Live-In-Canada

By Julie Waldman

Otis & Korman's Articling Summer Student 2004

Introduction

Throughout its history, Canada has been welcoming people looking for a peaceful, stable and developed country to call home. Indeed, Canada has an international reputation as a safe, clean and beautiful country. By assessing educational levels, health care, life expectancy and income, among other factors, the United Nations has repeatedly ranked Canada as the best country in the world to live.

Education

Canada has an excellent education system with the Canadian population ranking as some of the best-educated people in the world. The adult literacy rate is 99%, and children are required by law to attend school up to the age of 15 or 16, depending on the province. As universities receive significant funding from the government, many Canadians are able to continue their education up to and beyond the completion of a university degree.

Health

In an era of privatization, Canada maintains a universal health care system. All Canadians have free access to needed medical care, and many Canadian Medical Institutions and Research Facilities are international leaders in their fields.

Safety

Canadians are proud of their strong education and social welfare system. As a result of this system, the crime rate in Canada is low. Toronto is Canada's largest city with around 4 million people, and it is continually rated as one of the safest urban areas in North America. Violent crime is rare. In general the Canadian population lives comfortably and feels safe in the Canadian environment.

Economy

Currently, Canada is undergoing an economic boom. While the United States has long been its most active trading partner, Canada has forged strong relations with many of the largest trading nations in the world. A sizeable amount of the Canadian population is employed in administrative, business and finance, areas in which immigrants often find employment. Many Canadian businesses look abroad for skilled individuals, particularly to fill the need for information technology workers. Through the skilled worker class, Canada continually attracts some of the world's brightest individuals, who are encouraged to develop professionally inside the country.

Multiculturalism

Currently over 30 million people live in Canada and over 5 million are immigrants. The Canadian emphasis on multiculturalism is an intricate part of Canada's social makeup and has become a model for the rest of the world. This model focuses on the importance of fostering a society that allows different groups to co-exist rather than melt into one single identity. As such, immigrants are seen as contributing actively to the Canadian lifestyle. In fact, they have become an integral part of Canadian society, fulfilling a number of important roles academically, professionally, artistically and culturally.

Conclusion

As more and more countries are closing their doors, Canada is becoming more inviting and accommodating to immigrants. Since the year 2000, the Canadian government has been actively increasing the number of immigrants it hopes to accept and welcome into the country each year. From a Canadian perspective, immigrants and the diversity they bring enhance the Canadian economy and identity.