Units 8 and 9 Flashcards
What is the role of insurance in Canadian social programs?
Insurance programs such as health and employment insurance are designed to provide financial support to those in need, including the unemployed, injured, or those facing health crises.
Q: What is the purpose of Job Creation Programs in Canada?
A: Job Creation Programs are designed to reduce unemployment by providing employment opportunities, skill training, and financial support to those looking for work.
Q: What is Universal Health Care in Canada?
A: Universal Health Care is a social program that ensures every Canadian citizen has access to medical services, regardless of their income.
Q: What is the aim of social programs in Canada regarding poverty?
A: Social programs in Canada aim to combat poverty by providing financial support, healthcare, housing, and other essential services to low-income families, seniors, and the unemployed.
Q: How does taxation help in combating poverty in Canada?
A: Taxation funds social programs that provide services such as healthcare, education, and housing, helping to reduce poverty and improve the standard of living for vulnerable populations.
Q: What is a Social Safety Net in Canada?
A: The Social Safety Net includes various government programs designed to provide financial support to individuals in need, such as unemployment benefits, pensions, and income assistance.
Q: What are the key benefits of supporting social programs and taxation in Canada?
A: Supporters of social programs and taxation believe they help reduce income inequality, provide healthcare and education for all, and ensure better overall quality of life.
Q: What is the Tax Burden and why do some oppose high taxes?
A: The Tax Burden refers to the overall level of taxes individuals and businesses must pay. Some oppose high taxes because they believe it discourages business investment and entrepreneurship, and stifles economic growth.
Q: What do critics of social programs argue about government involvement?
A: Critics argue that too much government involvement can lead to inefficiency, wasted resources, and reduce personal responsibility, ultimately creating dependency rather than promoting self-reliance.
Q: What are Social Programs in Canada?
A: Social programs are services provided by the government to reduce economic inequality, promote the well-being of citizens, and ensure access to basic needs such as healthcare, housing, and education.
Q: How does the Canadian government pay for social programs?
A: The Canadian government pays for social programs through taxation, where citizens pay taxes on income, goods, services, and property to fund essential public services.
Q: What is Taxation?
A: Taxation is the process by which governments collect financial contributions from citizens to fund public services and programs.
Q: What are the two main types of taxes in Canada?
A: The two main types of taxes in Canada are Direct Taxes (e.g., Income Tax) and Indirect Taxes (e.g., Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Sales Tax).
Q: What is Income Tax in Canada?
A: Income Tax is a direct tax that is based on the earnings of individuals and businesses. The more you earn, the higher the percentage of income you pay in taxes.
Q: What is Goods and Services Tax (GST)?
A: GST is a federal sales tax of 5% levied on goods and services in Canada. The revenue from GST helps fund social programs like healthcare and education.
Q: What is PST (Provincial Sales Tax)?
A: PST is a sales tax imposed by provincial governments on goods and services. The rates vary by province and contribute to funding provincial social programs.
Q: What is the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST)?
A: The HST combines both the GST and PST into a single sales tax, simplifying tax collection and improving efficiency.
Q: What is Property Tax and how does it relate to education?
A: Property Tax is a tax levied on property values, and a portion of it (35%) is allocated to fund education programs. The remaining tax revenue goes to municipal governments for local services.
Q: How does taxation impact the provision of social services in Canada?
A: Taxes provide the financial resources needed to fund essential social services like healthcare, education, and public safety, improving the overall well-being of Canadian citizens.
Q: What is the Progressive Tax System in Canada?
A: A Progressive Tax System means the more income you earn, the higher the percentage you pay in taxes. This system helps reduce income inequality and ensures wealthier Canadians contribute more to social programs.
Q: What is an example of Canada’s federal tax rates?
A: Example of Canada’s federal tax rates:
15% on the first $38,832
22% on income from $38,832 to $77,664
26% on income from $77,664 to $126,264
29% on income over $126,264
Q: What is the Canada Health Transfer?
A: The Canada Health Transfer is a federal tax transfer to provinces that helps fund healthcare programs across the country.
Q: What are Transfer Payments in the Canadian tax system?
A: Transfer Payments are funds transferred from the federal government to provinces and territories to help finance social programs like healthcare, education, and welfare.
Q: How does Tax Evasion impact Canadian social programs?
A: Tax Evasion, when individuals or businesses avoid paying taxes, reduces government revenue, leading to fewer funds for social programs like healthcare, education, and social assistance.
