After having worked with Canadians of all stripes, after having eaten together, and laughed - and cried - together, new-comers begin to feel a sense of belonging, reciprocal links are established, and "here" becomes "here at home". Through their participation in Canadian society, people of all nationalities who have chosen to live here contribute in no small way to the growth of the country, and to its international reputation.

All across Canada, this land of hope, stretches a population which has taken on the colours of those new arrivals who have sought refuge or emigrated here, attracted to our country's wide-open spaces and to its legendary high quality of life.

One does not become integrated over night; we're talking about a long-term process during which the new citizen, by taking the pulse of the adopted country each and every day and developing a liking for this unfamiliar world, adapts his or her behaviour patterns to the new environment so as to change and grow with ease within the milieu itself.

There are a multitude of factors which come together to accelerate the immigrant's social integration; first and foremost, one proceeds by learning the language, by having diplomas recognized by prospective employers and by finding a job. Other than that, enroling one's children in school and seeing that they take part in school activities paves the way to one's learning about all facets of the community and to living according to its rhythms.

Once an immigrant is truly integrated, this individual becomes a functioning and autonomous member of his or her group - and of society as a whole.

An immigrant tends first to adapt, then to integrate and finally to participate in his or her new society. This three-part recipe requires a wide variety of ingredients to create a harmonious blend of aromas and flavours; open-mindedness on the part of both "host" and "dinner guest" are an integral part of the overall mix!

Adapting is the art of blending without becoming watered down; it means preparing a sauce which neither overflows nor sticks to the bottom of the pot, in other words finding a happy medium between the expectations of the individual and those of society.

Adapting is a difficult art to master; it is practically impossible to pull it off without a hitch. One's cup runneth over each and every day, the result of a precarious financial situation; of isolation and a lack of support at difficult moments; of misunderstandings due to the conflict between familiar and unfamiliar customs; of having to face discriminatory attitudes and behaviour; of conflicts between the generations arising when children integrate more quickly than their parents…

Adapting is the art mastered by the immigrant who must learn to change and grow without giving up his or her cultural identity; the newcomer is torn between the impossibility of remaining the same and the difficulty of becoming someone else. Condemned to change, the new culture of this new individual is composed of recent experiences, the contributions of the past and those of his or her entourage - such is the essence of immigrant culture.

Text "The Canadian Identity Collection"
Department of Canadian Heritage