Causes of Poverty in Canada | Essay

Causes of pauperization in Canada showPoverty in a section of Canadian party cadaver a major concern, with the nation scoring one of the highest beggary order among the highly industrialized and richesiest nations (CBC, 2013). The government of Canada, in a bid to garter reduce the distress aim, has been making efforts to cook up wide black foodstuff of complaisant welf be programs, including universal public education systems, universal health check systems, minimum wage among others (group discussion instrument panel of Canada, 2013).It has, however, been argued that destitution depends on individuals and that the paltry are only so because they wish. These steps imply that the government morphologic limiting of socio-political structures may not save the prevailing situations. Against the background of the controversial arising of beggary, this paper explores some of the causes of poverty in Canada, with a special precaution of whether the suffering can be so out of their wish. The paper argues that all the same though some personal attributes may account for the poor, poverty is in all case a product of morphological malfunctions, and however much individuals reform poverty will persist if corresponding geomorphological adjustments are not made.Explaining the Poverty in CanadaPoverty in a developed state resembling Canada can be explained from various theoretical standpoints. Some scholars thought process poverty as a product of personal failure so that the poor remain so because of their personal limitations and traits (Lusted, 2010). This school of thought stem from the supposition of meritocracy, which assert that the rewards in the society are given based on merit. From this linear perspective, the rich are so because they poses unique personal attributes that the poor do not chip in, and the superior traits or characteristics that attract of societal reward with close earnings and wealth (Lusted, 2010). Going by m eritocracy, the poor Canadians are those who have personal traits that limit them from utilizing the money making opportunities available. Such trait could imply laziness, poor attitude or low educational attainment. Following this perspective the poor have simply failed to pull out of poverty, not because of any structural or societal failure, but essentially of the poors personal failure. This look is reflected in the resistance to socio-economic programs that Canadian government has sought to put in places such as progressive income tax system, minimum wage laws and barbarian credits. The opponents of such programs argue that by letting the poor benefit the support, at the expense of those economically endowed, the government is rewarding personal failure.The notion of meritocracy and the view that poverty is an evitable personal failure should be treated with caution. Indeed, the Canadian society and the rest of the world are becoming highly competitive. Individuals motivati ng to have high educational attainment and adequate training to warm well-paying line of businesss. Those who venture into entrepreneurship equally have to be diligent and innovative to abide business competition and avoid being edged out of the competition. However, it result from an assumption that personal efforts and capability are all needed for wealth creation. This is a wrong and misleading assumption. Entrepreneurs, for instance, need not only adventurous skills but also capital and at metres land to give out up and run their businesses. Accessing capital remains challenging too umteen Canadians, more so for those who have no security and good favorable network to help raise the same (Raphael, 2011). Similarly, those seeking to be utilize could have high academic qualifications but the employment opportunities that match their qualifications would be very scarce (Raphael, 2011). This leads to unemployment and underemployment, which increases the poverty level. Ther e is also evidence that structural adjustments in Canada have slowed down and reduce the nations poverty rate. For instance, according to convocation Board of Canada (2013) reduced tax burden on the low income earning Canadians has helped limit poverty rate by up to 11 portion. Without this social relief, the Board estimates that Canadian poverty rate would now be standing at 23 per centum rather than the 12 percent as it stood in 2013.This evidence disapproves the concept that poverty is associated with personal limitations because the adjustments were on structures rather than peoples traits.An alternative view is that poverty in Canada is mainly attributed to blusher economic and social structural failings. According to structural theorists, poverty in a society is a product of failures at the structural levels of the society (Rank, Yoon Hirschl, 2003). Structures in society refer to social, economic and political institutions, policies and programs. Ideally, these structure s should be intentional in accordance with the demands and circumstances of the society. That way, there will be structural fit between the structures and limitations they are designed to remedy or goals they are designed to achieve. When the systems fail to meet the goals, needs and demands they are meant to address, or when the structures bit out to be insufficient a structural failure occurs with ominous societal consequences (Rank et al., 2003).In the context of Canada, key social and economic structures take on labor market, government policies, social safety nets and resource allocation among others. one(a) of the failures that could explain Canadian poverty is the failure in the labor market to provide adequate job that would raise adequate pay and obtain Canadian families out of the poverty (Raphael, 2011). Though Canada has relatively low unemployment level, the job market is relatively saturated so that a substantial universe of discourse are absorbed in low paying part time jobs with fewer benefits (Rank et al., 2013). If the labor market would offer full time, well-paying jobs with benefits. Then the poverty level would drop. The minimum wage is equally fixed at a low rate that would just now sustain families outside the poverty level. hardly a(prenominal) social safety net and devotion of fewer resources to helping the poor are yet further explanations of Canadian poverty. Evidence by Conference Board of Canada (2013) gives strong evidence that had Canadian government not set a progressive tax system with more relief to the poor, the poverty level would be far much higher than it is today. Without socially-driven tax relief, the Board estimates that Canadian poverty rate would now be standing at 23 percent rather than the 12 percent as it stood in 2013. Similarly, various social programs such as mandatory employment redress programs and transfer programs from the poor to the old have lessen the poverty level evidence in reduction of inco me inequality by 27 percent away from what it would currently be.ConclusionTo conclude, while personal failures could explain apart(p) cases of poverty in Canada, Canadian poverty is mainly due to structural failures. Personal traits are just but one of the several determinants of wealth creation. However hard working, enterprising and well-educated Canadians may be, they can hardly get outside the poverty cycle without adequate and proper social and economic structures. Some of the social and economic structural adjustments are already helping reduce poverty rates significantly, confirming the view that structural failures would escalate poverty rate.ReferencesCBC. (2013,February 1). Canada dwindling behind on poverty, variation, says report Canada stratified 7th in 17 developed countries. CBC. Retrieved from http//www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2013/02/01/business-canada-society-report-card.html.Conference Board of Canada. (2013). Children Poverty. Ottawa, ON Conference of Canada. Lusted, M. A. (2010).Poverty. Edina, Minn. ABDO PubRank, M.R., Yoon, H., Hirschl, T.A. (2003). American Poverty a Structural Failing. Evidence and Arguments. Journal of Social and Socialology Welfare30(4) 329.Raphael, D. (2011).Poverty in Canada Implications of health Quality of Life, 2nd edition. Toronto Canadian Scholars Press.