About multiculturalism and anti-racism

An outline of our involvement in promoting multiculturalism and advancing racial equity.

On this page

• What is multiculturalism
• Our areas of involvement
• Endowments
• Legislation
• Resources
• Related links

What is multiculturalism

Multiculturalism supports the belief in Canada that all citizens are equal. Multiculturalism ensures that all citizens can maintain their identities, take pride in their ancestry and have a sense of belonging. It supports our shared values of human rights, inclusion and mutual respect.

Our country’s collective identity is rooted in the recognition that our many languages, traditions and beliefs enrich our social fabric. In fact, Canada was the first country in the world to adopt multiculturalism as an official policy in 1971, and further committed to this value by enshrining it in law through the Canadian Multiculturalism Act in 1988.

Multiculturalism is not just a characteristic of our society, but a source of strength and resilience. Because they live in the world's first nation to have an official policy on multiculturalism, the people of Canada know that diversity enriches cultural expression, contributes to innovation in the workplace, stimulates creativity, and helps expand markets for goods and services.

Multiculturalism helps Canada forge new links with countries around the world and supports its role in international affairs and the global economy.

Multiculturalism at its core encourages all Canadians to take an active role in society and to build inter-cultural understanding. It strives to and unite people in Canada act against discrimination based on race, ethnic origin and religious belief.

The Canadian Constitution and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantee that all Canadian citizens have rights and responsibilities—including equality before and under law, and equal protection and benefit of law—no matter where they come from.

Our areas of involvement

Our approach encompasses promotion of multiculturalism, support for federal institutions, intergovernmental dialogue, and international engagement to combat racism.

Promotion and engagement

Multiculturalism is a fundamental part of our Canadian heritage and identity:

• support communities confronting racism and discrimination and promote intercultural and interfaith understanding
• create a dialogue on multiculturalism, diversity, racism and religious discrimination at the domestic and international levels

Support to federal institutions

We help federal institutions meet their obligations under the Canadian Multiculturalism Act, and report annually on their efforts.

Cooperation with other orders of government

To foster continuing dialogue with provinces and territories, we established the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Network of Officials Responsible for Multiculturalism, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism (FPTORMIA).

FPTORMIA is an information-sharing forum to help facilitate closer collaboration on the overarching objective of enhancing diversity and equity in Canada.

International engagement

We support and advance Canada’s obligations as a signatory to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and other relevant United Nations and Member State-based instruments and fora. Additionally, we:

• support the implementation of the Declaration on the North American Partnership for Equity and Racial Justice
• engage with foreign government entities to exchange on efforts, including policies and programs, to prevent and address racism, discrimination and hate

Endowments

• Global Centre for Pluralism
• Jean Augustine Research Chair
• Chair in Multiculturalism at McGill University^{Footnote 1}

Legislation

• Canadian Multiculturalism Act
  • About the Canadian Multiculturalism Act
• Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
• Canadian Human Rights Act

Resources

Find a variety of resources, including educational guides, research reports and institutional publications, aimed at exploring the history and current landscape of multiculturalism in Canada.

• Resources on the history of multiculturalism in Canada

  • Canadian Multiculturalism — Library of Parliament
  • Canadian Multiculturalism Policy, 1971 — Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21
  • Early Political and Public Responses to Canada’s Official Multiculturalism Policy, 1971 —1972 — Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21

• Educational and teaching resources

  • A History of Multiculturalism in Canada: Education Guide and Worksheets — Historia Canada
  • The Canadian Encyclopedia — Canadian Multiculturalism Act
  • Canadian Race Relations Foundation — Guidebooks, Publications and Videos
  • Racism. Stop It! National Video Competition — march21mars

• Research reports

  • Hate Crimes in Canada
  • Experiences of discrimination in daily life among Chinese people in Canada, and their perceptions of and experiences with the police and the justice system
  • The Neighbourhood Ties of Long-term Residents in Lower-income Neighbourhoods
  • The relative earnings of individuals in designated visible minority categories in Canada across four workplace sectors
  • Perceptions of and experiences with police and the justice system among the Black and Indigenous populations in Canada
  • The weekly earnings of Canadian-born individuals in designated visible minority and White categories in the mid-2010s

Related links

• Annual reports on the Operation of the Canadian Multiculturalism Act
• Grouped Evaluation of the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program and Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy, 2017-18 to 2021-22