Section A: Elements of Poverty
Poverty is on the rise in Canada. While Canada actually has no official poverty line, they’ve been using the low-income cut-off line to determine poverty numbers, it is the most common, unofficial poverty line used. The low-income cut-off line for 2014 reported that nearly 10% of Canadians were living below it. (“The low-income cut-off measures relative deprivation based on income compared to a defined community standard.” Pg. 169 text)
“In 2006, women headed approximately 13% of all census families in Canada, constituting 80% of all lone-parent families” (Statistics Canada, 2006a Pg. 147 text). “This large group of mothers, independent of their class, race, religion, sexual preference, country of birth, abilities …show more content…
“Historically, the rate of low income has always been higher among women than men (http://www4.hrsdc.gc.ca/.3ndic.1t.4r@-eng.jsp?iid=23).” “There is some suggestion that this group is becoming increasingly racialized, Aboriginal women are twice as likely to become single mothers compared to that of their non-Aboriginal counterparts. 1/3 of First Nations on-reserve children and 41% of those off-reserve reside with lone parents. (Pg. 159 …show more content…
The first part of the wage disparity relies on gender, women make approximately $.71 for every dollar a man makes, and therefore lone-parent families headed by mothers have even more setbacks. Now, we have to consider the fact that this young 23 year old mother is Aboriginal. In the year 2006 there was a great wage disparity between Aboriginal peoples and the rest of Canadians; the median income for the Aboriginal peoples was $18,962 which compared to the rest of Canadians median income being $27,097 which leaves a gap of approximate 30%. (http://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/reports/docs/Aboriginal%20Income%20Gap.pdf). Since this young Aboriginal mother gave birth at the tender age of 19 she had only finished high school shortly before that, which left her with minimal education to obtain a stable and well-paying job. She ended up working part-time for minimum wage at the local gas station during the first 7 months of her pregnancy trying to obtain as much stability as she could before her child was born. Throughout the pregnancy she did have a boyfriend, the baby’s father, but over the course of her pregnancy he became abusive towards her which forced her to be completely on her own. Once her child came along she was at a loss for what to
Poverty is on the rise in Canada. While Canada actually has no official poverty line, they’ve been using the low-income cut-off line to determine poverty numbers, it is the most common, unofficial poverty line used. The low-income cut-off line for 2014 reported that nearly 10% of Canadians were living below it. (“The low-income cut-off measures relative deprivation based on income compared to a defined community standard.” Pg. 169 text)
“In 2006, women headed approximately 13% of all census families in Canada, constituting 80% of all lone-parent families” (Statistics Canada, 2006a Pg. 147 text). “This large group of mothers, independent of their class, race, religion, sexual preference, country of birth, abilities …show more content…
“Historically, the rate of low income has always been higher among women than men (http://www4.hrsdc.gc.ca/.3ndic.1t.4r@-eng.jsp?iid=23).” “There is some suggestion that this group is becoming increasingly racialized, Aboriginal women are twice as likely to become single mothers compared to that of their non-Aboriginal counterparts. 1/3 of First Nations on-reserve children and 41% of those off-reserve reside with lone parents. (Pg. 159 …show more content…
The first part of the wage disparity relies on gender, women make approximately $.71 for every dollar a man makes, and therefore lone-parent families headed by mothers have even more setbacks. Now, we have to consider the fact that this young 23 year old mother is Aboriginal. In the year 2006 there was a great wage disparity between Aboriginal peoples and the rest of Canadians; the median income for the Aboriginal peoples was $18,962 which compared to the rest of Canadians median income being $27,097 which leaves a gap of approximate 30%. (http://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/reports/docs/Aboriginal%20Income%20Gap.pdf). Since this young Aboriginal mother gave birth at the tender age of 19 she had only finished high school shortly before that, which left her with minimal education to obtain a stable and well-paying job. She ended up working part-time for minimum wage at the local gas station during the first 7 months of her pregnancy trying to obtain as much stability as she could before her child was born. Throughout the pregnancy she did have a boyfriend, the baby’s father, but over the course of her pregnancy he became abusive towards her which forced her to be completely on her own. Once her child came along she was at a loss for what to