Q: What is the Taxation Burden?
A: The Taxation Burden refers to the financial weight of taxes on individuals and businesses. It can influence economic decisions, such as investment and entrepreneurship, if the tax rates are perceived as too high.
Q: What is a Budget Surplus and a Budget Deficit?
A: A Budget Surplus occurs when the government collects more in taxes than it spends, while a Budget Deficit happens when government spending exceeds tax revenues.
Q: What role do municipal governments play in taxation?
A: Municipal governments collect property taxes, which help fund local services like police, fire departments, garbage collection, and public parks. They also receive a portion of property taxes for education funding.
Q: What is the role of insurance in social programs?
A: Insurance programs, such as employment insurance and health insurance, provide financial support to individuals during times of need, such as illness, unemployment, or disability.
Q: How does support for private sector compare to public sector social programs?
A: Some critics argue that private sector involvement in social services, such as healthcare or education, would encourage competition and innovation, potentially providing better services and reducing costs compared to public sector programs.
Q: What are Job Creation Programs?
A: Job Creation Programs aim to reduce unemployment by providing opportunities for employment, skill development, and financial support for job seekers.
Q: What does Universal Health Care mean in Canada?
A: Universal Health Care ensures that all Canadians have access to medical services without direct charges at the point of care, funded through taxes.
Q: What is the goal of combating poverty in Canadian social programs?
A: The goal is to reduce poverty by providing financial support, affordable housing, and essential services to vulnerable groups such as low-income families, seniors, and the unemployed.
Q: What does Eliminating Inequality mean in the context of Canadian social programs?
A: Eliminating Inequality refers to reducing social and economic disparities by ensuring all citizens have equal access to essential services like healthcare, education, and employment opportunities.
Q: What is a Social Safety Net?
A: A Social Safety Net includes government programs designed to support individuals in times of need, such as unemployment benefits, pensions, and healthcare.
Q: Who benefits from social programs in Canada?
A: Social programs help those in need, such as low-income families, seniors, and the unemployed, improving their quality of life and reducing economic inequality.
Q: What is the impact of taxes on public services?
A: Taxes fund essential public services like healthcare, education, public transportation, and social programs, benefiting all citizens and contributing to a stable economy.
Q: How can well-funded social programs help the economy?
A: Well-funded social programs can stimulate the economy by providing support during economic downturns, increasing consumer spending, and improving overall living standards.
Q: Why do some oppose high taxes for social programs?
A: Critics argue that high taxes create a tax burden, discourage business investment and entrepreneurship, and lead to inefficient or wasted resources in government-managed programs.
Q: What do critics say about government-managed programs?
A: Critics argue that government-managed programs can be inefficient and poorly managed, resulting in wasted resources and creating dependency instead of promoting self-reliance.
Q: What does the Federal Government in Canada do regarding social programs?
A: The Federal Government provides national programs such as healthcare, pensions, and unemployment insurance. It also oversees universal healthcare through provincial transfers, provides the Canada Child Benefit (CCB), and sets basic standards for social programs across the country.
Q: What are the responsibilities of Provincial/Territorial Governments in Canada?
A: Provincial/Territorial governments manage and deliver healthcare and education services, provide welfare and housing assistance, administer some social support programs, and adjust or supplement federal programs like Employment Insurance (EI) and pensions.
Q: What are the responsibilities of Municipal Governments in Canada?
A: Municipal governments manage local services like social housing and community programs, providing social housing and support for low-income families.
Q: What is Universal Healthcare in Canada?
A: Universal Healthcare is free healthcare for Canadian citizens and permanent residents, covering doctor visits, hospital stays, and more.
Q: What does the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) provide?
A: The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) provides retirement, disability, and survivor benefits to those who have contributed through their work.
Q: What is Employment Insurance (EI)?
A: Employment Insurance (EI) provides temporary financial support to unemployed individuals, as well as maternity, parental, and sickness benefits.
Q: What is Old Age Security (OAS)?
A: Old Age Security (OAS) provides monthly payments to seniors aged 65 and older, regardless of their work history.
Q: What is the Canada Child Benefit (CCB)?
A: The Canada Child Benefit (CCB) provides monthly payments to families to help with the costs of raising children.
Q: What is Social Assistance (Welfare)?
A: Social Assistance (or welfare) provides financial aid to low-income individuals and families.
