In this tribute to the cultural diversity that characterizes present-day Canada, a teenage girl, answering an exam question about people who have played an important role in building this country, decides to focus on the contributions made by so-called "ordinary folk." These are the people profiled in the video. They speak candidly about the successes they have achieved, the problems they have faced as members of minority groups, and the contributions they have made to our society. These "Canadian portraits" are interwoven with historical material from the past which shows the nature and extent of this country's multicultural make-up.