History

The aboriginal peoples of Canada had established tribes in all areas of the country as much as 10,000 years before the time of European settlement in the late. The Aboriginal peoples of Canada are comprised of many different cultures: Inuit, Haidas and Huron people to name a few.

The British came to Canada in 1760, at which time there were already approximately 60,000 French settlers in the country. In 1867 Canada became a self-governing nation, yet it still retains its connections to the British crown. The country has grown economically and politically in step with its neighbor, the United States of America. The Canadian province of Quebec is unique in that it has French-speaking residents and an exclusive culture. The integration of this province remains a political challenge for the Canadian government.

In 1841 the French and British colonies of Canada were united as Lower Canada and Upper Canada in an attempt to eradicate the disparity between the two. Eventually, this political unification resulted in Confederation, which was passed in 1867. Confederation is regarded as the birth of modern Canada (Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick).

What we now know as Canada is actually an amalgamation of two separate cultures: old French Canada, which traces its roots back to the colonial period, and the much larger, politically dominant English Canada. The cultural and linguistic divide remains strong as ever, challenging Canadians to provide a framework that allows these two distinctive groups to live together comfortably. It is the inclusion of these "two solitudes" in a single state that helps make Canada a uniquely multicultural country.

A second broad problem concerns native peoples who have increasingly questioned their administrative arrangements with the Federal and Provincial Governments. Resurrecting old treaties and analyzing areas not covered by treaty, native lawyers have used the courts, often with much success, to argue their rights. Progress has been made but many problems remain.

In summary, modern Canada always been a highly diverse country. After long and often acrimonious discussions, all the fragmented parts of old British North America do manage to form a coherent nation. Although each culture brings its own deeply rooted regional characteristics, this diversity contributes to Canada's uniquely inclusive national culture.