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Poverty and Affluence in Canada

Poverty and Affluence in Canada. What is poverty?. Minds-on. With a partner, list words that come to mind when you hear the word “ Poverty ”. Thinking question…. Think about poverty in your immediate community and within your town/city. Do we have people living in poverty? How do we know?.

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Poverty and Affluence in Canada

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  1. Poverty and Affluence in Canada

  2. What is poverty? Minds-on With a partner, list words that come to mind when you hear the word “Poverty”

  3. Thinking question… Think about poverty in your immediate community and within your town/city. Do we have people living in poverty? How do we know?

  4. 2013 United Way Toronto Campaign Video View PSA http://www.youtube.com/user/uwtoronto

  5. Poverty can be described as a person’s inability to access the basic needs for survival.

  6. Defining Poverty Low-income cut-off line (LICO): The “poverty line” – lacking a socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions 2013- ONT – $23, 298 before taxes per per

  7. Karl Marx – the first sociologist to study inequalities in society • Income Inequalities – the gap between what the rich and the poor earn

  8. Structural-Functionalism • Because inequalities exist in all societies, it must be an inherent part of human structures • Regard inequalities as a characteristic of society that they should try to understand rather than eliminate

  9. Public policy questions – significant questions about social problems that politicians and social agencies are obliged to discuss & come up with possible solutions • i.e. Does society have an obligation to help poorer people via support programs (daycare, free medical prescriptions, etc.)? • i.e. Does providing such social programs reduce the desire for self help?

  10. Statistics In Canada, there are drastic income inequalities based on gender and race • Two parent families - highest incomes • Single mothers - lowest incomes (45% live in poverty) • Uneducated single mothers – 90% live in poverty • Visible minorities have lower average incomes than the rest of society Why does this imbalance in income distribution exist?

  11. Key Questions Does society have an obligation to individuals/families in poverty – to introduce social change/programs to assist those in need? OR… Should this be a matter for the individuals/ families themselves to deal with?

  12. Welfare in Ontario • Easiest short-term tool for raising income level of the poor = $ • Money required for survival • Some people unable to earn money for various reasons - i.e. severely disabled, mentally ill, woman with children who has left an abusive husband, single parent attending school, etc.

  13. Problems with Welfare How much do you give? To whom? Disincentives: Discourages some recipients from finding employment Functional Repercussions: Logical outcome of “high” payments – people receiving welfare didn’t feel a need to look for work

  14. Competing Perspectives Does welfare discourage people from looking for work? Or, is it a myth put forward by people unfamiliar with the reality of life on welfare?

  15. Class Work • Read the two articles on page 88-89 in the textbook • Answer questions 1-4 on the bottom of page

  16. What are some alternatives to welfare?

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