the realities Québec First Nations, Métis, and Inuit
Regionalism (Thirteen Solitudes)
Hongcouver syndrome
Self-segregation in ethnic enclaves

5. Action: The October Crisis of 1970 (NFB documentary, dir
Action: The October Crisis of 1970 (NFB documentary, dir. Robin Spry, 1973)
Watch entire film online at

6. October 17, 1970
The body of kidnapped Labour Minister Pierre Laporte is found in the trunk of the car in which he was kidnapped. He had been strangled.

7. Two Solitudes

8. Two Solitudes

9. First Nations

11. Regionalism: Thirteen Solitudes

12. Hongcouver

13. Self-segregation

14. Why pluralism is unavoidable
National boundaries, like ethnic boundaries, are human creations.
There are 8,000 distinctive cultural groups in the world, living in the 191 nations that comprise the United Nations.
Each distinctive cultural group could not be granted its own territory (even if that were desirable).

15. Democracy and pluralism
Three principles of democracy:
Human beings are created equal.
They should have as much liberty as possible.
The government should be neutral, not offer advantages and disadvantages to some citizens but not to others; government should not be discriminatory.

16. Challenges for a pluralistic democracy
How to treat people as equal and give them freedom when they are all so different, and want different freedoms, etc.
How much accommodation should the majority be willing to make to minority rights?
Should minority groups receive more than just tolerance? Should subcultures be given special treatment, help, special rights, funding, etc.

17. Three things that might help us continue to get along
Practising substantive equality
John Rawls thought experiment of assuming the Original Position (US liberal ideal)
Making a real effort to establish a shared national identity and a shared horizon for the future; concentrating on things we can agree on and things we can choose to differ about. Seeing our shared past as valuable and unique, but our shared future as Canadian.

18. John Stuart Mill and the “Tyranny of the Majority”
Utilitarianism: “the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people.”
Everyone should be as happy as possible, and if some people need special privileges in order to be happy, they should get them, as long as that doesn’t hurt other people (the Harm Principle).

19. Formal vs substantive equality
Formal Equality
Everyone is treated exactly the same. The same rules are applied to all, equally.
Substantive Equality
Some accommodations are made for the underprivileged, those with a history of being discriminated against, or minority groups whose cultures require special treatment to survive or prosper.

20. John Rawls: The Original Position
Rawls proposed a way to think about issues of fairness that would encourage us to look past our own particular advantage or disadvantage.
Rawls‘ "thought experiment" entailed imagining you are behind a “veil of ignorance” and have no knowledge about your particular characteristics (gender, country of birth, religion, social status etc).
Rawls thought that this was the analytical position ("the original position") from which discussion of a social issue should start.

21. Political community & cultural community POLITICAL COMMUNITY
(eg. Canadian citizens)
What we ALL need to agree on
Democracy, official languages, representative government, rational debate, respect for laws
Shared goals and a shared future
CULTURAL COMMUNITY
(eg. White anglo-saxon protestants)
What we can agree to disagree on
Our historical or tribal roots, language used in the home, religious observances, etc
A shared past and a sense of kinship

22. Political community & cultural community POLITICAL COMMUNITY
(What we ALL need to agree on
Justice (laws)
Use of resources (natural, shelter, health)
Foreign policy
Human rights
Health, safety
National hockey teams
CULTURAL COMMUNITY
What we can agree to disagree on
Religion
Food
Dress
Relationships and family arrangements
Sex
World Cup soccer teams