preferred spectator sports are Ice hockey and Canadian Football. The largest ethnic groups in Canada are: British, French, German, Italian, Ukrainian, Dutch, Polish, Chinese, South Asian, Jewish, West Indian, Portuguese and Scandinavian. It is hard to imagine Canada being governed in any other way than as a federation. The basic units of Canadian federalism are its ten provinces and three territories. The two largest provinces, Ontario and Québec, contain more than half of Canada’s population between them. The four small Atlantic Provinces (and the three territories) together contain fewer people than each of the four largest provinces. The three territories are vast in extent but tiny in population. Canada has a population of more than 35 million which, while relatively small given the large area of the country, has been growing quite strongly- in part because of immigration from other countries. Most of the population inhabit a narrow strip relatively close to the US border. A high proportion of the total population lives near the American border and that country –which is also a federations-has had a strong and growing influence on Canada, both culturally and as a trading partner. Historically, there has been a strong linkage with Great Britain and Canada remains a member of the British Commonwealth. Approximately one quarter of the total population of Canada lives in the Province of Quebec, which is predominantly French speaking with a relatively strong resistance to central government domination, and this has done much to explain the decentralized nature of the Canadian federalism. The English/French make-up of Canada on the one hand makes nation-building objectives difficult to achieve but, on the other hand, leads to the use of federal provincial transfer programs as a means of doing so. However, programs with detailed federally – imposed conditions attached to them as a criterion for eligibility have become increasingly difficult to implement. The evolution of the Canadian transfer System has occurred over a lengthy period, going back to the serious economic depression of the 1930’s and the subsequent world war and, to some extent, even earlier. A History and Cultural Characteristics The Geography, culture and ethnic composition of Canada, necessities a flexible approach on the part of authorities to keep the federal spirit high. The socio-cultural composition poses a challenge to the question of unity. Plurality of culture does not pose
in Canada allow viewing it as a multinational federation, there are currently many features of the Canadian political system which do not embody the idea of multinational federalism. Further there are some obstacles to the adoption a multinational form of federalism but none of them is insurmountable. To ensure the cultural freedom of the Canadians a new policy of multiculturalism was introduced in October 1971. As a result of the recommendations of the royal commission, on bilingualism and biculturalism, the prime minister announced the federal government’s new policy which recognized the cultural and ethnic pluralism in Canada. The prime minister said that a vigorous policy of multiculturalism would help to create confidence among individual. In 1973, a 102 member’s Canadian consultative council on multiplication was established to provide consultation to the minister of states on matters relating to the implementation of programmers of multicultural policy. Ethno Cultural Diversity in Canada Ethno cultural diversity in Canada is not a single phenomenon; it follows different patterns and has multiple sources. These three kinds of ethno cultural minorities are - Ethnic and immigrant groups Aboriginal peoples and A national minority, that is, the Québécois who form a French-speaking society of approximately 7.5 million people. Canada has been a land of immigration since its very beginning. Whereas until the second half of the 20th century immigrants and ethnic groups were mainly Christians of European descent (Scottish, Irish, German), immigrant groups have become more and more diversified in their provenance and religious allegiance ever since. This greater diversification combined with the liberal commitment to the equal treatment of every citizens regardless of their ethnicity, race, and religion have pushed Canadians to adopt a multiculturalists policy which emphasizes anti-discrimination measures, the promotion of cultural diversity in school curricula, the funding of ethnic organizations, grants some exemptions from public holidays, dress codes (Allowing Sikhs, Muslims or Jews to wear