Cultural Mosaic In Canada

Continentalism is a major contributing factor because it can be very threatening for the less powerful country. Continentalism refers to “the presence of a global power (e.g., United States) at one’s border must be considered a fact of special importance” (Hiller 61). This is to say that the more powerful country has influence over the less powerful country. This concept is relevant to my argument about protecting Canada’s cultural industries because there has been an increasing level in American and foreign cultural penetration in Canada. Sharing a large border and more importantly a common language with the United States means Canada is in a very difficult position in regard to American culture, with direct attempts at the Canadian market or the general diffusion of American culture in the globalized media arena. Thus the people of Canada are influenced heavily by American culture and are surrounded more by their culture. The Canadian government should regulate cultural industries so we do not lose interest in our own content. Most of our culture in Canada is from foreign sources: “More than 80% of English-language magazines available in Canada are imported. 88% of new record releases are foreign content. Foreign films take about 95% of the screen time in our movie theatres. Foreign content makes up 61%

Canada as a nation has been striving to characterize itself as more ?Canadian? for decades. This has included numerous struggles and events such as protests, bans, and the creation of the Massey Commission, to encourage national development in the arts, and support major companies like the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and National Film Board (NFB). However, this has not been an easy task for the Canadian government, as major influences from below the border (the United States) have been captivating the Canadian audiences by large. American media has had a momentous revolutionizing effect on Canada, even through efforts made to define Canada with its own cultural identity.

Cultural issues are complicated ones to solve. Sometimes it is even tough to express opinions about them. It is an area where one has had to establish one's bona fides before weighing in. The audience has to be assured that the commentator loves Canada more or at least as much as the next person and is willing to stop at nothing to protect our culture. Trade consultants wanting to mine the cultural field are well advised to have a Can-lit or artistic icon as an immediate family member. Otherwise, they need not even bother hanging up a shingle.

The media influences how people experience social life. Media such as newspaper, television and film, are important sources of information, education and entertainment. It can be used to learn more about the world and the people in it. In this regard it can be said that the media represent, interpret and endorse aspects of social experience (O’Shaughnessy and Stadler, 2005). The media are also implicated in social regulation, or in other terms, the government of society. The media are implicated in government and politics in an obvious way because modern systems of democracy are conducted through the media. But the media have a bigger role to play in government by structuring how society is controlled and maintained.

The CBC had a profound effect to the development of identity, heritage, and citizen in Canada because it proved that it could act as a powerful force in establishing a sense of national unity across the whole Canada. The CBC also countered the American influence and defended Canadian culture. It is recognized as one of Canada's greatest cultural institutions. It has become a leader in producing and distributing distinctive Canadian content, and symbolizes Canadian-made-media content around the

Ever since the 1950’s more of the American culture has been known to influence Canadian ways of living through the media.

Firstly, before 1952 very few Canadians had television sets and those who did watched American television. But with the birth of CBC television the CBC became the second largest producer of television in the world, which brought are country together. In addition, by 1957 both English and French CBC networks were broadcasting 10 hours a day and 85 percent of Canadian’s had access to them which helped preserve Canadian culture. Lastly, the 1950s were referred to as the “Golden Age of television” because of the quality of the programming, but no program was more popular than Hockey Night in Canada and soon after it appeared in 1952 many claimed it had brought our country together. These events truly show Canada’s coming of age and to this day the CBC has truly helped preserve Canadian

However, theorists contend that the news media has a much larger role in shaping the way members of a society think and behave. For example, Wilson and Gutierrez argue that the news media plays a central role in defining society (by virtue of its surveillance and informer functions) through the reinforcement of standards, norms, and values. 4 Likewise, J. R. Ponting, in his analysis of stereotyping of Aboriginals in Canada, notes that the news media imposes a culturally racist model of Canadian society by using ethno-specific values and norms. 5 In addition, Todd Ferguson, a Montreal-based social activist, argues that the news media constructs status quo reality through the process of legitimisation and reinforcement of standards and norms. 6 That is, the media transmits and reinforces culturally specific standards (i.e. beliefs, images, norms, and values) by selecting value-laden news coverage.

Canada is internationally recognized as a culturally diverse nation that emphasizes the concept of “The Mosaic”. No other country in the world encompasses inhabitants from so many different backgrounds who exhibit strong loyalty towards Canada, while still preserving their cultural heritage. This is contrasted to the American ideal of the "Melting Pot", which attempts to shape all of their citizens into a set mold. Canada’s philosophy is believed to be more effective and respectful than that which is possessed by our American neighbours. The following will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches, and analyze the impact of the structures on each country’s society.

Over the centuries, the media has played a significant role in the shaping of societies across the globe. This is especially true of developed nations where media access is readily available to the average citizen. The media has contributed to the creation of ideologies and ideals within a society. The media has such an effect on social life, that a simple as a news story has the power to shake a nation. Because of this, governments around the world have made it their duty to be active in the regulation and control of media access in their countries. The media however, has quickly become dominated by major mega companies who own numerous television, radio and movie companies both nationally and

The Canadian government sees magazines as an important part of their culture and gives Canadians a sense of identity.

I suspect that the real motive of the Canadian government was not to protect Canadian culture in this dispute with the US. But rather, it seemed to concern more with political and economic factors. As appeared in the article, the Canadian government finally gave in and went on to settle the dispute (The Levin Institute, [1]). To me, that seems somewhat irrational to suddenly give up on one’s culture like they did, when the US threated to retaliate with trade barriers. As a speculation, I believe the dispute was motived by political and economic concerns. The Canadian government was attempting to defend the local media from a total domination by foreign media since it implies that Canadian businesses will be paying foreign corporations to have their products and services advertised on a magazine, even when local magazines have the capacity to provide the same type of service. Simply put, the concern seems to be related to the higher outflows of capital.

Society functions in a manner accepting of the differences within people; and the innumerable qualities all individuals put forward. It is the differences within individuals that make for betterment of society; and allow the Canadian nation to be open and accepting of diversity. This notion of diversity is not only one which can be directed towards the large spectrum of society yet, to the family structures which impact it wholesomely, while too, holding effect upon their personal life and relationships. “The word “family” is used in various ways in popular usage, referring in different contexts to our parents, siblings, spouse and children, as well as referring to all the relatives sharing a household and the larger group of relatives with whom we may or may not maintain some contact”, (Baker, Page 3, 2014). Speaking to the level of family structures and whom one considers “family”; it is an area which each individuals should be allowed to dictate in their own manner and hold sole control over. As a nation and/or state focus should be directed at improving the quality of life and equality amongst all sectors of families; in addition to promoting diversity; rather than focusing on the small social and financial issues that Social Service Programs are in place to provide assistance for.

In the cultural mosaic that is Canada, all citizens within the country are seen as Canadians. However, to what extent a person wants to embrace or engage in that Canadian-citizen role is where the lines begin being blurred. Integration and nationalism have now become a hot-button topic for most within the Canadian context due to the systemic malpractice of colonialism and present-day turmoil. According to Trovato (YEAR, p. ), the root of this problem of how much one embraces nationalism comes down to conflicting views due to varying Models of Integration (from Monolithic to Multicultural within a liberal democracy) that having a diverse population possess. These conflicting models show the natural complexities that any society has when addressing integration and to what degree a

The British media has contributed to spreading elements of national identity but how has national identity influenced the British media? When it comes to the BBC, it has been closely defined in regards to servicing the British population as a whole, and this common link that everyone is supposed to be able to enjoy serves as yet another facet of national identity. Because of its founding principles of public service broadcasting, the BBC's identity was grounded in the idea