Final answer:
Multiculturalism celebrates cultural diversity whereas assimilation involves minority groups losing their identity to the dominant culture. The US has favored assimilation, while Canada promotes multiculturalism. US policies suggest a shift towards more exclusionary practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
Difference Between Multiculturalism and Assimilation: Multiculturalism is an ideology that acknowledges, celebrates, and promotes the diversity of cultures within a society, allowing each group to maintain its cultural identity. Assimilation, on the other hand, is the process by which a minority group or individual gives up its own identity by taking on the characteristics of the dominant culture, often leading to the loss of the minority group’s cultural identity.
Immigration in the United States and Canada: In the United States, there has traditionally been a melting pot approach to immigration, emphasizing the assimilation of immigrants into a single national culture. While this has fostered some unity, it can also lead to the loss of distinct cultural traditions and has sometimes resulted in periods of prejudice and discrimination. Canadian policies, however, have favored multiculturalism, respecting and celebrating the individual identities of its diverse population. This has possibly undermined a singular national identity but has resulted in less tension historically.
Cultural Contributions and Issues in the United States: The idea of the American Dream and the cultural melting pot have greatly contributed to American society and culture, inspiring innovations in various fields. However, recent US immigration policies, such as those involving the detention of undocumented children and the push for a border wall, raise questions about whether the current approach supports pluralism, assimilation, or amalgamation, with evidence suggesting a more exclusionary stance.