1. But I did say we have a national identity. It is recognized in our being welcoming and accepting.
2. Why are these opposites to you ? And if you are talking about talking about our past, there are tons of counter examples. We have, as other countries do, holidays and monuments and artifacts devoted to Canadian history of more than 50 years ago. Intellectually, it makes sense for us to "push" or let's say "promote" diversity because the goals of promoting a national culture are to do what is right for the time.
At one time, promoting our ties to Britain were essential to ensuring that Canada support their welfare, for example so that we would conscript our young men to fight in the World Wars or even in colonies like S. Africa. Then there was a push to think of Canada as it's own country, and we got our own flag, our own identity.
For Canada to thrive, we have to be open to attracting talent and growing so diversity is the way IMO. If you think of culture as old guys in Tartan skirts, well guess what - culture dies. And nobody's culture dies quicker than that of the landed immigrant. You can think of it as a trade off: they will not think of themselves as Indian or Pakistani anymore, but we will have more Canadians and more unity and cohesion. And please don't try to tell me that the country is at some racial breaking point. I have never seen evidence of that, except in the tiny minority of people whose loudness belies their numbers.
3. People never knew much about our history, even before immigration turned up a notch. So, asking for us to know our history seems to me to be only a reaction to immigration. That doesn't make sense to me.
And this statement: "f you want people to feel united then nurture a national identity/culture where everyone feels they belong." seems to be a slogan for promoting diversity.
1. That's not unique enough of an identity to build a nation around. There's many other countries with those traits. Sure it can be a part of our identity but IMO it's not enough. You have to feel that you are Canadian, and you have to have a strong sense and attachment to what that means, and have pride in being such. This just sounds like you're repeating the official Liberal government lines they've told us.
2. Multiculturalism is fine but its not a culture in itself. A culture of "everyone practices their own culture" is not a unifying culture, its something that divides people rather than unites people under a singular culture or nation. If you want to practice your unique culture fine, but all people should feel a part of the Canadian culture as well, whatever we make it. If there's some kind of culture that all Canadians feel a part, that's what's unifying. I'm not a Sikh Punjabi, I am friends with some, but I don't know a lot of what it's like to live as a Sikh, I can't relate to other Sikh's in their Sikhness, I can only relate to them in their Canadian-ness or general humaness.
This is about identity. Canadian identity is not very strong. American identity is strong. They're proud to be American, they know what it means to be American, many would fight to defend it. Canadians are increasingly taught to be ashamed of their country. Here's the test of nationalism: If Canada sank into the ocean and all Canadians dispersed into other countries, how much do you think Canadian diaspora in other countries would want to come together and live together, like migrants do in Canadian cities?
3. Knowing our history isn't about immigration, it's about Canadians feeling Canadian and knowing what Canada is, whether born here or not. A lot of Americans feel very American because they're taught about their country growing up and are proud of it. Imagine being on a sports team and saying "we're accepting of players from all teams". It might be nice for everyone to wear the same jersey and feel a part of the same team instead of everyone wearing their own jerseys from their other teams. Quebec might feel Quebecois, they're wearing the Quebec jersey and flying the Quebec flag. That's fine but they should feel proud to wear the Canadian jersey as well, but many of them don't seem interested in wanting to be on Team Canada. If you think saying to Quebec "we're diverse and multicultural, go celebrate your Quebec-ness" is enough to unify Quebec with the rest of Canada I don't think so.