Poverty and the Working Class in Canada

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Poverty In Canada

The working Poor and Marginalized

The Working Poor: People who's incomes fall below the given poverty line

POVERTY DOESN’T EQUAL JOBLESSNESS

a significant portion of Canadians who live in poverty are employed

Absolute Poverty VS Relative Poverty

Absolute Poverty: the actual needs of the poor

A family is poor of they cannot afford to eat

Relative Poverty: what is normal for the society

- This level changes in relation to the society in which they belong (luxuries become necessities)

- lack resources to obtain lifestyle customary in the societies in which they belong

Socially Progressive: Places that make progress in the community (community focused)

LICO: Low Income Cut-Off Line

determined by STAT Canada

any family spending at least 56% of its total income on necessities falls below the LICO

Media refers to this as the ‘Poverty Line”

Food Prices in Nunavut : Nunavut Bargains

- Nunavut prices are beyond reasonable ($11 for a single green pepper)

Public (outsiders) aren’t taking the issue seriously

Public awareness did lead to minor change

Conflict Theory: more populous areas = cheaper food costs

Functionalist Theory: working together to get by

Employment and Identity : often, especially in north America, it defines who we are

Employment and Education

Canada - Knowledge based economy

rising cost of education

increasing rise in “haves” and “have-nots” to access to education

Government funding of education decreasing

close link between education and future income

Trends in the Workplace

Work is for Men:

Many ads depict “workers” as male

the only exception is if the work applies to housework or “stay-at-home” workers, then they're female. IT HAS BEEN NORMALIZED to be a WOMAN

Women make up 50% of workforce in Canada

Minimum Wage and Housing Costs:

cost of living rises as minimum wage fall behind

housing costs should be 1/3 of a household income

but youth, women, and lower educated people are more likely to be paid minimum wage

Apple and Slave Labour:

Apple’s slave labour was uncovered

SO why do we feed this behaviour?

BRANDING

trend: consumers are ignoring the global effect of their springing in turn for a “trendy” brand

Women would Rather Divorce than Be a Housewife:

Women and Men would rather be equal than anything,

women would rather be “self-reliant” than be “neo-traditional roles” (be the fifties mom)

society expects women to be mothers and men to be providers

Enculturation: Process of which members of a culture learn and internalize characteristics and norms of a culture or group by a person, another culture, etc..