Multicultural and Multifaceted Canada

Abstract

Describing the system of education in Canada is akin to trying to describe the nation itself—complex. It is perhaps difficult to pinpoint defining features, the country being viewed by many on the world stage as strong and stable; yet on home soil, many Canadians struggle to articulate where the essence of their country lies. [I am one of those Canadians. That being said, I feel very fortunate to live, work and raise my children in Canada. I look out my window and see the Rocky Mountains; I breathe clean air and have clean water to drink any time I turn my faucets on; my children walk to school in what I feel is as safe a neighbourhood as you will find in a large Canadian city; and, I am fortunate to have a good paying job doing something I love that also provides for my family.] But—and perhaps the one “thing” many Canadians struggle with most is that when questioned they would be hard pressed to explain what “the Canadian experience” is. In large part this is due to the fact that being Canadian is far from a singular experience shared by all. Canada is such a diverse country, welcoming with opens arms people from all nations as though they were our own. Canadians come in all shapes and sizes, colours and voices, and for the most part, the people tend to make “it” work. Describing the Canadian education system is in many ways the same—education in Canada is not a singular entity. It is complex and diverse, dynamic—yet in some cases so very slow to change, to reflect the world our students are growing up in.