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Canadian Character in the Twentieth Century

Carleton University, Ottawa

Canadian character is difficult to analyze. There are two main cultural groups, French and English, who could well be considered as two separate "nations." As other Euro pean ethnic groups have come into Canada, they have been en couraged to retain their sense of identity with their country of origin. This strong emphasis on ethnic pluralism has reduced the urge to build a new Canadian nation. Canada's unstable population growth and high rates of emigration also create difficulties. The slow development of the social sciences has entailed a paucity of data from which to draw a profile of Ca nadian character or values. Canadians are heavy consumers of United States culture. Moreover, the small output of in digenous symbolic and expressive material does not circulate widely, nor does it have significance for very large numbers. Despite the inadequacy of the data, there is considerable agree ment among those who have written about it that Canadians are more conservative and authoritarian and less egalitarian in values than are the people of the United States. Conservatism and lack of commitment is traced briefly in the Canadian po litical system. Finally, it is suggested that the French and English in their conservatism have more in common than is generally thought.

The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 370, No. 1, 48-56 (1967)
DOI: 10.1177/000271626737000108


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