What are some Canadian beliefs?

Answer 1

== == * Canadians have a mixture of religious and other beliefs that are just as diverse as those in other countries. Some believe that Canadians are more liberal than Americans, but other than that obvious generalization, there are no "standard" beliefs that all Canadians share.

Answer 2

Canada is an advanced, high-tech and industrialized, western, parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarch (a "figurehead" shared with several other Commonwealth countries). Per The CIA Factbook -- "... Canada resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and affluent living standards". Its belief and value-system has evolved, since its modern founding in 1867, to reflect advanced affluence.

Yet, according to the survey "Fire and Ice" by Michael Adams - Penguin Canada (2003), Canadians' core beliefs are quite distinguishable from their European and continental neighbours. This is largely because they are based in "Toryism". The Loyalist (a.k.a. American "Tory") founders of English-speaking Canada, who departed America in the aftermath of its revolution, would eventually:

• enshrine "tory notions" of 'peace, order and good government'** when establishing a democratic, free but civil society through Canada's first confederalist constitution - the BNA Act of 1867.

• provide the cultural basis for generally greater acceptance of constructive government intervention, usually in the economic sphere, and generally whenever an issue of 'fairness' is involved. The church and state were not originally separated in Canada**; thus, though Canadian society grows more and more secularized -- less so than Europe but more than America -- the political and moral (as opposed to 'religious') spheres can still overlap.

Ironically, and notwithstanding the retention of a 'constitutional monarchy' even today, Adams' 2003 survey suggests that modern Canadians show much less 'deference to traditional authority' than did their Loyalist forebears, or do their southern neighbours today. That explains, in part:

• why only 30% of Canadians regarded religion to be important in 2003 (compared to Americans at 59%), or,
• why only a small percentage of Canadians claim to allow 'religion' to influence their electoral vote, or,
• why Canadians tend to be more socially liberal viz. tolerance for multiculturalism, womens' rights, or, sexuality (For example, in 2000, a statistically valid survey conducted in both Canada and America, asked: "do you believe that Father must be master in the home?" Only 18% of Canadians said 'Yes', compared to 49% of Americans.)

The 1996 survey "God and Society in North America", financed by a grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts, interviewed and contrasted 6,000 Canadians and Americans, in equal proportion, and found that:

• jobs are the most important national issue for Canadians (for Americans, it was international affairs),
• as their number 1 objective, Canadians chose building the economy (Americans opted for promoting the family),
• decided voters in Canada are roughly equally motivated by liking their candidate or party and their dislike of the alternative (most Americans really prefer the candidate they support, and what they think of his opponent has less influence),
• significantly fewer Canadians say they go to church, pray and read The Bible, and confirmed that
• only half as many Canadians say religion influences their political thinking.

The fact that about 80% of Canadians, live in an urban setting makes them more accepting of vibrant social change, thus less inclined to defer to traditional authority (the US is split 60% urban 40% rural, by comparison). For example, Canadians tend to have greater ease with accepting immigrants, or interacting with distinct cultures, than is often the case for many European or continental counterparts. Positive views of 'multiculturalism' in Canada also arise because, the country never had the political luxury of one language or one religion -- after 1759 (The Fall of Quebec); thus, Canadians were obliged to enshrine the principle of diversity in both governance and constitution(s), and to deal with diversity in day-to-day life.

Only about 22% of Canadians own a firearm, acquired generally for occupational (farm) or recreational use (hunters). This comparatively small percentage -- when compared to 49% in the US -- derives in large measure from The American Revolution: The Loyalist founders of English-Canada naturally tended to regard personal weaponry as an enabler of political insurrection, not liberty; moreover, colonial Loyalists had been subjected to severe vigilantism by Patriots, during The Revolution but especially after 1783, and thus, they equated gun ownership with social anarchy.

The present Canadian Constitution (1982) enshrines deeply-defined individual rights in its 'Charter of Rights and Freedoms'. Much as occurs in The European Union, Canada's Supreme Court reviews the constitutionality of legislation or lower-court judgments. Moreover, each province has its own 'High Court' (supreme) to review the constitutionality of legislation of the Provincial parliaments on matters within Provincial jurisdiction, and, judgments of lower provincial-courts as the need arises.

A recent PEW Research Center survey points out, Canadians tend to have a more positive opinion of both America and Americans than do most US allies, in the order or 67-70% favourable (see: Introduction -- 16-Nation Pew Global Attitudes Survey, 23-June 2005). The fact of a long independent political existence plus struggles against 'Manifest Destiny' throughout the 19th and early 20th Century, can make Canadians remain wary of US power, looking unfavourably upon US exceptionalism or unilateralism.

** "Toryism" or "Tory": a term considered derogatory by the 'Patriots' (a.k.a. "Whigs") of The American Revolution and which they applied to American colonists opposing their aims. Canadians refer to the same people as "Loyalists", a term of reverence.

**The Church of England and The Catholic Church were both entrenched as 'state churches' in Canada, one of English Canada the other French Canada.

** The Tory phrasing was a direct repudiation of "Whig" notions of 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness' enshrined in American constitutional thinking.

Answer 3

Do you mean religiously? If so, Canadians are a multicultural society. Because Canada is made up of several cultural groups, there is a vast number of religion in Canada. Some common ones are Christianity, Catholicism, Judaism and Islam. Several Canadians are also unreligious, either Athiest or Agnostic. Because Canada is today very multicultural, the people are generally tolerant towards most beliefs - although religious arguments and disputes do still occur.