The records in this accession were created and maintained by the Multiculturalism Sector of the Secretary of State, and transferred to the National Archives by the Department of Canadian Heritage who assumed some of the functions of the Secretary of State when it became defunct. The records are arranged according to the Department's subject classification system and fall within the 3200 block. The records relate broadly to Canadian identity and unity issues (including those associated with the Charlottetown Constitutional Accord), and issues specific to immigrant populations in Canada.
The records relate to the policies and programs of the Multiculturalism Sector, which include, but are not limited to: committees, task forces and conferences on multiculturalism, including the Future Belongs to Us conference; ethnic groups and ethnic media; family violence; arts apprenticeship; community support and participation; multiculturalism and business; immigrant orientation, language training, and liaison with Canada Employment and Immigration; immigrant women; and race relations. The records also relate to the Multiculturalism Sector's Heritage Cultures and Languages Program and include records related to: awards (Gemini); broadcasting; the National Folk Arts Conference; ethnic studies and research; the Canadian Heritage Language Institute; and cultural events and festivals such as the Canadian Heritage Festival.
The records include: correspondence; press releases; notes; lists; summaries; briefing material; background research; strategic plans; position papers; questionnaires; clippings; applications; memoranda; plans; programs; agenda; speeches; reports and statistics related to funding programs such as the Community Support Program; consensus reports and communications plans related to the Charlottetown Constitutional Accord; and project outlines and proposals related to national unity programs sponsored by the Secretary of State.
