In this Guide to the Competencies for the Management of Diversity the focus is on cultural diversity and identity and how these impact citizenship skills and competencies. The Policy on Multiculturalism (1971) and subsequent elaboration of this provides the context for how culture and cultural identity have been discussed, interpreted, and enabled over time. There is a continuing growth in awareness of how differences beyond culture impact many peoples' lives in Canadian society. These differences all play a significant role in how individuals function and are able to participate and contribute. For more than two decades the Charter of Rights and Freedoms has been instrumental in moving the focus of the discussion beyond culture to draw attention to the principles of human rights and social justice for all.