who is willing to do this? three questions should be picked out from 6. shold follow essay format. no plagirism. very spesific in your answer. using your own words. i have attached the slides shown by the professor during the class so you can follow.

Pol 223 Week 4

The Canadian & British Columbia’s

Social Safety Net

Road Map

• Annotated Biblios due Feb 3 • Genesis and Evolution of Canada’s

Social Safety Net • Canada’s Social Safety Net Today • Break 10 Mins. • Genesis and Evolution of British

Columbia’s Social Safety Net • British Columbia’s Social Safety Net

Today

The Welfare State • The institutionalization of government responsibility for maintaining national

minimum standards • The welfare state means in essence public action to meet basic human needs

and offers the guarantee of collective social care to all citizens • It is the government’s role in the social sphere as rule setter, insurer, or

provider. As government’s role expanded to that of doer and the manager of all social problems, the welfare state became the nanny state

• The set of programs that provide entitlements to benefits in the form of income and access to health and social services, and the institutions through which those benefits are delievered

The Welfare State • Provides a selective range of benefits and services to certain

defined groups, such as the elderly persons with disabilities, and the truly poor

• Level of social provision is held to be at minimum standards sufficient only to meet basic needs, leaving considerable room and onus for personal effort and private responsibility

• Offers a fairly comprehensive set of services and benefits to multiple client groups covering the entire population – many services are guaranteed or insitutionalized

The Welfare State

• Rice – “social policy endeavours to affect the nature of the quality of life of Canadian. It creates conditions that are intended to increase the welfare of Canadians, insure just treatment of individuals, provide resources to those who, due to an inability to earn income, are unable to meet their own needs, and reduce or, if possible, eliminate social inequalities through redistribution”

The Welfare State • Different areas of social policy have their own dynamics and patterns of development • Each area has a policy community or network of governmental and non-governmental

agencies and actors that have a stake in, and knowledge about, the issues in that area • Can differ in relation to a number of attributes, including the relative influence and role

of professions, the nature of federalism in effect, the kinds of principles, rhetorical language, and values exercising an influence on the policy, the mix of public sector versus private sector activity, the balance of formal and informal care in a given area, and public attitudes toward specific social programs and client groups

Genesis of Canada’s Social Safety Net

• Most of Canada’s social programs intended to:

– Mitigate the effects of the Great Depression – workers, farmers, citizens in need of relief

– Meet the needs of returning soldiers – Mitigate the effects of increasing

urbanization – Placate the work force – Assist in supporting national integration

(e.g. Health Care standards)

Genesis of Canada’s Social Safety Net

• Policy goals post WWII and Depression focused on increasing employment levels, providing social safety net and forging a new relationship with labour – Keynesian goal of filling employment gaps and increasing aggregate demand – stability and prosperity

• Not only shift in govt role in the economy but also in social areas • Was not socialism in the Canadian context as Keynes intended to

support the market – “middle way” • Attitude toward labour was “benign” and encouraged collective

bargaining and the provision of unemployment benefits

Genesis of Canada’s Social Safety Net

• 2nd National Policy post-WWII – Keynesian demand management – Construction of social welfare state

• Policies consistent with what was occurring internationally – liberalization of trade policy

• Relationship between capital and labour – Investment decision-making left to business – Labour would be provided with

● Full employment policies ● Unemployment assistance ● Universal social programs ● Labour rights such as collective bargaining

Genesis of Canada’s Social Safety Net

• 1945 White Paper on Employment and Income – “high and stable levels of employment”

• Connected politics with economics more than ever before

• Canadian Keynesian thought occurred within the context of international Keynesian system

Canada’s Social Safety Net • Construction of Canada’s social safety net was constructed in an ad hoc

fashion through to today – constant construction and change • Motivated by demands of citizens, desire for services post war,

Keynesianism, Beveridge report from Britain, Leonard Marsh’s Report on Social Security in Canada, March 1943

– Recommended full employment policies, supplementary programs for occupational training, comprehensive systems for social and medical insurance (including employment, sickness, maternity, disability, old age and health and general assistance for those that exhausted their unemployment benefits

Canada`s Social Safety Net

• Implementation of the report slow, response was not enthusiastic

• Quicker and sooner than in the US – role of the state in promoting economic stabilization and social welfare arguably became an important element of political and national integration in Canada

Canada`s Social Safety Net • Unemployment set up in 1940, required constitutional amendment – division of

powers was problematic as it made jurisdiction an issue • Liberalized in Unemployment Act of 1971 • 1945 the federal government introduced a universal family allowance system

to contribute the welfare of all Cdn children • Canadian Assistance Plan, old age pensions, a variety of job creation and

training programs, regional development programs also brought forward • 1960`s (Trudeau) saw significant expansion and growth of the social safety net

