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Multiculturalism Act Essay

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Analysis of Health-Related Legislation: The Multiculturalism Act While some individuals may view health as related solely to medical diseases and conditions, in actuality health encompasses an array of dimensions, such as physical, spiritual, and mental. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) (2015a), an individual’s health can be shaped by his or her social and economic environment, physical environment, and characteristics and behaviours. These factors can be influenced by external forces, such as government legislation and regulations.
A piece of Canadian legislation that can indirectly influence an individual’s health and well-being is the Multiculturalism Act. This legislation promotes and protects diversity and allows individuals to practice their diverse cultural traditions (Canadian Multiculturalism Act, 1988). Along with identity, which can play an essential role in health and wellbeing, this legislation can affect certain social determinants of health, such as employment. This paper will provide an overview of the Canadian Multiculturalism Act, including its origin and intentions in regard to health, and include a discussion around the legislation’s ability to fulfil its intentions.
The Multiculturalism Act …show more content…
In 1971, the Federal Government of Prime Minister (PM) Pierre Trudeau declared that Canada would embrace the country’s multiculturalism dimension, making it the first nation to do so (Macleans, 2013). The government formalized “a policy to protect and promote diversity, recognize the rights of Aboriginal peoples, and support the use of Canada’s two official languages” (Burnet & Driedger, 2011) and in 1973, the Ministry of Multiculturalism was developed to monitor the implementation of multicultural initiatives (Dewing, 2009). The Canadian Multiculturalism Act was enacted by the Progressive Conservative government of Brian Mulroney on July 21,

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