Why Canada?
Canada is the home of immigrants. All
Canadians are immigrants except the native people.
Multiculturalism was adopted as the official policy of the
Canadian government during the premiership of Pierre Elliot
Trudeau in the 1970s and 1980s. Since then, the Canadian
government has often been described as the instigator of
multicultural ideology because of its public emphasis on the
social importance of immigration.
Multiculturalism is reflected in the law
through the Canadian Multiculturalism Act and section 27 of the
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In recent years,
approximately 300,000 people immigrated to Canada every year.
The newcomers settle mostly in the major urban areas of Toronto,
Vancouver and Montreal. Canadian society is often depicted as being
very progressive, diverse, and multicultural. Racism is a
serious crime in Canada.
Since both English and French are the official
languages in Canada and there are many ethnic communities in the
major cities, the language barrier to new immigrants in Canada
is one of the lowest in the world. Numerous outdoor activities, wildlife, sceneries,
clean environment, better welfare, legal, health and education
systems are the main attractions of Canada.
Geography and Climate
Canada is the world’s second-largest country by total area, with
ten provinces and three territories. The ten provinces are as
follows, listed from their position west to east: British
Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New
Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland
and Labrador. Meanwhile, the three territories are the Northwest
Territories, Nunavut and Yukon.
Due to its extreme size, the climate across Canada varies
greatly; average winter and summer high temperatures differ
depending on the region. In many parts of the country, winters
can be harsh. This is particularly true in the three Prairie
provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba) which experience
a continental climate, for their daily average winter
temperatures are near -15 °C, but can drop below -40 °C with
severe wind chills. Of course, the three territories are
extremely cold in winter as well, and this is due to their
northern location. The extreme, cold weather is one of the main
reasons why many people may not like to immigrate to Canada.
With that being said, British Columbia tends to have a
relatively mild climate in comparison with the rest of Canada.
This fact, in addition to British Columbia’s proximity to Asia,
makes this Canadian province the one that is most welcomed by
immigrants.
With regards to the geography of Canada, there is great
diversity. Mountains, forests, and lakes are all accompanying
landscapes to this vast country. The western region (British
Columbia) is famous for its majestic mountain range and crystal
ocean view; similarly, the eastern region (Prince Edward Island)
is well-known for its green rolling hills and welcoming ocean
view. The middle parts tend to be flatter, and this is
especially true in the Prairie region. Canada is home to many
lakes and rivers; most notably, there are the Great Lakes: Lake
Huron, Lake Ontario, Lake Michigan, Lake Eerie, and Lake
Superior. These lakes are often used for outdoor water-related
activities, such as fishing and kayaking. There are also various
forests and numerous biomes, such as the Tundra, Boreal forest,
Prairies, and many more.
Environment
The Canadian environment is fairly clean; like Australia, Canada
has relatively unpolluted fresh air and clean water. In fact,
according to the 2019 World Air Quality Report, Canada’s air
quality was rated relatively clean on a global scale, ranking
90th on the list of 98 countries in terms of poor air quality.
However, like many countries in the world, Canada is currently
grappling with many environmental issues on the side. Some
prominent problems include soil degradation from the use of
chemical products, deforestation, and other wastes.
Demographic
Canada is a bilingual country; that is, it has two official
languages, and these are English and French. The majority of the
people in Quebec speak French, while most of the individuals in
other provinces communicate in English. Canada, like Australia,
is a country of immigrants. Less than 5% of the total Canadian
population consists of Indigenous peoples; that is, the First
Nations, Inuit and Métis who compose the Aboriginal population
native to Canada. In fact, Canada is an extremely multicultural
country, with numerous different ethnic groups. Toronto is one
of the world’s most diverse cities by percentage of
non-native-born residents, with about 49% of the population born
outside of Canada. The main ethnic groups in this city are
English (21%), French (15.8%), Scottish (15.1%), Irish (13.9%),
German (10.2%), Italian (4.6%), Chinese (4.3%) and Aboriginal.
In addition to being ethnically diverse, Canada is also
extremely religiously diverse. This is because the Canadian
Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects numerous rights, and
religion is one of these many civil rights. As such, Canadians
have great freedom to practice their religions, and there is a
great number of different religious groups.
Canada’s population is roughly 35 million people, but due to the
large size of this country, its population density is among the
lowest in the world. Due to this low population density in such
a large area, the Canadian public transportation network has
always been an issue. Most Canadians have their own car for
commutes.
The bulk of this small population is concentrated in Ontario and
Quebec, and the respective major cities of these provinces,
Toronto and Montreal, are also the largest in Canada. Meanwhile,
the most densely populated part of Canada is the Quebec
City-Windsor Corridor, situated across Southern Quebec and
Southern Ontario along the St. Lawrence River to Lake Ontario
and Lake Eerie.
Economy
Canada is known as one of the world’s wealthiest nations, with a
relatively high standard of living. It is not only part of the
G7 (Group of Seven), but is also a member of the Organization
for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD.
Interestingly, unlike many developed countries, Canada is quite
reliant on its natural resources industries. Mining, oil, and
logging are all fairly important to Canada’s economy. Other
strong Canadian industries include telecommunication and
information technology. You may find jobs in all of the
aforementioned areas. The majority of jobs tend to be found in
more densely population areas; as such, the job market is
generally better in the province of Ontario. As of May 2021,
the overall unemployment rate in this country is roughly 8.2%.
Moreover, this country has one of the highest tax rates and
broadest tax bases in the world. Maximum personal tax rate is
around 50% plus pension and employment insurance contribution.
There are also taxes on merchandises, such as the 5% federal
sales tax and approximately 7-8% provincial tax. These taxes are
received by the respective governments in return for the
provision of many social goods and welfare programs, which will
be outlined later.
Social System
Canada offers various social and welfare programs for its
citizens, and is greatly accepting of individual differences
among its population. For instance, it treasures and is greatly
proud of its multiculturalism. For this reason, the government
often subsidizes different cultural organizations, encouraging
these various ethnicities to promote their own culture and have
their own language programs for children. It is therefore not
difficult to get the unique ethnic products you need, as well as
find service providers who speak your language.
Health care within Canada is publicly funded. These health care
programs are separately run by each province, and generally
cover doctor consultation fees, hospitalization costs, and the
bulk of the surgery costs. Seniors may have subsidies for most
of their prescribed drugs. In addition to this well-balanced
health care program, the government also offers many support
programs such as pension plans, and unemployment insurance for
its eligible citizens.
Finally, schooling is compulsory in Canada and children are
required to attend school from the age of about 5 up until
approximately 16. Elementary and secondary educations are free
in Canada, with the exception of private schools and certain
programs. Meanwhile, most of the institutions which offer
tertiary education (e.g., colleges and universities) are
subsidized by the respective provincial government. In fact,
these institutions located in Quebec are most heavily
subsidized.