Canada is based on a somewhat different premise than the "melting pot", Bill. We call it "multiculturalism". That's the notion that one can have a harmonious coexistence of many different cultures in one country, and there's no need to sublimate them all into one melting pot.

I'm not mentioning it with any intention to criticize the USA, I'm just mentioning it as a matter of interest, since it is clearly an approach based on quite different underlying philosophical assumptions than the American approach.

Yes, we all agree to be Canadians, but we also agree that to be "Canadian" involves many cultures, not one culture. So, it's not so much a cultural designation as it is a political/legal/citizenship designation. As Canadian citizens we share similar rights and responsibilities, but it doesn't mean we enter any kind of melting pot. The core idea, however, is not to so much to "keep one's separateness" as it is to have the ongoing friendly coexistence of different groups within one border.

I think this is also the case in some other countries, like Switzerland, where they have 4 official languages. Canada has 2 official languages. It can work just fine.

If the USA had decided to adopt such an approach, I believe you would have 2 official languages now, and they would be English and Spanish.

The American "melting pot" ideal is not necessarily either superior or inferior to multiculturalism as far as I can see...it's just different, that's all. Either approach works fine as long as you have a central government that is relatively honest, reasonable, responsible, and just in its conduct...both at home and abroad.

In other words, people need a government that inspires trust and confidence. ;-)

That's kind of hard to find these days. I'd say the Canadian government falls somewhere in the mushy middle...like a 6-7 approval rating out of 10, maybe. People complain about it a lot, but it's a mild sort of complaining...and anyway, people always complain about governments, don't they?

Now if I had your government as it is now....! Hoo boy. I'd be scared.