Poverty in Canada (Essay Sample)

Poverty in Canada
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1 Canadian public policy
Canada has implemented a number of policies that have been envisioned to reduce the levels of poverty in the country. These policies are wide ranging. It has to be understood that these polices have been geared towards the reduction and prevention of poverty. It is critical to point out that the adopted mechanisms are not as successful as has been witnessed in other developed nations. The actuality of the matter is that the Canadian public policies have had the impact of increasing the levels of poverty rather than reducing these levels. These policies are such that they perpetuate the existence of inequitable resource distribution. Social resources in Canada are such that they are not equally distributed among the different groups of people in the country.
The systems adopted by the government aimed at poverty reduction have been flawed. This is given that they seem not to target the issue at hand, which is poverty reduction. One of these is the Welfare State system that has been embraced by the government. The government has opted to allow the social systems to solve the problem of poverty on its own (Raphael, 2007). This is such that the mechanisms adopted, or rather the policies that have been adopted do not focus at the perpetuating factors but rather on the subsequent impacts of poverty. This then means that the intrinsic and instigator factors that amplify the level of poverty in the country are not well addressed. This then ascertains that the poverty levels characteristic of this country have been brought on and perpetuated by the flawed policies that have been implemented by the government.
Social assistance that was envisioned to aid Canadians in alleviating poverty has been incapable of meeting the very goals that motivated its creation and subsequent implementation. The second policy is that of minimum wage. The mechanics of minimum ought to be such that it prevents exploitation of the working class from exploitation by the corporations. It has to be understood that minimum wage is a volatile issue as far as attracting foreign investors is concerned. A high minimum wage rate will de-motivate investments. Conversely, a minimum wage rate that is low will push the working class further into the holds of poverty. It is this balance that the relevant Canadian stakeholders have been unable to realize. Welfare state is perhaps an approach that inhibits the actualization of the end-goal of poverty decline. It would be futile to endeavor to attempt to reduce and subsequently prevent the perpetuation of poverty if changes to the welfare state system that has been adopted are not undertaken. The government has to understand that an active approach has to be taken. A passive role in the endeavor by the government will not suffice.
2 Groups experiencing highest level of poverty
There are different and diverse groups of people in Canada that have the highest potential to experience poverty. The first group has to be women. The mechanics of the society are such that women have not yet been privy to equitable distribution of resources as compared to men. The existence of a glass ceiling ensures the perpetuation of this societal quality. The second group is that of people of color. The black population in Canada is yet to have full societal appreciation. This is especially when the rights and potentials of the Caucasian counter parts is put into perspective. Such an eventuality has to be blamed on the governmental provisions. This is because these provisions do not seek to operate in light of such diversities. Rather, they tend to treat these diversities as separate. This is detrimental to the need for overall cohesion of rights to all people in Canada. New Canadians and aboriginal Canadians are also amongst the groups with highest percentage of poverty levels (Collin & Canada, 2007). It has to be understood that the issue of high level of poverty rates happens not to be a class issue.
It is just that the potential for high income and rights happens to be shaped by wealth. As such, it all has to do with the initial reduced access to resources. This is then complemented by the issue of the society not paying high regard to the rights of these people. It has to be reiterated that these people are treated as being uniquely different by the system. This then means that they is no equitable access to resources. The other group of Canadians with high levels of poverty is the disabled people and the rural residents (Collin & Canada, 2007). The government has to understand that these groups have different form of needs and in varying degrees. As such, they cannot be treated the same as the rest of the population. The inability of the government to appreciate this fact plays a large part in the high poverty levels characterizing these populations.
3 Poverty and poor health
There are a number of social mechanics that links poverty and poor health. The poor live conditions that prevent them from exploiting the rights that have been provided to them. These are the rights that the general population tends to take for granted. These conditions are such that they promote and perpetuate their life of poverty. The first of these happens to be the limited social assistance the poor receive from the government (Campbell, Marchildon & Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, 2007). The absence of this social assistance is such that it paves way for a deterioration of conditions in which the poor live. These conditions create an enabling environment for health problems to occur. Additionally, the quality of life is thus negatively impacted.
The poor have been forced to live in different and low quality conditions. This difference in condition is what has made them more susceptible to health conditions that do not threaten those who are not poor. These differences in living conditions compromise healthy quality lifestyles. As such, in the event that an individual is born into a less than privileged background, their susceptibility to health conditions is essentially increased.
This then means that as children continue to be born in these environs, the health quality of the poor people will continue to be perceived as being poor. A circle of poor health is thus created. An additional cause of poor health is insecure employment opportunities of these people. Given the relative poor access to resources, the poor are compelled to work in conditions that are at best described as risky. They put themselves in these risky situations in the goal of meeting their needs. As such, as long as they continue to be compelled to enter into these situations, poverty will still be linked to poor health (Campbell, Marchildon & Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, 2007).
4 Comparison Canada and other nations
Sadly Canada happens to be among the inadequate nations as far as handling poverty within the borders is concerned. This is attested by the figures that have been collected over the past years analyzing the poverty reduction endeavors of the country. The first measure in which the country scores poorly is in the active labor market. When compared to other developed nations who engage in enhancing the capabilities of their labor force, Canada is ranked at a mere 17 out of a possible 30. Despite the actuality that there are other nations who perform more poorly than Canada, the country still has great room for expansion. Mediocrity should not suffice as far as poverty reduction is concerned. The government has seen it sufficient to direct a mere 0.3% of the GDP to such a program (Raphael, 2007).
With regard to social assistance, the country comes in at a disappointing 21 out of 26. The government provides social assistance to married couples with two children just 33% of the median of the average income. On the other hand, single parents with two children receive 35% of the median of the average income. This places the country at position 19 out of 26. These figures speak volume as to the regard placed by the government on the different poverty reduction initiatives. The country is performing dismally. This then provides some insight as to why the initiatives that have been implemented toward poverty have been inadequate and rather redundant. Sufficient funding has to be directed at meeting the poverty reduction goals of the nation.
5 Canadian anti-poverty programs
Despite there being a number of Canadian anti-poverty programs, there are those that are more potent than others. The implementation of affordable housing program is a potent anti-poverty strategy. This is given that it enables the poor people to gain rights that they previously did not experience. As has been asserted herein, the quality of childhood development, impacts to some extent, the health of an individual, the setting up of affordable childcare will aid in alleviating this health risk (Rouleau, n.d).
The government has envisioned for improved high school education completion rates. Such an undertaking will ensure that there is equitable distribution of resources. This motivated by the rationale that given that the population will be able to meet the educational qualifications of most job opportunities, the precipitates of the realization of equitable access to resources will start to be evident.
Another strategy that has been embraced is that of increasing the minimum wage and supplementing the earning of those with low earnings. This will ensure that those with low earnings can be able to meet their basic needs. This then ensures, to some extent, of the lessening poverty. One ...