Canada`s Social Safety Net

• Key program was the health care system

• Medicare Act, 1966 established 5 criteria that provinces had to follow to get fed funding

– Universality – Portability – Accessibility – Comprehensiveness – Public administration

Canada`s Social Safety Net

• Established Programs Financing Act, 1977 established long term funding commitment for health care

• Canada Health Act reiterated principles of the 1966 legislation and permitted the feds to withhold funding from provs that implemented direct user fees

Canada`s Social Safety Net • Collective provision of social benefits and collective management of the economy

became features of Canadian political life and society to an extent that clearly differentiated Canada from the US

• Kudrie and Marmor – argued the Canadian social programs were ``usually more advanced in terms of program development coverage and benefits…In every policy area it appears that the general public as well as elite opinion…is more supportive of state action in Canada than in the United States. This support appears to underlie not just the typically enactment of policy in Canada but also subsequent changes…(and expansion)

Canada`s Social Safety Net

• Regional development also goal of social safety net in Canada

• By 1950`s explicit policies began to be designed to mitigate the effects of regional disparity

– Equalization payments – Targeted regional development programs

• Canadian Keynesianism was `designed to meet the challenge of regulating not only class struggles but also territorial ones``

Canada`s Social Safety Net

• 1. Social Assistance

• 2. Economic Inclusion

• 3. Health and Social Security

• 4. Human Capital Investment

Social Assistance

• Programs of “last resort” • Means-tested or needs-tested • Minimal level of support • Client groups have no attachment to

labour force or have non-standard work history

• Main recent initiative for low-income families with children

Economic Inclusion

• Focus on groups excluded from or marginalized in the paid labour force

• Supports may include literacy, skill development and training, apprenticeships, wage subsidies, “workfare”

• Recent initiatives for youth, persons with disabilities, Aboriginal peoples, single mothers, visible minorities

Health and Social Security

• Mainstream programs of welfare state

• Social insurance and general access benefits

• Support based on adequacy and income replacement

• Client groups usually have or had a firm attachment to labour force

• Recent measures focus on early childhood, Aboriginal communities, farmers

Pension Plans

• Pensions are given to people who are of retirement age (65 and older) as a source of income

• Given that many cannot find work due to health issues, income cannot be generated any other way

• Only some had family that could take care of them – others had immigrated to Canada, while some died in WWI

Pension Plans

• First introduced in 1927 during King’s minority government as coalition with Progressive Party

• Basic pension = $240/a • Had to prove hardship through test • Only to British subjects who had lived

in Canada 20 years or more • 70 years and older

Pension Plans

• 1951 – Old Age Security Act • Granted $40/mth - taxable • 70 and older • Directly administered by Federal

Government • Also created Old Age Assistance Act

for those 65-69 (also $40/mth) • Jointly funded by feds and prov.

gov’ts

Pension Plans

• In 1964, became the Canada Pension Plan (in Quebec, the Quebec Pension Plan)

• While rate before this had been raised to $75/mth, still not enough for cost of living

• Thus, new program required workers to contribute monthly to CPP

• Would receive about 25% of average salary upon retirement

Pension Plans

• In 1975, spouces of contributors to pension plan were allowed to receive benefits of partner’s plan

• Currently payments have been reduced

Employment Insurance

• Monthly payments for those who have recently lost their job and are looking for work

• Meant to give minimal income during time searching for new employment so that person will not lose house, car, etc.

• Once person is in new job or not found work beyond a certain time, payments end

Employment Insurance

• 1940 – created Unemployment Insurance

• Before this, unemployed applied for payments from municipal gov’t.

• From 1940, UI administered federally • People may claim by showing proof

of employment between 420 – 700 hours (max $413/week)

• Now called Employment Insurance

Family Allowance

• A monthly allowance given to families in order to assist them in raising children

• Amount determined by number of children in household

Family Allowance

• First introduced in 1945 • Amounts based on age: • Under 5yrs old = $5/mth, 6-9yrs =

$6/mth, etc. • Payments were non-taxable and each

family received benefit regardless of income

Family Allowance

In 1978, this system was revised to become Refundable Child Tax Credit

Families with incomes under $18000/a received $200/a

Families over $26000/a received nothing In 1992, program became $85/mth max for

children up to 18 based on low-income Child expenses were tax-deductible, though

Minimum Wage

• First introduced in 1920’s both federally and in various provinces in response to workers’ strikes (including Winnipeg General Strike)

• Federal minimum wage is set for federal employees, while provinces set provincial minimum wage for all other employees working within province (usually lower than federal level)

Human Capital Investment

• Programs for those employed in good positions or with good prospects

• Post-secondary access programs, funding for government research councils and universities

• Goal of a well-educated, highly skilled, flexible workforce

• Main recent initiatives on enhanced expenditure and tax support for higher education and learning

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada

• Old Age Security/Guaranteed Income Supplement and Allowances;

• the Canada Pension Plan; • Employment Insurance; • Canada Student Loans and Grants; • the National Child Benefit; and • the Universal Child Care Benefit.

