Often viewed in the shadow of their larger neighbours, Canada and New Zealand are two highly developed nations that share a history as part of the British Commonwealth. Both countr
Faglig kvalitetssikret av lærere og toppstudenter · Følger læreplanen (LK20) · Sist oppdatert 2026-08-30
Often viewed in the shadow of their larger neighbours, Canada and New Zealand are two highly developed nations that share a history as part of the British Commonwealth. Both countries are known for their spectacular natural scenery, high quality of life, and progressive social policies. They are particularly interesting for their distinct and influential approaches to multiculturalism and their complex, evolving relationships with their Indigenous peoples. By examining them together, we can see two different models for building an inclusive national identity in the 21st century.
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Canada's approach to its diverse population is often contrasted with the "melting pot" of the United States. In 1971, Canada became the first country in the world to adopt multiculturalism as an official policy. The national metaphor is not a melting pot but a "cultural mosaic." The idea is that immigrants are encouraged to maintain their cultural and ethnic identities, which are seen as individual tiles that together form the larger, richer picture of the Canadian nation. The government provides funding for ethnic cultural organisations and festivals, and dual citizenship is common. This policy reflects a belief that diversity is a national strength.
Canada's identity is also fundamentally shaped by its bicultural history, with two founding European nations: Britain and France. This is most evident in the province of Quebec, where the majority of the population are French-speaking. Quebec has a distinct culture, history, and legal system, and has always fought to protect its French identity in an overwhelmingly English-speaking North America. This has led to a powerful sovereignty movement, which seeks to make Quebec an independent country. The province has held two referendums on independence, in 1980 and 1995. The 1995 vote was incredibly close, with the "No" side winning by less than one percent. The "Quebec Question" remains a central, though currently less intense, feature of Canadian politics.
Like Australia, Canada has a dark history regarding its Indigenous peoples—the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. A key part of this history was the residential school system, which operated from the 1880s to the 1990s. More than 150,000 Indigenous children were forcibly taken from their families and sent to these church-run, government-funded schools. The goal was to strip them of their language and culture and assimilate them into Canadian society. The children suffered horrific physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, and thousands died.
In 2008, the Canadian government established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) to investigate the residential school system. The TRC's final report in 2015 called the system a form of "cultural genocide" and issued 94 "Calls to Action" for reconciliation. This has led to a national conversation about Canada's colonial past that is ongoing and often painful, especially with the recent discoveries of unmarked graves at former school sites.
New Zealand's national identity is unique because it is explicitly founded on a principle of biculturalism, based on the relationship between the Indigenous Māori people and the non-Māori, who are known collectively as Pākehā. The foundation of this relationship is the Treaty of Waitangi, signed in 1840 between the British Crown and numerous Māori chiefs. The Treaty is considered New Zealand's founding document.
However, there were major differences between the English and Māori language versions of the treaty. The English version states that the Māori ceded sovereignty to the British, while the Māori version states that they gave the British the right of governance (kawanatanga) while retaining their own sovereignty (tino rangatiratanga). These differing interpretations have been a source of conflict and protest for generations. Since the 1970s, the Waitangi Tribunal has been investigating treaty breaches, leading to significant settlements and a greater recognition of Māori rights.
The last few decades have seen a powerful revitalisation of Māori culture known as the Māori Renaissance. A key part of this has been the revival of the Māori language, Te Reo Māori, which is now an official language of New Zealand. It is being taught in schools, used in broadcasting, and increasingly incorporated into daily life by both Māori and Pākehā. Elements of Māori culture are now central to the identity of all New Zealanders. The most famous example is the Haka, the traditional Māori ceremonial challenge, performed by the national rugby team, the All Blacks, before every match. This integration of Indigenous culture into the national identity is much more visible in New Zealand than in Canada or Australia.
Canada and New Zealand offer two distinct models for building modern, inclusive nations. Canada's official policy of multiculturalism celebrates diversity as a "cultural mosaic," while also grappling with the question of Quebec sovereignty and the difficult legacy of its residential school system. New Zealand has forged a unique bicultural identity based on the Treaty of Waitangi, where Māori culture and language play an increasingly central role in the life of the nation. Both countries demonstrate that addressing their colonial pasts is a complex but essential part of shaping their future.