This release was issued under a previous government.

“Today, we celebrate multiculturalism, a key value that Canadians and Albertans hold dear.

“In fact, the story of our province is the story of multiculturalism. Along with First Nations and Inuit people who originally inhabited the land, Alberta was built by wave after wave of immigrants and refugees – all from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

“Our diverse, welcoming communities reflect this foundation. While our cultural backgrounds may differ, what unites us as Albertans is our respect for one another’s differences. Alberta’s prosperity counts on the significant contributions of every one of our cultural communities.

“Diversity is, and always has been, our strength. As fear-based isolationist movements seek to divide communities around the world, Canadian Multiculturalism Day is an excellent time to reaffirm our commitment to the values that unite us – our respect for equal opportunity, our freedom to create a life based on our own choices, and our belief that we can all succeed together.”