Article analysis – Canada in a Continental Context
Canada is an ever changing society with a huge amount of opportunity on every single level but Clement in his excellent book Society in Question focuses on the changes prevalent in Canadian society as life continually changes and there is a continual influx of new immigrants and a varied labour force. However up to a point, Canada still remains a country which is in the throes of colonial influence although it is also riven with a cultural split between the French and English speaking parts of the country. The continental influence is discussed extensively by Clement in his chapter which continues to focus on the opportunities in the Canadian economy which is growing at a considerably fast rate without much effect by the recession. This also means that Clement focuses on the divide between urban and rural Canada which continues to dominate the progress of the country. He argues that the multicultural mix of cities such as Toronto and Montreal means that ethnic divergences may be turned into historic opportunities, something which is not quite possible in the rural areas where the economy is still focused on logging and other more traditional work. The article continues to talk about the labour market in general This opportunity means that the labour market can be much more fluid in this respect especially when comparing the opportunities between Canada and the US (Clement, 2001). Citizenship is also something which is tackled at length by Clement and the opportunities which this brings when there is a multicultural society such as the one in Canada.
Personal reflections:
There is no denying that Canada is a country of considerable opportunities and that these still remain to be tapped. In the chapter in question, Clement continues to argue that multiculturalism has diversified Canadian society in a considerable manner although there are advantages and disadvantages in such a context. I would agree with the assertion that the Canadian economy and labour market is much more buoyant than that in the United States(Clement, 2001). Multiculturalism is another thorny issue in this respect as it demonstrates that a combination of cultures can bring about new economic opportunities. Still the European influence continues to be something which should be focused upon as here Canada can only gain from exposure to the neighbours across the Atlantic. Notwithstanding all this life continues to be a harsh one for those Canadians living in rural areas who face limited economic opportunities in extremely harsh climates. The article seems to forgo the economic opportunities for this sector of the population and this is an area which needs to be nurtured properly if any success is to be achieved in the long term. Citizenship is also an issue with multicultural elements not always able to gain privileged access to this. Canada is a land of opportunities in more ways than one and this means that the influences which permeate its society are part and parcel of its development as a nation. This article focuses on that angle but can also be much wider in scope if this land of opportunity is really to be made a superpower.