Q: What is Housing Assistance in Canada?
A: Housing Assistance includes programs that provide social housing and rent subsidies to low-income Canadians.
Q: What is Disability Support in Canada?
A: Disability Support provides financial aid and services for people with disabilities, helping them live independently and access necessary services.
Q: What is Social Security in the U.S.?
A: Social Security in the U.S. provides retirement, disability, and survivor benefits to eligible workers and their families.
Q: What is Medicare in the U.S.?
A: Medicare is a health insurance program for people aged 65 and older or those with certain disabilities.
Q: What is Medicaid in the U.S.?
A: Medicaid provides health coverage for low-income individuals and families, funded by both federal and state governments.
Q: What is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the U.S.?
A: SNAP provides food assistance (formerly food stamps) to low-income families in the U.S.
Q: What is Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) in the U.S.?
A: TANF provides temporary financial aid and support services for low-income families with children in the U.S.
Q: What is Unemployment Insurance (UI) in the U.S.?
A: Unemployment Insurance (UI) provides temporary financial support for workers who have lost their job through no fault of their own.
Q: What is the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in the U.S.?
A: SSI provides cash payments to low-income individuals who are elderly, blind, or disabled in the U.S.
Q: What is the Housing Assistance in the U.S.?
A: Housing Assistance in the U.S. includes programs like Section 8 that provide rental subsidies or public housing for low-income individuals.
Q: What is the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in the U.S.?
A: CHIP provides low-cost health coverage to children in low-income families who are not eligible for Medicaid.
Q: What is the key difference in Healthcare between Canada and the U.S.?
A: Canada has universal healthcare funded by taxes, offering free services to all citizens. In contrast, the U.S. has no universal healthcare, relying on a mix of private/public insurance, leaving some uninsured.
Q: What is the difference in Child Benefits between Canada and the U.S.?
A: Canada provides monthly payments through the Canada Child Benefit (CCB), while the U.S. offers a Child Tax Credit that provides a tax reduction rather than direct payments.
Q: What is the difference in Unemployment Insurance between Canada and the U.S.?
A: Canada’s Employment Insurance (EI) has broader coverage (maternity, sickness) and longer benefits, while the U.S. Unemployment Insurance (UI) has limited benefits that vary by state.
Q: What is the difference in Pensions between Canada and the U.S.?
A: Canada’s Canada Pension Plan (CPP) offers basic retirement income, while U.S. Social Security benefits vary based on earnings history.
Q: What is the difference in Social Assistance between Canada and the U.S.?
A: Canada has more standardized social assistance programs, while U.S. programs like TANF vary significantly by state.
Q: What is the main focus of Welfare programs in Canada and the U.S.?
A: Canada emphasizes social welfare as a right for all citizens, while the U.S. focuses more on means-tested programs based on income.
Q: What is the difference in Housing Assistance between Canada and the U.S.?
A: Canada has federal and provincial programs for housing subsidies and public housing, while the U.S. has more limited housing assistance with longer waiting lists.
Q: What is the Canada Health Act of 1984?
A: The Canada Health Act is a federal law that sets the principles for healthcare in Canada, ensuring healthcare is publicly administered, portable, accessible, universal, and provided in a timely manner.
Q: What is the difference in Public Health Care vs Private Health Care?
A: Public Health Care is government-funded and available to all citizens, while Private Health Care is paid for by individuals or private insurance companies, with limited government involvement.
Q: How does Employment Insurance (EI) work in Canada?
A: EI provides temporary financial support to those who have lost their job, are sick, on maternity leave, or caring for a family member. It is funded by contributions from employed individuals and employers.
Q: What is a Social Safety Net?
A: A Social Safety Net is a series of programs designed to protect citizens from economic hardships, including unemployment, healthcare costs, and natural disasters.
Q: What is the underground economy?
A: The underground economy refers to economic activities that are not reported to the government and therefore not taxed or regulated. It includes illegal trading of goods and services, commonly known as the black market.
Q: What is the impact of the underground economy on tax revenues and government services?
A: The underground economy leads to lower tax revenues and reduced government services since those involved do not pay taxes, leaving less money for essential public services.
Q: What are some examples of activities in the underground economy?
A: Activities in the underground economy include:
Illegal activities: such as drug dealing, human trafficking, and criminal enterprises.
Unreported income: such as cash-only work or freelancing without declaring earnings.
