Atlantic Canadians’ Attitudes Toward Cultural Difference

Abstract

Atlantic Canadians are often stereotyped as being unwelcoming to people who “come from away,” being too traditional, and being closed minded. However, this reputation is rarely backed up with evidence. Little scholarship considers whether or not there is a distinctive Atlantic Canadian value set. The question is important to examine because the region has a rapidly aging population, out-migration is rampant - especially among younger people. Using Statistics Canada’s General Social Survey 27 on Social Identity, this project explored whether or not Atlantic Canadians’ values towards diversity, their trust in people, and their experiences of discrimination are different from the rest of Canada’s regions. The analyses, based on graphical analysis and logistic regression, reveal that Atlantic Canadians’ reported attitudes may not be all that different from the rest of the country and when they do differ, their attitudes may be more open to cultural difference than the stereotypes portray.