Canada And Poverty

In 1967, Tommy Douglas had a great impact in establishing Canada’s universal health care system which guarantees health care to its residents regardless of factors such as race or ethnicity, religion, income, and age (Tommy Douglas: The Father of Medicare, n.d., para.1). In the 1974 Lalonde Report it emphasizes that health services were only one of the many factors that affect health (A New Perspective On the Health of Canadians, 1974). Others factors which include income, food security, the level of education, shelter, status of health, social status, employment and working conditions, and living conditions also contribute to the status of ones’ health. These factors are known as the social determinants of health or one’s socio-economic status that provide an insight to the health of Canadians.

Poverty is a serious issue in Canada needs to be addressed promptly. Poverty is not simply about the lack of money an individual has; it is much more than that. The World Bank Organization defines poverty by stating that, “Poverty is hunger. Poverty is lack of shelter. Poverty is being sick and not being able to see a doctor. Poverty is not having access to school and not knowing how to read. Poverty is not having a job, is fear for the future, living one day at a time”. In Canada, 14.9 percent of Canada’s population has low income as Statistics Canada reports, which is roughly about two million of Canadians in poverty or on the verge of poverty. In addition, according to an UNICEF survey, 13.3 percent of Canadian children live in

Public Policies strive to protect all citizens across the nation, includes low-income citizens who often go unrecognized in society. To make sure this happens, legislature has put forth the “The Canada Health Act”, which requires the provincial government to meet certain expectations regarding public-health care and insurance plans. Though this act states that health services are free and accessible facilities, issues arise when citizens need urgent medical attention but appointment are unavailable until weeks later. Many of these poor individuals cannot afford to pay the extra amount to receive faster care as oppose to their rich counterparts.

In the 21st Century there are many ways of marketing, promoting an idea, opinion, or product. Commercials, events, workshops, and the internet are ways that information can be obtained by consumers, and it also gives people opportunities to be enlightened or object to other person’s views or ideas. In addition, magazines are a useful tool for an individual to gain insight on different topics from one product and explore opinions from many reliable individuals. This essay will explore three magazines all from the same publisher; Parents Magazine. The target audience

This paper will discuss the Canadian healthcare system compared to the United States healthcare system. Although they’re close in proximity, these two nations have very different health care systems. Each healthcare system has its own difficulties, and is currently trying to find ways to improve. Canada currently uses the Universal Health Care system; which provides healthcare coverage to all Canadian citizens (Canadian Health Care, 2007). The services are executed on both a territorial and provincial basis, by staying within the guidelines that have been enforced by the federal government (Canadian Health Care, 2007).

There is increasing awareness that number of population are undeserved by the health system in Canada because sometime

Why Inequality in Wealth Distribution and Income is An Issue In Canada, the members of the population are unaware that the income status in addition to wealth distribution shapes the health outcomes of the society (Mikkonen, & Raphael, 2010). The quality of health in the society rests on the contribution of factors that range from the housing of the population and food insecurity in addition to education and employment opportunities that impact the working conditions of the members of the community. Notably, all the social and economic aspects that are also social determining factors of health hinge on aspects of income and wealth distribution for the public. According to the Organisation for Economic Corporation and Development, Canada is among the two wealthiest developed nations globally (Groff, & Goldberg, 2000).

Canada is a ‘high-income nation’, possessing industrialized economies, technologically advanced industries, and high per capita income (Kendall et al. 2016: 24). Resulting in Canada much receiving international scrutiny as it has a vast number of individuals living in relative poverty (Kendall et al. 2016: 29). Particularly as many as five million, or one in seven people live in relative poverty in Canada (Kendall et al. 2016: 29). Constituting relative poverty is living below the standard of living relative to the average individual in Canada (Levine-Rasky 2017). In addition, income inequality acts as a social determinant of health (SDH), as it impacts the economic and social conditions of an individual or a community (Raphael 2016:

     In the past, Canada’s government-funded, universally accessible, health care system has been praised and admired both at home and abroad as one of the finest in the world. A great source of pride and comfort for many Canadians is that it is based on five fundamental principles. Principles that are a reflection of the values held by Canadian citizens since the formation of Medicare in 1966. These principles were reinforced in the Canada Health Act, (CHA), of 1984 and state that the Canadian system is universal, accessible, portable, comprehensive and non-profit.

How can there be so many people in poverty? It is all around us even though Canada has made the G20 Richest Nations; they still have one of the highest poverty rates for in the industrialized world. Through reading many articles such as Ann Duffy and Nancy Mandell’s “Poverty in Canada”, others that I have found online, and my own personal experience I have learned the numerous reasons why so many people in a well industrialized nation such as Canada are struggling with poverty.

Poverty in Canada has been on the rise for many years and there have been various statistics surrounding poverty among the provinces in Canada. The driving forces regarding poverty such as the social assistance benefits, the level of minimum wage, and minimal employment all are key elements that encourage poverty. Those that are most susceptible to go through poverty include children, aboriginals, Canadians of colour, those that have disabilities or physically impaired, women, and those that recently immigrated to Canada. These visible minorities seem to face the most issues dealing with poverty as they incur discrimination in employment, and in income. Those that have physical impairments are less likely to even get hired. Immigrants are

The article “The Growth of Poverty and Social Inequality: Losing Faith in Social Justice” by Ann Duffy and Nancy Mandell displayed many important facts about poverty in Canada. I believe the most important information I got from this article is how intersectionality largely effects poverty in Canada. From children to women to disabled, the article showed how each group is more affected by poverty than their counter parts. I believe it is important to acknowledge the different groups and how poverty affects them separately, as well as how poverty affects them when they are intersected.

In 1914, Canadas poverty rate was at a high of approximately twenty percent. At this time in Canada, it did not matter what age you were, either six months or ninety-nine years old the likeliness of being poor were very high. Poverty does not only destroy a person's life, it is crippling to a country its self.   Canada was hit hard with poverty, especially during and after the Great Depression and our government knew there was a need for help. Over the past century, the government of Canada has created many different types of social programs.1

Canada is regarded as one of the wealthiest industrialized countries in the world. This indication is contrary to the well-being reality affecting Canadians. Despite being part of the Organization for Economic Co-operation Development (OECD), Canada has lagged behind her otherwise wealthy counterparts in the industrialized countries being position 19 out of 22 nations (Breznitz and Zysman, 2013). This has been attributed to the precarious levels of poverty in a majority of Canadian households. The country has not recognized any official poverty measurement although other universal measures such as LICO is used for measuring relative poverty, a more determinable measure of poverty for wealthy countries.

Social determinants of health are social, economic and physical factors that affect the health of individuals in any given population. There are fourteen social determinants of health but Income is perhaps the most important of these because it shapes living conditions, influences health related behaviors, and determines food security. In Canada, people with lower incomes are more susceptible to disease/ conditions, higher mortality rate, decreased life expectancy and poorer perceived health than people with high incomes. In numerous Canadian studies and reports, there has been more emphasis on health being based on an individual’s characteristics, choices and behaviours, rather than the role that income plays as a social determinant of health. Although Canada has one of the highest income economies in the world and is comprised of a free health care system, many low income families are a burden on the system because of the physical and mental health issues influenced by income insecurity. Low income individuals are heavier users of health care services because they have lower levels of health and more health problems than do people with higher incomes. This essay will address income as a social determinant of health in three key sections: what is known on the issue, why the issue is important and how can health and public policies address the issue. The main theme that runs through the essay is the income related health inequalities among low income groups compared to