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Printed from The Vanier Institute of the Family's website at www.vifamily.ca. © 2010.
Now available: Transition Magazine
Family Diversity
On July 1st, Canadians come together in back yards, parks, and concert halls to celebrate what it means to be Canadian. Each celebration is unique - the music, the food and the chatter an emblem of the rich diversity that defines our communities and our collective identity as a nation. This diversity is similarly reflected in the varied ways in which Canadians come together – and apart - as families. For over 40 years, the Vanier Institute of the Family has monitored trends in family structure, formation and function. Perspective, in this context, is VIF’s most valuable asset. By establishing a focal lens on the relationships and responsibilities that comprise ‘family’, the Insitutue has been able to draw important lines of understanding between the lived experiences of families and the ever-changing world of present-day Canada. This issue of Transition brings Canada’s diversity to light with key findings from the soon-to-be-released fourth Edition of Profiling Canada’s Families (now titled, Families Count). First published in 1994, this flagship publication presents a comprehensive, reliable statistical portrait of families in Canada. Best characterized as a databook, Families Count has been divided into three parts: 1) Family Diversity; 2) Family Economic Security; 3) Family and Community Life. Each section offers thoughtful commentary on the implications of current trends for families and for policy and programs. The following is a sneak peak at some of the content from the opening segments of Families Count. We start with a précis of Professor Eric Sager’s compelling look at the evolution of ‘family’ in Canada. Using a chronological map, Dr. Sager outlines the socio-cultural and political terrain upon which the meaning and practice of family has shifted. In his words, “…family is always a historical construct. This is true for individuals, and it is equally true for an entire society or nation. Everything about family in Canada today is shaped by our remembered past, our social memory.” This illuminating piece is followed by a series of statistical snapshots excerpted directly from part 1 that reflect the broad range of family diversity in Canada. Findings from sections II and III will be highlighted in the September issue of Transition to coincide with the launch of VIF’s new web-site and with the print publication of Families Count. It is my hope you will agree that Families Count will make a valuable, highly relevant and serious contribution to how we understand and support Canada’s families in all that they are. — Jenni Tipper, Editor Contents Editor's Note: Family Diversity Family and Social Memory: Why History Matters Families Count: Family Diversity To order copies of Transition, contact: llegault@vifamily.ca
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