Week Two - Poverty and Inequality

Question 1

Unemployment Rates - Do they include everyone who is unemployed?

Answer 1

7.0% – (6% AB – high for AB, 5% SK – lowest in Canada)

|&raquo_space; These are only for people currently looking for work but not finding anything, doesn’t include anyone not looking

Question 2

Who has the lowest after-tax Income?

Answer 2

Singles and Single Parents. Those living together have much higher income.
- Median after-tax family income: $71,700
- With children: $84,600
- Single: $21,300
Female single parent: $39,000

Question 3

Is Median Income = for Males and Females?

Answer 3

No, lower for Females.

Male: $32,876 ($43,872 avrg) – Female: $21,545 ($28,074 avrg.)

Question 4

T/F - Majority of people have a university degree

Answer 4

False. Canada does indeed have a working poor, minority of people have University Bachelor Degrees.
- 23% have a High School diploma at most, 64% have trade or apprenticeship certification, 21% have a college diploma, 25% have a university degree, 16% have a bachelors, 5% have masters

Question 5

Who has the highest rate of poverty in Canada?

Answer 5

BC

Question 6

Total income of the Population over 15, Is everyone Average?

Answer 6

No, BC is slightly on par with the Canadian average or lower, Yukon is higher and Alberta is much higher for all levels of education (about 10,000 more)

Question 7

Who is Low Income?

Answer 7

According to Stats Can.: The low income cut-offs (LICOs) are income thresholds below which a family will likely devote a larger share of its income on the necessities of food, shelter and clothing than the average family. The approach is essentially to estimate an income threshold at which families are expected to spend 20 percentage points more than the average family on food, shelter and clothing.

Question 8

Is Low Income the same as Poverty?

Answer 8

Yes

Question 9

How does Stats Can. estimate who is low income?

Answer 9

Estimate what the average family needs to spend to ensure basic food, clothing, shelter etc… they then take 20% off that and that is the low income group

Question 10

4 Examples of Poverty:

Answer 10

1. ) The basic goods you require for survival (absolute poverty)
2. ) In comparison with the national standard of living (relative poverty)
3. ) Look at the extent of social exclusion (ex: limited opportunities, people who have faced discrimination - not included within stats can.)
4. ) We should consider poverty as well based on minimal opportunities for recreation and transportation (day off work, getting to work, bus pass)

Question 11

Absolute Poverty

Answer 11

The basic goods you require for survival

Question 12

Relative Poverty

Answer 12

In comparison with the national standard of living

Question 13

One of the Social Consequences of Poverty…

Answer 13

Health

Question 14

There is a correlation between Physical and Mental health and…

Answer 14

Level of Income

Question 15

Correlation between Poverty and…

Answer 15

High Crime Rates.

• lack of education and opportunities
• It costs more to keep people in poverty than it does to fix the problem

Question 16

Education is also linked to…

Answer 16

Internet Usage.

- in 2009 50% of those with less than a highschool education didn’t have the internet