Tax evasion: individuals or businesses hiding income to avoid taxes.
Black market: legal activities like barter systems or informal trading that operate outside government regulations.
Q: How does the underground economy impact the federal and provincial tax bases and social programs?
A: The underground economy results in:
Lower tax revenue, as participants don’t pay taxes.
Decreased funding for social programs, since governments have less money to allocate to healthcare, education, and pensions.
Unfair competition for legitimate businesses that pay taxes, harming the economy.
Higher tax burden on honest taxpayers to make up for lost revenue.
Q: What are some of the causes of underground economies?
A: Causes of underground economies include:
Uneven income distribution, which pushes people to seek alternative income sources.
Economic crises, leading to increased illegal or underground activities.
Government legislation that encourages shadow economies, such as bans or high taxes.
Unclear or frequently changing laws, which create loopholes and cause businesses to move into the underground economy.
Social behavior: people avoiding restrictions or taxes to maintain profits.
Q: What are the effects of underground economies?
A: Effects of underground economies include:
Constant fluctuations in prices, as prices are inconsistent due to less regulation.
Distorted economic structure, making it hard to trust data on unemployment and inflation.
Unstable money supply, as unregulated money exchanges can distort economic systems.
Q: What are the advantages of the underground economy?
A: The advantages of the underground economy include:
Increased economic activity and greater employment opportunities.
Provides an additional source of income for individuals who might struggle in the formal economy.
It can meet unmet needs and provide goods or services that are otherwise unavailable.
Q: What are the disadvantages of the underground economy?
A: The disadvantages of the underground economy include:
Economic crises due to instability and lack of regulation.
A rise in illegal activities.
Inaccurate economic data, which distorts unemployment, inflation, and tax statistics.
Loss of tax revenue, leading to reduced government funding for social programs.
Reduced funding for social programs, as fewer taxes are collected.
Q: What does the shadow economy contribute to the larger economy?
A: The shadow economy contributes by bringing more economic activity and increased employment opportunities, as well as providing additional sources of income for individuals.
Q: What happens to prices in the underground economy?
A: Prices in the underground economy tend to fluctuate constantly, as there is less regulation and more informal trading, leading to inconsistent pricing.
Q: What happens to the reported economic structure in the underground economy?
A: The underground economy leads to a distorted economic structure, as much of the economic activity is unreported and unregulated, making it difficult to trust data such as unemployment and inflation rates.
Q: What is a key disadvantage of the underground economy regarding tax data?
A: A key disadvantage is the incorrect economic data due to unreported income and unregulated activities, which makes it difficult to measure actual economic conditions.
Q: How does the underground economy impact social program funding?
A: The underground economy results in lower tax revenues, which reduces funding for important social programs like healthcare, education, and pensions.
Q: How do environmental issues involve political and economic decision-making?
A: Environmental issues involve political and economic decision-making as governments need to balance economic growth with the protection of the environment, creating policies that reduce environmental impact while fostering development.
Q: What political and economic decisions should Canadians make to respond to climate change?
A: Canadians should support policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, transition to renewable energy sources, and promote sustainable practices across industries and communities to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Q: What is biodiversity?
A: Biodiversity refers to the variety and number of species living on the earth and the ecosystems they inhabit, affecting their environment and humans.
Q: How do ecosystems affect humans?
A: Ecosystems provide essential “services” such as purifying air and water, regulating the climate, and providing food. Trees and plants use carbon dioxide and provide oxygen, which is critical for human life.
Q: What are environmental issues?
A: Environmental issues refer to activities that harm or alter the environment through human actions, like pollution from cars or improper waste disposal.
Q: How do environmental issues typically affect society?
A: Environmental issues tend to affect vulnerable groups of people more heavily and usually require coordinated efforts from many people to address and resolve them.
Q: What is climate change?
A: Climate change refers to the rise in the average temperature of the Earth, primarily caused by the accumulation of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas.
Q: What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather refers to the immediate atmospheric conditions (temperature, precipitation, wind) in a specific place at a particular time.
Climate refers to long-term trends in weather patterns in a specific region over a longer period (months, seasons).
Q: What are the impacts of climate change?
A: Predicted impacts of climate change include:
Decline in the abundance of freshwater sources (lakes, rivers).
Loss of biodiversity, affecting ecosystems.
More extreme weather events (storms, droughts).
Longer growing seasons and potential agricultural impacts.
Sea-level rise, especially along coastlines.
Q: What causes climate change?
A: Climate change is caused by a build-up of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere, primarily from burning fossil fuels. These gases trap heat from the Sun, leading to a rise in Earth’s temperature.
Q: What is sustainability?
A: Sustainability refers to the balance between the resources available to a country and its demands. When in balance, society and the environment function well; when out of balance, resources become depleted.
Q: What is an ecological footprint?
A: An ecological footprint measures the demand human activities place on Earth’s ecosystems, expressed in hectares. Lower footprints are desirable as they reflect sustainable resource use.
Q: How large is Canada’s ecological footprint compared to the global average?
A: Canada has the 9th largest ecological footprint globally, with an average of 7.6 hectares per person, compared to the global average of 2.6 hectares.
Q: What is population growth and its impact on resources?
A: Population growth increases demand for resources, which can lead to resource depletion as available resources become stretched and harder to sustain.
Q: What is consumption of resources?
A: Consumption of resources refers to the rate at which humans use natural resources. If consumption increases, especially with rising populations, it can lead to resource scarcity and environmental degradation.
Q: What is environmental stewardship?
A: Environmental stewardship is the responsibility to manage natural resources wisely, ensuring they are conserved and available for future generations.
Q: How does political decision-making affect the environment?
A: Political decision-making shapes environmental policies such as:
Regulations on pollution control.
Waste management practices.
Conservation of land and biodiversity.
Participation in international agreements like the Kyoto Protocol.
Q: What is the Kyoto Protocol?
A: The Kyoto Protocol (1997) is an international treaty that commits signatory countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Canada initially agreed to reduce emissions by 5.2% below 1990 levels but later withdrew from the agreement in 2011.
Q: What is the Copenhagen Accord?
A: The Copenhagen Accord (2009) was a non-legally binding agreement where countries pledged actions to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. Canada committed to reducing emissions by 17% by 2020.
Q: What is the Paris Agreement?
A: The Paris Agreement (2015) is a universal climate agreement with goals to limit global temperature rise to below 2°C, support developing nations, and reduce greenhouse gases with carbon neutrality by the second half of the century.
Q: What is Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan?
A: In March 2022, Canada introduced its 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan to achieve significant emissions reductions by 2030, focusing on decarbonizing key sectors of the economy.
What societal values underlie social programs in Canada and the United States?
Canada believes that social programs and welfare are a right. They believe that everyone should have access to these programs to ensure that people get education, pension, and healthcare. In the US they believe that they only need a few social programs to help low-income elderly, people with disabilities and low-income families. The US, wants to focus on self-responsibility more than helping everyone like Canada wants to do.
How do social programs of the United States and Canada differ in their function & quality?
The quality of US social programs is a lot lower than Canada. US programs are very selective and they mostly focus on disabilities, elderly, and low-income families. In Canada, social programs are designed to help everyone, and they focus more on collective good than individual work to succeed.
Explain the importance of taxes for social programs and how social programs can differ based on the amount of taxes collected (flat tax, progressive tax).
Social programs cannot run without taxation. Taxation provides enough money to pay for the social programs that a society wants to have. The more taxes collected the more and higher the quality of the social programs will be. And the fewer taxes collected the fewer and poorer quality the services will be. More taxes are usually collected in a progressive system as the richer people have to pay more taxes. In comparison, in a flat tax system, every single person pays the same amount in taxes regardless of their income, usually resulting in lower quality social programs.
How does the underground economy impact the federal and provincial tax base and social programs (i.e., tax evasion, black market)?
The tax base decreases when the underground or black market is used, this is because the government does not know how many goods and money are being spent around the world so they do not know how much money they can tax. Because less taxes are being paid to the government, there are fewer social programs because the government cannot afford to run them without a reasonable budget to spend. Tax evasion harms the government because people are not reporting the actual value of their income so the government does not receive enough tax money to pay for social programs.
Human activities contributing to increased GHG emissions:
-using gas cars
-producing electricity
-farming livestock
-burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas)
-Cutting down trees and forests
Importance of protecting biodiversity (species, ecosystems, and genetic diversity).
Provides us with natural resources and a food source of vitamins and nutrients.
Organisms can clean water for us to drink
Provides us with clean air to breathe
Organisms change treat our wastewater and break it down
Creates jobs for people and, therefore more economic activity