HRDC Goals • support a flexible, national labour market; • increase participation in the labour force; • remove barriers to post-secondary education attainment and

skills development; • oversee federal labour responsibilities; • provide income support to seniors, families with children

and EI beneficiaries; and • deliver other Government of Canada programs and services.

Service Canada

• http://web.archive.org/web/20111202 205622/http:// www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/home. shtml

Fed Spending

• http:// www.fin.gc.ca/afr-rfa/2013/report-ra pport-eng.asp#a4

Negative Effects of Social Safety Net

• Sizeable percentage of taxes and of the GDP is”wasted” on unproductive debt repayment and interest payments

• Competitiveness may have been affected

• Dominance of public sector introduces large scale inefficiencies

• Ability of consumers to spend affected by high taxes

BC Social Safety Net

• While health, education and social services are the main provincial activities – social policy is about far more

• Encompasses matters of aboriginal affairs, human rights, justice, corrections and policing, recreation, sports, tourism and leisure, the arts, multiculturalism, consumer protection, income maintenance, immigration, women’s equality, employment and the labour market, and housing

BC Social Safety Net

• Four periods of welfare state and social policy

– 1871-1940’s – 1940’s to 1982 – 1983 to 1991 – 1991 to 1996

• Roots found in post Depression and post WWII

• Duff Patullo – socialist capitalism – 1941 election pivotal moment

1871-1940’s

• Transformation of BC from a sparse rural society to an urban industrial society

• 36,000 people in 1871, by 1930’s the population had grown to over 7000,000

• Urbanization and industrialization resulted in matters of housing, health, sanitation, public security, etc. and increased incomes and living standards, altered family ties and new opportunities and risks

1871- 1940’s • Pre-1940’s most services in BC provided by families, churches,

and paid employment • Health, education, social welfare mostly seen as municipal

responsibility • Social programs were responses to individual destitution,

economic depression, social disorder, epidemics, and disease • Early on in this period prov provided grants to municipalities,

charities, hospitals, and schools • Prov also passed legislation, and enforced regulations

pertaining to education, justice, and liquor, and supervised local authorities charged with public health responsibilities

– Gradually assumed a role in social policy

1871-1940

• Great Depression had terrible impact in the 1930’s

• Federal unemployment programs commenced

• In BC one in four people received public assistance in the form of work camps, etc.

1940s to 1982

• Transformation in the social fabric and policy structures of the country took place

• Population grew from 1 million to 2.7 million • Creation of the modern health care system, the social

services network, and the social housing stock • Acceptance of programs associated with a more socially

activist government, in social expenditures emerging as the largest part of provincial budgets, and in social services becoming major sources of public employment and professional development for the growing workforce

Duff Patullo

• In July 1941 Patullo called a fall election – Confident in his govt’s popularity – Ran on the need to cooperate fed and prov – Support for the national war effort – Coordination of fed and prov tax policies – Increased highway construction – Continued development of the oil sector in the Peace – Annexation of the Yukon – Govt aid for the development of an iron and steel industry

Duff Patullo

• Both CCF and Cons fought a vigorous campaign against the Libs

– CCF advocated ● Heavy taxation of war profits ● Eventual socialization of all war industries and

financial institutions ● Greater labour representation on all new boards ● Creation of a prov govt marketing agency ● Conscription of industry before men, comprehensive

planning, public ownership of natural resources ● Extensive labour legislation to defend organizing ● Comprehensive social insurance

Duff Patullo

• Cons advocated – Greater economy & efficiency in govt – Elimination of patronage – Establishment of an independent

highways commission – Extensive public works to maintain

post-war employment – Government aid to mining development

Duff Patullo

• Election resulted in 21 seats for the Libs (not a majority), CCF had doubled to fourteen, and the Cons elected twelve

• For the first time the Socialists had gained the majority of the popular vote – 33.36%, Libs gained 32.94% and the Cons received 30.91%

Duff Patullo • 1941 election signalled the beginning of the end of socialized capitalism – Patullo’s centrist

