Poverty is an issue that
does not go away and its intertwine in political, social
stratification and religious institutions. Author Stephen Brooks in
his book “Canadian Democracy An Introduction” defines
politics in light of scarcity of resources. There is no abundant of
money to be given to everyone in society as everyone wish for.
It causes conflict among people.
Thus, politics is about exercising power against one another In
addition, living in a liberal democratic society which is same
concept of saying of capitalist economic system it creates a class
structure. Max Weber's research has indicated that one class is
holding on a power, prestige and status. Certainly, a class does not
own means of production, this class does not have power and would not
have much influence in a way society functions and policy and laws
are legislated in the parliament. One fact which cannot be denied
that the power elite in a society form lobby organizations that they
hire lawyers and this power elite can shape public policies which
would benefit their interests. Let's look at issue of homelessness in
Abbotsford. It is really going no where because homeless people
cannot organize themselves to shape public policy for their benefits.
The aim of this paper is briefly look at some of the facts that they
explain social safety network as a preventive measure to assist
people to meet basic necessity of life.
This portion of the paper
is taking exact fact finding from “Caledon Institute of Social
Policy”, Statistic Canada and UFCW. It needs to be stated that a
person would be disqualified to receive social safety network income
assistance or wealth redistribution fund if s/he has not exhaust all
resources.
It is duty of a provincial government agency to make sure a recipient
of social assistance has no source of income. Caledon Institute of
Social Policy claims that “in
2012, welfare incomes for single employable households ranged
from $7,037
or 35.9 percent of the after-tax poverty line in Manitoba to a ‘high’
of $10,813
or 65.2 percent in Newfoundland and Labrador. Most of the other
jurisdictions cluster around the lower rate.
Welfare
incomes for single persons with disabilities, while low, were
slightly higher, ranging from $9,640
or 49.2 percent of the poverty line in Manitoba to $13,773
or 70.3 percent in Ontario.
Alberta
provides a separate program (AISH, for Assured Income for the
Severely Handicapped) for persons with disabilities, which pays
better than the standard welfare program for them. In 2012,
incomes of single persons on AISH came to $18,228
or 93.0 percent of the after-tax LICO, far higher than the $9,850
or 50.3 percent for persons with disabilities on standard welfare in
Alberta.
For
single-parent households with one child age 2, welfare incomes came
to $15,018
or 63.0 percent of the poverty line in Manitoba and $20,811
or 103.2 percent of the after-tax LICO in Newfoundland and Labrador.
For two-parent families with two children, welfare incomes as a
percentage of the poverty line ranged from $21,819
or 58.9 percent in Manitoba to $26,384
or 85.3 percent in Prince Edward Island.”
The above numbers appear
that recipients of income assistance are enjoying high quality of
life. However, Statistic Canada reflects a dire light on individuals
that they “After-tax low income cut-offs (1992 base) were
determined from an analysis of the 1992 Family Expenditure Survey
data. These income limits were selected on the basis that families
with incomes below these limits usually spent 63.6% or more of their
income on food, shelter and clothing. Low income cut-offs were
differentiated by community size of residence and family size.”
Furthermore, “According to the after-tax low income
cut-offs, 3 million Canadians, or 8.8% of the
population, lived in low income in 2011, unchanged from 2010.
This compares with 3.4 million Canadians, or 11.2% of
the population in 2001. About 571,000 children
aged 17 and under, or 8.5% lived in low income
in 2011, also unchanged from 2010. For children in
lone-parent families headed by a woman, the incidence was 23.0%,
while for children living in two-parent families, the incidence
was 5.9%, both unchanged from 2010.
Among those living alone, about 199,000 seniors
(14.9%) and 1.2 million persons under the age of 65 (32.3%)
lived in low income in 2011, unchanged from 2010.”
The UFCW asserts that
child poverty is rose from 9.1% to 9.5% in 2009.
In 2008, closed to 10 million Canadians were working, and in 2008
closed to 9 million people are working.
The prospect of gaining employment is becoming harder for people.
Caledon
Institute of Social Policy states that Poverty and disability are
intrinsically linked. People with disabilities face
disproportionately high rates of poverty because they are excluded
from participation in the paid labour market and from communities,
more generally. I believe that the first and most important step that
we can take to tackle exclusion is to shift the way in which we
understand the problem. Disability used to be understood in fairly
narrow terms. It was seen as the shortcoming of the person who
happened to have a particular functional limitation. This approach,
referred to as the ‘medical model,’ typically views disability as
a set of characteristics of the individual. A person is disabled or
has a disability. The emerging social model, by contrast, views
disability largely as the result of how well (or not) society
accommodates impairment or limitations in function. When environments
are adapted to individual need, the effects of a disability can
change in severity – or even disappear altogether.”
All
above numbers are translated into invisible force which dictates a
society. According to the United Way of Lower Mainland. “30% of the
region's 6 year olds are not ready to learn by the time they enter
school due to poverty and related factors. More than 27, 000 children
under the age of 6 live in a low – income situation. Children
living in poverty do not have adequate emotional support, stimulation
or nutritious food. Failure to address developmental needs early in
life can lead to increased crime and unemployment rates.”
Karl
Marx was absolutely right, when he said that the capitalist system
would not hire certain individuals because they do not fit in their
hiring policies. It can be gender, race, or socioeconomic factors.
The religious institutions are last strongholds for individuals that
they have nowhere to go. It is these religious institutions that they
provide hope for people to avoid evil acts and moving toward
righteous lifestyle. Thus, religious institutions play vital role
with their nickles and dimes to keep a community healthy and vibrant.
Those label givers to people who are suffering due to economic
hardship need to shift their focus on white collar crimes that they
go on notice. It is according to the Globe and Mail “More
than a third of Canadian organizations say they’re victims of
white-collar crime, according to a survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP.
Yet the reported economic crime rate is consistently
lower in Canada than in the rest of the world, PwC notes in a 32-page
report to be released Monday.
Thirty-six per cent of Canadian organizations said
they were hit by white-collar crime, compared with 37 per cent
globally. The Canadian figure is up from 32 per cent in 2011, but
significantly lower than in mid-2000s, when the response rate to a
similar survey was more than 50 per cent.”
The
bottom line, it is really easy to walk away from others, and blame
all misfortune of life on those individuals that they are unable to
keep – up with face pace life. It is a difficult task to assist
individuals day by day, and not knowing when it is going to end this
vicious cycle of poverty. There is no doubt that God is asking us to
stand – up for one another and not being ignorant to one another.
Otherwise, we are being ignorant to one another.
Author:
Peyman
End note:
