Canada has long been seen as a country of immigrants. From the French and English who were the first Europeans to settle in the northern half of the North American continent, to the most recent arrivals who have come from almost every country in the world, Canada has a long tradition of welcoming immigrants. Canada is a multicultural society with two official languages. However, almost 17% of the population has a mother tongue other than English or French, with Chinese being the third most prevalent language spoken by Canadians . Through good times and bad Canada's commitment to immigration has never weakened. Throughout the 1990's Canada received between 200,000 and 250,000 immigrants per year.

There are a number of reasons why Canada is such a popular destination for immigrants. Perhaps the most common is that over the past few years the United Nations has rated Canada the top country in the world for overall quality of life. Canadians enjoy a comfortable standard of living, good health care, social security, a high level of education, and a relatively safe and clean environment. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms entrenched in the Canadian constitution guarantees such fundamental rights as equality, mobility and legal rights, as well as freedom of speech, assembly and association. A 1997 survey of people in 20 countries found that the majority placed Canada in the top ten list of countries where they would like to live. Most consider Canada a generous, peaceful and compassionate nation, while they see Canadians as honest, friendly and polite.