How have immigrants affected Canada?

Answer 1

they took all of our jobs.

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The above answer is one of many.

More than 20% of the Canadian population is Foreign-born, immigrants. We call them First Generation Canadian because once a person has citizenship they have all the rights of multi-generational Canadians. They can hold any position or job, and even become our leader, head of state or supreme court judge.

They also have all the responsibilities of Canadians which many are not comfortable with. Of course multi-generational Canadians are not comfortable with many of those responsibilities, so that is very Canadian.

When it comes to the affect on Canada it is almost impossible to overstate. With 20% being immigrants, concentrated in our major centres they and their children easily make up the majority in many areas. Due to multi-generational Canadians very low Birth Rate, and First Generation Canadians very high birth rate the majority of people in Canada are going to be, if they are not already, first or second generation Canadian.

Those majority numbers have a much greater affect than they would in many other nations because multi-generational Canadians have a loose culture a very open acceptance of others. This is why Canada has so many immigrants, we tend to have a live and let live view of society and do not force our views on others as most other cultures and countries do.

Not all of us of course. French Canadians have a much tighter culture and do everything they can to mold immigrants and all Canadians to their ideas. Fortunately for Canada most of their power over people is isolated to Quebec and there people will find many cultural rules and laws that do not exist elsewhere in Canada.

In most of Canada Immigrants are not required to adopt a Multi-generational Canadian culture or view point. They are free to use their own language, set up their own houses of worship, attend schools of their own choice, and are encouraged to take part in politics to shape communities and Canada as they wish.

Many immigrants confuse this freedom with there being no "Canada" in many ways. It is difficult for some to conceive of a culture that would allow such things. Their culture or country would not be so welcoming. Sometimes they view Canada as weak, something that needs more rules and culture. That is affecting Canada in many ways, particularly those who have deep roots in the land and have a loose, quiet, live and let live, culture.

A recent example is the controversial topic of gun control. Most Canadians being first or second generation have a view of firearms based on their own culture and history. Their time in Canada is almost always in Urban centres. Many have negative views of firearms and see them something only government agents or criminals use or own. They can not see firearms as tools, may not even have heard of such a thing. Even multi-generational Canadians often see firearms as weapons particularly if their family has deep urban roots.

On the other hand most multi-generational Canadians outside of the urban centres (and Quebec) see firearms as tools. A part of their deep culture and history in the land. Canada was explored and settled with firearms, even today firearms are part of traveling and living in much of Canada. These Canadians can show continuous firearm ownership in their family dating back hundreds of years. Guns are part of who they are, where they came from, a tool like a canoe and like a canoe part of their culture past and present.

But these Canadians are quiet about their culture, particularly if they are not Aboriginal. They do not force their culture on others and tend to be accommodating to others view points. This has resulted in them facing increasing restrictions on their cultural right to own and use firearms.

The large number of immigrants, who are unaware of such cultural issues, due in part to their own history, our proximity to the USA and anti-gun lobbies in Canada, make the exercise of these cultural Canadian rights more difficult. They often support more gun laws which are a direct attack on many Canadians cultural rights. Something that if that happened to them would result in a loud and major outcry. Since our culture is much quieter they tend misunderstand our response.

I think that debate and the successes against Canadian cultures who have a deep history of firearm use and ownership show some of the affects of Immigration. They have or are shifting traditional political powers, and are shaping Canada in many other ways.

Immigrants are changing Canada into their Canada, they and their children are already or soon to be the majority, they are going to be traditional multi-generational Canadians within a few short decades.

It may not be so much a question of how have immigrants affected Canada but what affect did Canada have on them, on their Canada. Just as yesterdays Canada was created by immigrants from the 1600's, tomorrows Canada will be created by the immigrants of the late 20th and early 21st century. There can be no larger affect.

Answer 2

it brought over many dieases and Shakespeare.. Britney Spears also wrote many new songs