Discover Canada VideoBook
Chapter 2: Who We Are

Chapter Summary

Canada is known as a strong and free country with a unique identity. Canada has the oldest continuous constitutional tradition in the world and is the only constitutional monarchy in North America. A key idea in Canada’s original constitutional document (1867) is “Peace, Order and Good Government,” reflecting a commitment to stable democratic government, ordered liberty, and the rule of law.

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To understand Canada, it’s important to know about the Aboriginal peoples who were here long before European explorers arrived. Their diverse First Nations cultures were rooted in religious beliefs about their relationship to the Creator, the natural environment, and each other. Aboriginal and treaty rights are recognized in the Canadian Constitution. The Royal Proclamation of 1763 set out territorial rights and became a basis for negotiating treaties - treaties that were not always fully respected.

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From the 1800s until the 1980s, many Aboriginal children were placed in residential schools as part of a federal policy of assimilation. The schools were underfunded and caused hardship, and Aboriginal languages and cultural practices were mostly prohibited. In 2008, the Government of Canada formally apologized to former students. Today, Aboriginal peoples: First Nations, Inuit, and Métis - continue to strengthen their cultures and contribute to Canada in many fields, including business, agriculture, the environment, and the arts.

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This chapter also explains Canada’s linguistic and cultural foundations. English and French are Canada’s official languages, and the federal government must provide services in both. New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province. You’ll learn about Francophones and Anglophones, Acadians and the “Great Upheaval,” Quebecers and Anglo-Quebecers, and the idea of “unity in diversity” where immigrant groups can keep their traditions while contributing to Canada’s shared identity.

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Finally, the chapter highlights Canada as a land of immigrants and a multicultural society. Newcomers are expected to embrace democratic principles such as the rule of law and leave behind violent, extreme, or hateful prejudices. Canada’s diversity includes many ethnic and religious communities and languages spoken at home, and Canadians work to live together with mutual respect and equality under the law.