Chapter 6

Question 1

What is meant by diversity?

Answer 1

The characteristics of individuals such as race, culture, ability, age, gender, and sexual orientation.
More importantly, in the context of social policy, it refers to diversified ideas.

Question 2

How are different groups treated in social policy?

Answer 2

They are treated like categories.

Question 3

How does the term diversity relate to social policy?

Answer 3

It reflects the reality that diverse groups in Canada occupy different statuses and social locations in relation to the state and its policies.

Question 4

What is the purpose of recognizing diversity for individuals?

Answer 4

From an individual perspective, each person should be treated equally and has a right to achieve his or her aspirations.

Question 5

What is the purpose of recognizing diversity for society?

Answer 5

A society formed by diverse individuals is:

a) more productive
b) more stable
c) more sustainable
d) most importantly has less risk of becoming a hegemony

Question 6

Kallen speaks of “diverse groups” and addresses which areas?

Answer 6

a) the social stratification of society with unequal group relations
b) the human rights perspective based on ‘universal’ ideas of equality and social justice
c) the tensions between individual and community rights and how these tensions might be resolved through a human rights approach based on a view of the common humanity of all rather than on any on single attribute of a person or group

Question 7

Which two British traditions have influenced Canadian Social Policy, and how so?

Answer 7

1. The British Poor Laws–created the notion of deserving and undeserving poor
2. Social Darwinism–justified oppression, influenced immigration policies and created a need for anti-discriminatory policies and protections

Question 8

What is “familism”, and how does it impact policy?

Answer 8

Familism is a belief that strong families ensure a stable society. However, there is no coherent family policy, so there are contradictions among various levels of gov’t. and policies.

Question 9

During the 1980s, criticism of social policy and demands for its change were voiced by what kind of groups?

Answer 9

Interest groups: cultural, racial, gender, and other identities

Question 10

What kind of shift did these interest groups demand, and what were they challenging?

Answer 10

A shift in ideology–they were challenging the notion of equal and accessible policy.

Question 11

What did the 1982 Charter of Rights and Freedoms do?

Answer 11

It brought new attention to rights.

Question 12

The Charter entrenches the rights of 3 groups differentially, but hierarchically. Which 3 groups are they?

Answer 12

1. The group with the most protection are considered “founding peoples”, who are mainly French and English.
2. Indigenous peoples
3. Ethnic minorities that are not specifically named

Question 13

What types of rights are these 3 groups given?

Answer 13

1. Positive rights that obligate the state (i.e. protection of Catholic and Protestant educational rights, language rights)
2. Collective rights, which are non-interference or negative rights (i.e. right to self-governance, right to preservation of lands and culture)
3. Negative, unspecified and undefined rights

Question 14

What were state interventions designed to do?

Answer 14

Redress specific inequalities (class, income level and source, age, family type) and to mitigate poverty arising from problems with the market-state.

Question 15

What 2 principles were early social policies based on?

Answer 15

1. Ensuring that vulnerable populations did not fall below an established quality-of-life level (LICO: low-income cut-off)
2. Acting to effect some redistribution of wealth from those with sufficient resources to those in need

Question 16

Who was Canada’s immigration policy restricted to until 1967?

Answer 16

“Preferred” Nations

Question 17

What happened to Canada’s immigration policy in 1967?

Answer 17

A new liberalized policy came into effect that focused on individual immigrants rather than source country.

Question 18

What is the 1988 legislation that was a response to the population changes that resulted from the new immigration policies, what does it do and what is its limitation?

Answer 18

The Act for the Preservation and Enhancement of Multiculturalism in Canada, recognized diversity as a basic characteristic of Canada and promoted participation of people of all origins in Canadian society. It provided an ideal espoused by society rather than a guarantee of rights.

Question 19

What does Kallen say about guaranteed rights?

Answer 19

Even guaranteed rights are stratified for various groups of Canadian citizens and residents, with immigrants near the bottom.

Question 20

What is one major change in recent immigration policies, and how?

Answer 20

Source countries–changed from mostly European to Asian/African/South American/Caribbean.

Question 21

What is an important change in immigration patterns?

Answer 21

The classes of immigrants now arriving. They used to be predominantly “family class”, and now are mainly “economic class”.

Question 22

What does “family class” and “economic class” mean?

Answer 22

1. Family class: sponsored by relatives already established in the country
2. Economic class: demonstrating the required skills, education, work history or money

Question 23

What does the “third force” of immigrants mean, and how do they impact policy?

Answer 23

Immigrants who come from different cultural backgrounds and speak different languages that either of the 2 “founding” groups. They bring different social policy issues into the fore.

Question 24

How does the federal government control immigration?

Answer 24

They set policy determining class and level of immigration.

Question 25

How does the federal government support immigrants, and give 2 examples.

Answer 25

They provide several settlement and adjustment programs.

1. Adjustment Assistance Program
2. Immigrant Settlement and Adaptation Program

Question 26

What law was passed in 2002 that impacted immigration policy, and how so?

Answer 26

Bill C-11: Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. It requires that Canada fulfill its immigration policy requirements. It permits 3 basic groups to enter Canada as permanent residents: economic immigrants, family-class immigrants, and refugees.

Question 27

Which 2 types of refugees does Canadian Immigration Law define?

Answer 27

1. “Convention” refugees–designated by UN

2. People in need of protection (undocumented, but with a credible claim to stay in the country)

Question 28

When did the term Aboriginal come into use, and who does it refer to?

Answer 28

It came into use after the passing of the 1982 Constitution Act, and it can refer to both status (registered) and non-status (unregistered) Indians.

Question 29

What did the passing of the Indian Act in 1876 mark?