Lib coalition was faced with two well organized parties in the Cons and CCF • Depression resulted in a greater class consciousness – Patullo’s Libs saw themselves as a

brokerage party that could speak for all, at “a time when group interests and organizations hardened”

• Was a call from within the Libs, Cons, socialists, editorialists for the formation of a coalition govt particularly between the Libs and Cons faced with the socialists – socialists in the end refused to move from its ideological programme to align with the other parties

• Patullo did not support the coalition idea – too much difference in ideology

1940s to 1982

• Initial wave occurred in the early 1940’s – Comprehensive social assistance act was passed in 1945 – Department of Health and Welfare formed in 1946 – Provincial Health insurance in 1948 – Most of the major aspects of welfare net in BC were created

under Social Credit W.A.C. Bennett – Included several shared cost programs with Ottawa for the

elderly, blind, disabled, and needy unemployed, as well as for hospital insurance

1940s - 1982 • Another wave of policy change occurred from the mid-1960’s to the

early 1970’s • Major social reforms including the Canada Pension Plan, medical

insurance, a consolidation and expansion of previous welfare schemes under the Canada Assistance Plan, the guaranteed income supplement for low income systems, the Canada Student Loan program, federal assistance for higher education and employment training, and substantial changes to the Unemployment Insurance program

1940s - 1982 • 1972 to 1975 NDP under Barrett • Wide scale reorganization of prov’s social service delivery system • 1974 Community Resources Board Act – regional and community resources

boards were created – 60 boards were created • Public auto insurance, ICBC, prescription drug plan, Pharmacare; income

support program for people with disabilities and those over 60, increases in welfare by 20-40%, consumer protection legislation, Alcohol and Drug Commisson, rent controls, Legal Services Commission formed to administer legal aid programs

1940’s-1982

• Under Bill Bennett – 1976-83 – Most social programs maintained, however, large scale efforts

at taking union influence away – Austerity and cutbacks – rationalization of govt services – Did bring forward programs such as family support worker

program, emergency child abuse services, the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters, denticare, and the long term care hospital program

– Major capital commitments were made in relation to the construction and refurbishing of courts, schools, colleges, universities, and hospitals

1940’s-1982

• Number of public servants in this period rose from 7,000 to over 43,000

• Expenditures by govt rose to over $7billion • Social ministries rose from 3 to 8 • Number of voluntary agencies also increased • Province’s welfare state is a hybrid of ideologies and

the efforts of different prov governing parties – there were differences however

1983-1991

• Bennett govt takes a turn – Sweeping restraint package of 26 bills

and a budget – Deep recession – neo-con response – Had effect as to the growth of social

policy – Reduction or elimination of several

programs (e.g. Family Support Worker Program)

– Went after teachers – Health care was not touched

1983-1991

• Vander Zalm takes over when Bennett resigns – Easing of some of the restraint – Most measures were intended to mitigate the effects of

the restraint program under Bennett – Agenda was centralized and did not appear to have any

cohesion – chaotic and reactive – Moved to remove govt funding of abortions –

unconstitutional - driven by ideology – Vander Zalm govt also conducted a series of reviews

(e.g. Royal Commission on Education), most of which landed on Michael Harcourt’s desk when Vander Zalm resigned and the NDP were elected

1991-1996

• Harcourt’s process was incremental development • Practical, pragmatism ruled the day • Shift away from neo-con approaches • Sought to eliminate deficit through slowing growth in

spending on programs, raising takes in their early years, promoting econ dev and improving economic conditions

• Increased spending on health care, education, and postsecondary education

1991-1996 • Began shift toward community health board model in 1996 • Enacted new Medical Health Services Act that provided for co-management

of health finances the BC Medical Assoc. and the public • More of a corporatist approach to social policy • Also undertook a major program of capital spending on social infrastructure

- $2billion invested in schools, colleges, and universities, hospitals, courthouses, non-profit housing units, child care spaces and recreational and cultural facilities

• Brought forward 7 policies to combat welfare fraud, did not increase welfare rates to keep up with inflation

BC Social Safety Net Today

• 3/4s of the provs budget • Primary focus of govt budget is health, education, and

social services • Includes govt ministries, boards and commissions;

school districts, colleges and universities; the courts and other parts of the justice system; and regional districts, municipalities, and other local entities such as library and police boards

• Provincial expression of authoritative expression of values and the allocation of resources, statuses, and opportunities within our society

BC Social Safety Net

• BC Social Development and Social Innovation http:// www.hsd.gov.bc.ca/programs/index. htm

• BC Budget