Assignment 2

Current Issues Essay
For the CAN 149 Essay assignment you will be tasked with writing an argumentative essay that deals with an important issue that Canada currently faces. You will need to formulate a thesis that answers ONE (1) of the research questions below.

Research Questions/Idea Options (Remember — only pick 1):

Is the First-Past-The-Post an effective electoral system in contemporary Canada?

Should Canada abolish the Senate?

Canada claims to be a multicultural nation, however the ways in which the Canadian government interacts with indigenous communities’ calls the “multicultural” nature of Canada into question. Agree/disagree.

Efforts, by the Canadian government, to address the issue of the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Girls and Women have been largely ineffective.

In April 2017, the federal government introduced legislation to legalize and regulate
recreational cannabis in Canada. The federal Cannabis Act created rules for producing,
possessing and selling cannabis across Canada. Has marijuana legalization been successful in Canada?

The rise of political extremism (ex. Alt-right) in Canada is a far more severe threat to Canadian
society than external terrorist organizations.

Justin Trudeau has been serving as the 23rd and current Prime Minister of Canada since 2015.
During his time in government, Trudeau has had the opportunity to implement policies that
have affected Canadian society. Has Justin Trudeau been an effective Prime Minister for
Canada?

In a recently released Social Progress Index, Canada is ranked second amongst all nations for its racial tolerance and inclusion. However, many critics still point out that racism is still an
extremely serious issue in contemporary Canada. How does racism and discrimination manifest
itself in contemporary Canadian society?

Canada has been described as a country that has a social security net. Is Canada’s welfare state
an effective system of social security?

Despite the advancements in gender equality Canada remains an unequal place in terms of
gender. What are the gender inequalities that currently afflict Canadian society?

Evaluation Criteria
• strength of thesis and appropriate scope of topic
• quality of argument, strength of reasons/evidence given, persuasiveness
• clarity and organization of ideas
• appropriate use of at least sources 3 sources. Whatever else you use is up to you, as long as it is of good academic quality.
• language conventions (grammar, spelling, etc.) and style, including proper essay structure
• adherence to MLA formatting guidelines (your essay must include BOTH in-text citations and a Work Cited page).

Submission Guidelines
Length: 4-7 pages (formatted as described), not counting Works Cited page
Format: Typed, double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, 1-inch margins MLA style formatting: No cover page; submission info on first page; MLA-style running header; Works Cited list and in-text citations in MLA format.