Answer 29

The end of Indian self-governance, which was replaced by federal control over cultural, social, economic and political activities of registered Indians.

Question 30

What did legislation changes in 1985 to the Indian Act do?

Answer 30

Established more gender equality by allowing bands in Canada to determine their own band membership and assured the protection of rights for those who are band members.

Question 31

In 2008, Bill C-21 repealed what, and what was the impact?

Answer 31

It repealed Section 67 of the Canadian Human Right Act, which shielded the federal and First Nations governments from human rights complaints related to actions arising from the Indian Act. This was especially important for Aboriginal women had lost their status due to marriage.

Question 32

Until 1960, what happened to registered Indians who voted in a Canadian election?

Answer 32

They lost their Aboriginal status and rights under the Indian Act.

Question 33

What are Bands entitled to do under Section 81 of the Indian Act?

Answer 33

Enact and administer by-laws.

Question 34

What does the federally-funded Social Development Program do?

Answer 34

Administers several services, including child & family services, adult care, respite service and social assistance.

Question 35

What does the Constitution Act of 1982 recognize?

Answer 35

Aboriginal rights, specifically identifying Indian, Inuit and Metis peoples.

Question 36

What are the 3 main themes that First Nations people have been pursuing?

Answer 36

1. Ending the paternalistic relationship that is the legacy of the Indian Act
2. Developing social programs from federal and provincial auspices to First Nations’ control
3. Working towards self-government

Question 37

In what year were Canadian women guaranteed equality before the law?

Answer 37

In 1982, with the introduction of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Question 38

Do social workers work more often with women or men, and why?

Answer 38

Women, because more women are disadvantaged in relation to social welfare and face different tasks than men do, e.g. care-giving, dependents. These tasks are usually unpaid and private–“invisible” labour.

Question 39

What do recent policy initiatives dealing with the concerns of women do?

Answer 39

Provide a legal framework to enforce equal pay for equal work, fund women’s shelters and support programs for survivors of domestic violence and assault and address sexual harassment.

Question 40

What is the single long-standing law that governs same-sex activity?

Answer 40

The 1967 Criminal Code.

Question 41

In 2002, what did the passing of Bill C-11 (Immigration and Refugee Protection Act) do?

Answer 41

Allowed sponsorship of a same-sex partner, and allowed the admission of refugees on grounds of discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Question 42

What is the most significant policy shift in recent years, and what did the passing of the Civil Marriage Act (Bill C-38) in 2005 mean?

Answer 42

Legalization of same-sex marriage. It meant that same-sex partners have equal rights, obligations, and benefits of the marital relationship.

Question 43

How do some members of this group define this assimilationist policy, and what is a liberationist position?

Answer 43

As based on liberal notions of equal rights and equating legal change with social change. A liberationist position challenges existing social codes, freedom from traditional constraints and self-fulfillment based on the creation of new forms of social organization.

Question 44

What has disability constituted in Western liberal thinking?

Answer 44

Exclusion from society and civil life.

Question 45

What do the UN declarations related to disabled populations provide?

Answer 45

A moral basis for the for the formation of national legislation and policy commitments and to people with disabilities, although it is not legally-binding.

Question 46

Canada’s 1981 ‘Obstacles’ Report written by a Special Committee on the Disabled and Handicapped articulated what 3 aspirations?

Answer 46

1. respect and dignity
2. empowerment to participate in decisions regarding their own lives and futures
3. accommodations providing the means to participate

Question 47

True or False: persons with disabilities are one of four designated groups specifically mentioned in Canada’s Employment Equity Act of 1986?

Answer 47

True

Question 48

What are the 2 basic approaches disabilities that have shaped social policy over the past few decades?

Answer 48

1. Biomedical Model: assumes an individual “abnormality” that an be prevented or ameliorated through intervention by qualified professionals
2. Human Rights Approach: looks beyond specific contexts to examine broad underlying factors that prevent some groups from participating in society as equals

Question 49

What are the 3 dimensions to the historic process of deinstitutionalization?

Answer 49

1. release of people from institutions
2. specific practices designed to prevent people from entering institutions
3. modifications of institutional practices to make them less institutional in character

Question 50

What are the 5 forces that converged to guide the movement away from institutional care?

Answer 50

1. growth of an advocacy movement, involving parents and organized associations
2. indictment and exposure of large institutions as dehumanizing and harmful
3. acceptance of the “normalization” principle–that people with disabilities can and should have access to normal living conditions
4. development of community-based services
5. escalating costs of care in institutional settings

Question 51

What major geographic tension exists in Canadian social policy?

Answer 51

Tension between metropolis/hinterland, or urban/rural areas–many policies have been developed with urban areas in mind and can not apply to the needs of other areas in Canada.

Question 52

What has often happened to hinterland regions?

Answer 52

They are economically exploited, and when their natural resources are depleted or devalued, problems of unemployment, poverty and limited labour mobility intensify.

Question 53

At a fundamental level, what does diversity challenge in relation to the Canadian social policy framework?

Answer 53

Concepts, assumptions, structures and conventional ideas of need.

Question 54

How is need viewed in the context of neo-liberal views on social welfare?

Answer 54

Need is increasingly personalized and attached to individual problems and failings, in the tradition of the Poor Laws.

Question 55

What are “thick” and “thin” needs?

Answer 55

Thin need: objective, universal and abstract, and rooted in either human physiology or in obligations imposed on the individual by society

Thick need: need within a particular cultural context–viewed as subjective, it is constructed by individuals or groups through their particular experiences

Question 56

Why is the concept of need crucial to the development of social welfare policy?

Answer 56

The idea of universal need carries the moral weight required to justify redistribution of resources–most social policy shaping the welfare state has been based on the notion of thin needs.