This paper uses the ethno-cultural composition of the Canadian population and the framework of multicultural policies as a springboard for examining how a democratic state prepares new teachers for teaching in a multicultural society. The education community has come to accept multiculturalism as a foundation of Canadian identity, although there are different levels of understanding and different organizational positions. All stakeholders in the British Columbia (Canada) educational system have agreed that the recruitment of visible minority students to teaching rather than specific program offerings in teacher education is one significant way to address multiculturalism and race relations in the public education system. The paper is divided into the following sections: (1) Introduction; (2) "Multicultural Composition of Canada and British Columbia"; (3) "Multiculturalism in Policy"; (4) "Multiculturalism in Social Studies Curriculum: British Columbia"; (5) "Multiculturalism and Pre-service Teacher Education in British Columbia"; and (6) Conclusion. Contains a 21-item bibliography, and an appendix with 3 charts and 6 graphs depicting the dimensions of the Canadian population complete the paper. (EH)