Canadian multiculturalism : Multiculturalisme canadien

With the adoption of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982, the multicultural heritage of Canadians was recognized in the Constitution. [...] In 1987, the committee issued an extensive report that called for the enactment of a new policy on multiculturalism and the creation of the Department of Multiculturalism. [...] Directed toward the preservation and enhancement of multiculturalism in Canada, the Act sought to assist in the preservation of culture and language, to reduce discrimination, to enhance cultural awareness and understanding, and to promote culturally sensitive institutional change at the federal level. [...] The Government of Canada and the National Association of Japanese Canadians signed the Japanese Canadian Redress Agreement, and the federal government promised to create the Canadian Race Relations Foundation. [...] For many Québécois, the idea of reducing the rights of French-speaking Canadians to the same level as those of other ethno-racial minorities in the name of multicultural equality is inconsistent with the special compact between the two founding peoples of Canada.