Canadian Multiculturalism Act

The Canadian Multiculturalism Act, passed in 1988 under Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, made Canada the first country to give multiculturalism the force of federal law, building on the multiculturalism policy Canada adopted in 1971 and on recognition of multicultural heritage in the 1982 Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It commits federal institutions to recognizing and promoting Canada's cultural and racial diversity, to helping citizens preserve, enhance, and share their cultural heritage while receiving equal treatment under the law, and to ensuring the full and equitable participation of individuals and communities of all origins in Canadian society.