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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.

 

 

 


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