New Year Issge/FrJdoy, August 31, 1956
JEWISH WESTERN BULLETIN
Poge Three
Editor^s view
A. L Artiold
Ethnic^
Ihte Bi €r Centennial
TT THAT should the role of the e0iiic groups of British Columbia VV_be in the forthcoming Centennial^ celebration of the province? The fact that one of the sub-committees established by the Provincial Centennial Committee is devoted to the interests of Ethnic'Groups and Provinciai Organizations, shows that the ethnic; groups do have an important part to play. -
The ethnic and provincial groups committee, headed by Mrs. Pearl Steeh, has agreed that a special research project into the
history of ethnic groups in B.C. should be undertaliienin order to make possible, the enrichment of this aspect of the Centennial celebrations. The idea is that this research work ydU .pw^vide mstcriaL^ Sj(;cre - qslp^ and meaningful folk festivals and for the linking of citizenship ceremonies; to the historic beginnings of citizenship in British Columbia.
' Tpday, more than ever, it is recognized that the many ethnic groups niaking up the popu-
_ _ __[lation of Canada have played a vital part in
[the historic development of our country and continue to hold an important position in the development of the pattern of Canadian culture. '
What is true for the whple coimfry in this re^tid is even ' more significant for British Columi3ia. There has always been a I multiplicily of ethnic groups in all parts of Canada. But it is in ^ British Columbia that all thev major 'races and colors, as well as i religions, met for the first time in Canadian history. It was here ] that men of the white, red, black and yellow races came together \ for the first time to build a great province.
Only in more recent years however have we begun to look at I this ais a,great joint venture in community building. What has been ; stressed more often than Hot in t^e past has been the Clash of race l and color and the sordid stories of prejudice and- discrimination. ; Even tod^y Stories pf racial disturbances usually get bigger head-; lines fban reports of positive inter-cultural developments;
While more attention is nov/ being paid to the organized cultural activities pf our ethnic groups, much remains tp be dpne in putting acrp^ the basic value of these projects. It is hoped that the B.C. Centennial will help to focus attention on the role of ethnic groups as a living example of the development, ot the idea of "cultural plur;?li)sm" in Canada. —
OPPOSING CPN^KPI^ ,
ClUtWjEd pluralism is explwned as the opposite to the idea of the "meltiiig pot." '
The melting pot is the old concept of America as the place wli^r^ people pf diverse backgrpunds Ipse their distinctiveness and \}fkom'^ in a 3JI embracing pattern in which cultural
differences are fPrgPtten.
Cultural plur^sm is a^ newer thepry based on the idea of encouraging ejAinic groups to maintain and develop the distinctive cultural trai^W^^ tb^y brought with tfljem^^^fr^ the old country, in the case of such groups as the Scottish, Scandinavian, Chinese, Ukrainian, etc., or the aliAbst lost cultural lore pf the Native Indians.
There are ^ijscipus advpcates pf Ipptix these theories in Caoada as well 05 in the United States, aad there are alsp specific trends pf develppment tending tp favpr each thepry, with the result that there is a ppnflict in the practical applicatipn of these two' schools of thought ca cultural dcvclcpmsnt.
RECOGNITION OF CULTURAL PLURALISM?
In the series on **Cfmiida^s JewisU Conwnunity" by Louis Rosenberg, research director of Canadian Jewish Congress, (recently published in the Bulletin), Mr. Rosenberg declared:
^'Because «tf certain factms in tihe development of Canada's history, there would appear to be i^a greater possibility for the development of a vigorous Canadian nationality, with recognition and understanding of what is known as 'cultural pluralism', than in the United States."
Mr. Rosenberg goes on to point out that these factors are
*'the guarantees provided iii the British North America Act for the language and religion of the Flrench-Capadian minori|ty, and the tenacity with which the French, Scoftiish, Irish and other ethnic groups in Qiis country have held to their cnltnrar traditions and group identity."
Looking at it from another angle, Mr. Rosenberg says: (Continued on Page 70)
Briiig Out fhe^ Nfiturot Curl with Ra^r Cutting
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