On the international scene, as the nation has developed and matured, so has its reputation and influence. Canada has participated in the United Nations since its inception and is the only nation to have taken part in all of the UN's major peacekeeping operations. It is also a member of the Commonwealth, la Francophonie, the Group of Seven industrialized nations, NATO (North American Treaty Organization) and NORAD (North American Aerospace Defence Agreement) defence pacts. The last quarter of a century has seen Canadians grapple with fundamental questions of national identity. Discontent among many French-speaking Quebeckers led to a referendum in that province in 1980 on whether Quebec should become more politically autonomous from Canada, but a majority voted to maintain the status quo. In 1982, the process toward major constitutional reform culminated in the signing of the Constitution Act. Two major efforts were made to reform the constitutional system: the 1987 Meech Lake Accord--which was not implemented since it did not obtain the legislative consent of all provinces--and the 1991 Charlottetown Accord. The Charlottetown Accord would have reformed the Senate and made major changes in the Constitution. It was decisively rejected by Canadians in a national referendum held on October 26,1992. Established by two historically opposed peoples; enriched by various cultures, languages and religions as well as the Aboriginal peoples; and marked by geography itself highly diversified, Canada can not help but be a land of compromise. Unity and diversity can be Canada's motto. This spirit of moderation and tolerance characterizes the Canadian federation and assures its survival.Noticeable changes have occured in Canada's immigration trends. Before World War II, most immigrants came from the British Isles or Eastern Europe. Since 1945, increasing numbers of Southern Europeans, Asians, South Americans and people from the Caribbean Islands have enriched Canada's multicultural mosaic.
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