Introduction
Located in North America, Canada is the world’s second-largest country. Canada is flanked by the Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, and the Atlantic Ocean in the north. With a massive population of over 37 million individuals, Canada comprises of several races but is dominated by the French and Britons. Some of the cultural influences regarding lingua and mannerisms are borrowed from other immigrant communities, but the French and Britain are predominant. The Canadian government is also a key cultural influence through various policies and institutions and media. Due to the proximity to the United States, Canadians borrow a great deal from the USA even though they don’t favor a direct association with Americans.
The History of Canadian Culture
The original inhibitors of Canada were from different ethnic backgrounds that developed European colonies 1. Through the mid-1960s, several people migrated to Canada to contribute to the culture and language. After the British army conquered New France, several emigrants settled into Lower and Upper Canada. By the year 1960, a significant number of Indians, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Britons had successfully settled in Canada due to the amendment of the immigration laws 2. Due to the huge number of dialects, customs, and practices Canada grew into a multicultural society that’s incorporated different traditions and beliefs from the various communities. Notably, Canadians are very open and accommodative to new cultures from surrounding countries such as the US.
Language
English and French are Canada’s official languages with the former being the most common. About 60% of Canadians converse and conduct their official business in English3. However, various other languages are spoken in Canada due to the mixed-race population. Immigrants who moved into Canada maintain their national language and a significant population of Canada converse in Punjabi, Chinese, German, or Italian 4. Native speakers also exist in Canada and use aboriginal languages which are not popular owing to the small number of indigenous speakers. Native languages are less popular, and many Canadians have adopted the use of French and English in their daily routines. The use of aboriginal languages is expected to disappear with time as generations of the native Canadians strive to learn the official languages.
Religion in Canada
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Due to the diversity of cultures, Canada lacks a specific religion that the citizens ascribe to. Instead, Canadians are free to explore different religions depending on preference. Christianity has. However, a large following as 65% of the Canadians follow Christian teachings 5. Specifically, about 39% of the Canadian Christians are Catholic 6. The rest of the Christians are either Anglican or Baptists. Other religions practiced in Canada include Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism 7. Atheism has also taken the route over the decades with a significant amount of Canadians denying of any claims of religious affiliation 8. In Canada, the freedom of worship is fully enshrined and protected by the constitution. Canadians have the right to worship and ascribe to their preferred religious practices provided they don’t violate the rights of others 9.
Canadian Food
Canadians are naturally big eaters and have a preference for meat. Bacon and beef form a significant portion of the Canadian meals, and vast portions of dinner in most Canadian families have huge portions of meat 10. Due to the multicultural setup, several ethnic groups have different meal preferences making the Canadian cuisine a cocktail of several dishes. There lacks a unique food culture associated with Canada as the different ethnic groups fancy different delicacies. Notably, there are no food festivals or ceremonies in Canada. The Potluck meal, however, is held in high regard by some Canadians and different ethnic communities present their unique dishes 11.
Canadian Economy
Canada has huge wealth or resources and land, but ironically the average Canadian is poor. Dues to specific regulations guiding settlement, natural resources are easily exploited without affecting settlements. Apart from manufacturing, most Canadians are farmers and they mainly export foodstuff which is then exported to the USA. A majority of Canadians engage in commercial agriculture with an insignificant number of farmers participating in subsistence farming 12. The food production is seasonal, and Canada imports most of the consumption food. People don’t buy food directly from the producers but instead, buy food from secondary distributors 13.
Canada also has a strong manufacturing economy. The automobile production nominates the manufacturing sector. Also, there exist several firms that produce farm equipment, electronics, furniture and building material 14. Canada, however, focuses more on producing raw materials as opposed to processing. It, therefore, depends on imports of finished products from other countries. The service sector is also strong with tourism, music production, mainstream media, and the hotel industry registering significant returns.
Canadian Literature and theatre
Canada borrows much of its literature from the Britons, and the French and most of the ancient literature was scripted in the languages mentioned 15. Some of the renowned Canadian authors include Bliss Carman, Catharine Parr Traill, and Hugh MacLennan. Canada also boasts of many scholars in the fields of visual arts, poetry, written literature, and history. The stage theatre scene in Canada took shape as early as in the late 18th century 16. Several festivals such as the Shaw Festival and the Stratford Shakespeare Festival attract several tourists into Canada especially during summer 17. There also exist numerous theaters such as the Toronto Theatre District and the Theatre Saint-Denis. The theatre industry in Canada is supported by the huge broadcasting network, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. This television company hosts several local shows to promote the local film and theater industry.
Summary
Canada is a multicultural country that is dominated by the Britons and the French. Most Canadians have strong influences from the two communities regarding language and mannerisms. There, however, exist several smaller communities such as Indians, Filipinos, and Chinese that have identified their niche and had some influence. Canada lacks a specific culture as the native Canadians have limited influence. Several religions have taken root in Canada, and they are all recognized under the constitution. Lastly, Canada is a hive for numerous literature work and visionary arts that have been recognized internationally.