Canada in 2060
What Canada might look like in 45 years.
Introduction
Canada is a country that, much like every other country in the world, is changing. Whether it is from the temperature to the attractions there, or more importantly, its population. Canada's population is changing due to the people who immigrate into the country, to the demographics, or even the races of people who live here. The population is going to change in the upcoming years, so this article will explain why this is happening.
Immigration and Emigration in Canada
Currently, around 250000 immigrants migrate to Canada every year, or an immigration rate of with the majority of immigrants usually from United Kingdom and China.
The reasons why people from those countries immigrate into Canada, and other countries around the world, is because they have Pull Factors. Pull Factors are reasons why people should immigrate to a country. For Canada, their Pull Factors can be that it has good health care, education and job opportunities. Because Canada has good Pull Factors, it is a popular choice for immigrants to live in the country.
When those immigrants do arrive into Canada, they tend to settle in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia. However, according to the graph below, Ontario and British Columbia are having a lower immigration rate, while provinces like Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan are receiving more immigrants. If that trend continues in the next upcoming years, Ontario's immigration rate will get lower, but provinces like Alberta will get larger.
Canada's population can continue to grow due to the immigrates from other countries migrating there, but it isn't the only thing effecting Canada's population.
Emigration is another thing that can effect a country's population, which is when people want to move out of a country. Push Factors are what causes people to emigrate out of a country, such as poverty, war or disasters that occur in their home country.
Although there are people that emigrate Canada, the country's Net Migration Rate is currently at 5.66, meaning there are more immigrants than emigrants in Canada. However, Net Migration Rate isn't the only factor effecting Canada's population.
Immigrants
Population
Aboriginals
Canada's Demographics
Natural Increase is the main reason why a country's population can increase or decrease. It calculates the Birth Rate and Death Rate of a country, which is how many people are born and die every year. The population of a country will only increase if its Birth Rate is higher than its Death Rate.
Today, Canada has a population of 35.19 million people. Canada's population has about 390,000 people born every year, giving Canada a Birth Rate of 11, while 270,000 people die every year, giving Canada a Death Rate of 7.6, meaning that Canada's Natural Increase Rate is 3.4. meaning that the Natural Increase Rate is causing Canada's population to increase.
Population Growth Rate calculates both the Natural Increase Rate and the Net Migration Rate, and it is what tells if a country's population is increasing or decreasing. For Canada, its current Population Growth Rate is 9.06, or about 319000 new people every year. If that number continues, it won't cause the Population Growth Rate to double in the next decades, but Canada might have a total population of about 49.2 million people in the year 2060.
When we look at Population Pyramids, they show a more in-depth look at a country's population. They show how many people are male/female, and in their age groups. They also have three categories for the age groups (Pre-Reproductive, Reproductive and Post-Reproductive).
If you take a look at Canada's population pyramid below, the majority of Canadians in Canada are currently in their 40's-50's, while there are less people in their Pre-Reproductive age than in their Reproductive age. What this means that in the upcoming years, Canada's population will grow more slowly as less people will reach their Reproductive age, along with an increase of people in Post-Reproductive age.
First Nations Situations
As of right now, there is an act in Canada called the Indian Act, which is specifically targeted at the First Nations. However, the act consists a bunch of laws that takes away equal rights and freedom to the First Nations.
In the video, it explains that the First Nations have the inability to own property unless allowed by politicians, they cannot sell their own houses and they aren't allowed to sell their food outside their reserve. There are more laws in the Indian Act, but the main point of the act is to prohibit First Nations to do some of the stuff anyone else in Canada are allowed to do.
The act isn't as bad as it used to be when it was introduced in 1876, when Indian children were forced to go to residential schools, where they were tortured for doing anything involving their Indian ways. But the Aboriginals have complain about the Indian Act and wanted it to go away, including famous Aboriginal celebrities like Wab Kinew.
Hopefully, the Canadian government decides to remove the Indian Act in the future since it is being restrictive to the First Nations and that the First Nations agree that the Indian Act should go away.
Audio Clip
Conclusion
To summarize what Canada might look like in 2060, more people will immigrate to Manitoba and Alberta while less people will immigrate to Ontario, Canada will have a total population of 49.2 million, the majority of people in Canada will be in their Post-Reproductive and the government will remove the Indian Act.
Bibliography
Check out these websites and videos if you want more information on Canada's immigration, demographics and more.
Websites:
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/demo04a-eng.htm
http://www.indexmundi.com/canada/age_structure.html
Videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLmKfXwWQtE