Week 3 PP notes Child Poverty and Government Policy

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Toronto Metropolitan University *

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900

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Sociology

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Jan 9, 2024

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SLIDE 1: Child Poverty and Government Policy: The Contesting of Symbolic Power in Newspaper Constructions of Families in Need Week 3 Slides Notes CYC 900- Diversity Issues SLIDE 2: (Quote ) Understanding Poverty: Media Influence and Socioeconomic Narratives in Canada. Knowledge and insight on the lives of . . . poor people . . . is [often] derived from mediated experience, what we read in newspapers, what we hear on radio, what we see on television (Power,1999, p. 79).  The quote emphasizes that our understanding of poverty is heavily influenced by societal messages, TV images, and newspaper reports.  These sources shape our perceptions of poverty, even if we have no direct experience with impoverished communities.  It suggests that media portrayals may not always reflect the actual lives of people in poverty.  The quote draws parallels with social constructions related to race and gender, indicating that notions of poverty are also socially constructed by those in positions of power.  Key questions raised include: Who constructs the narrative of poverty? Who makes decisions for the economically marginalized? Is poverty a result of capitalism, and is it a genuine issue? Who constructs the narrative of poverty?  Society often portrays those who are poor in a negative and stigmatizing light.  Common words and stereotypes used to describe the poor include "lazy," "dirty," and "unwilling to work."  These stereotypes are perpetuated by various sources, including the media and people in positions of power who shape the narrative around poverty.  Different forms of work and ways of living have varying levels of meaning and value.  Jobs in factories, for example, are often undervalued and come with low wages, minimal benefits, and limited opportunities for advancement.  People in economically marginalized communities often work exceptionally hard for limited rewards.  Labeling the poor as lazy fails to accurately reflect the realities of economic marginalization.  It's essential to challenge these stereotypes and work towards a more empathetic and accurate understanding of the experiences of those living in poverty. Who makes decisions for those who are economically marginalized?

 - Decisions for economically marginalized individuals are typically made by those who control the economy, like business owners.  - These decision-makers determine wages, work hours, and benefits for employees.  - Profit motives often lead to reduced benefits and higher product prices, further burdening workers.  - This lack of control over decisions has severe consequences, as low-wage workers struggle to afford essentials like medications and dental care.  - Families are forced to make difficult choices between rent, food, and medical/dental care.  - Those in power structure economic decisions to maintain their advantages and perpetuate social inequalities. How does poverty happen?  - Poverty signifies a lack of financial resources for a minimum standard of living.  - This standard includes meeting basic needs like food, housing, and healthcare.  - The root cause of poverty is related to economic power dynamics.  - Those with economic power control job markets, wages, and profit margins.  - Poverty is not a natural state but a consequence of human decisions made to preserve the wealth of the powerful. Is poverty an issue in Canada? Within the Canadian context, it's essential to consider various measures and factors related to poverty:  Low Income Cut Off (LICO): This is a key measure in Canada, representing the minimum income a family needs to afford basic necessities like food, clothing, and shelter.  Cost of Living: The cost of living varies across different regions in Canada, affecting how much income is required to cover essential expenses, including housing, electricity, and water.  Geographical Context: Understanding the specific geographical context in which people live helps provide a comprehensive view of poverty markers in Canada. Two important terms to consider in discussions of poverty in Canada are: 1. Absolute Poverty: This refers to individuals or families falling below the low income cut-off score, where they cannot afford a basic basket of necessities, especially food. 2. Relative Poverty: Relative poverty is a concept that considers one's economic status in comparison to those around them. For instance, even in a wealthy neighborhood, if a family has the lowest income, they may be considered poor relative to their neighbors. SLIDE 3: What have you heard about people who receive welfare?

 . - Stereotypes about people on social assistance, including laziness and cheating the system, are perpetuated by various media platforms.  This quote from the reading highlights how those in poverty have their images constructed by others, which often reinforces public biases and justifies punitive government policies. “What is evident in such processes is that those living in poverty are not constructing their own images (Couldry & Curran, 2002); rather, they are constructed by others in a manner that often appeals to public prejudices and legitimates punitive government policy responses. (Barnet, et al 2007, p. 297)”  In Canada, cost-cutting measures often involve reducing funding for education, child support, child welfare, and programs in lower-income communities.  Governments rely on the belief that people in poverty are unwilling to work hard, aligning with a capitalist system that emphasizes self-reliance and competitiveness.  These funding cuts disproportionately impact those already living in poverty. SLIDE 5: Constructions of the poor Conservative – construction of the poor as individuals who choose not to participate economically; notions of underservingness  Perspectives play a crucial role in shaping our beliefs about people living in poverty.  The conservative perspective often characterizes the poor as individuals who choose not to participate in the economy, as undeserving, and tied to notions of merit.  However, this perspective tends to overlook the significant challenges faced by economically marginalized individuals, including limited control over wages and benefits in low-paying jobs.  Government decisions, such as the removal of sick days, can compel people to work even when they are ill, which can contribute to the spread of diseases like COVID-19.  The COVID-19 crisis serves as a stark reminder of how decisions made by those in power can disproportionately affect lower-income communities, leading to higher rates of disease transmission and highlighting the importance of addressing these disparities. - Different perspectives shape our views and beliefs about the poor.  A conservative perspective often portrays poor individuals as choosing not to participate in the economy, ascribes notions of undeservingness, and emphasizes meritocracy.

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 This perspective overlooks the challenges faced by those in economically marginalized environments, such as limited control over wages, benefits, and time off.  Government decisions can impact the lives of the poor, such as removing sick days to encourage work, leading to people working while sick and potentially spreading illnesses like COVID-19.  In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, people in lower-income communities who couldn't work from home were more exposed to the virus, leading to higher disease rates in these areas. Liberalist – victims of systemic inequities who need to be cared for – infantilising.  A more liberal perspective on poverty views those in poverty as victims of systemic inequity who require care and support.  This viewpoint can infantilize people in poverty and make decisions on their behalf, including resource allocation and programming.  The problem with this perspective is that it often doesn't involve the input of those directly affected, resulting in top-down decision-making. The solutions are based on the perspective one takes.  Regardless of the perspective taken, economically marginalized individuals are often treated as objects rather than as individuals with agency, the ability to make informed decisions about their lives. Those who are economically marginalized are treated as objects to be defined rather than subjects with agency.  Recognizing that people have agency should lead to involving them in decision-making and giving them opportunities to voice their needs, rather than decisions being solely made by those in power. Constructions of identities are related to notions of power.  The construction of ideas about poverty is closely tied to notions of power and who holds it in society. SLIDE 6: Poverty and Child Welfare Health & Wellbeing

 In 2020, approximately 1.35 million children in Canada, which is about 19% or one in five children, lived in poverty.  Poverty rates are especially high among First Nation, Métis, Indigenous, racialized, and immigrant populations.  Poverty has far-reaching impacts on various aspects, including child development, families, communities, and society as a whole.  Children's health and well-being are negatively affected by poverty, as parents in poverty may struggle to provide essential services and medical supplies, like EpiPens for allergic reactions or asthma medication.  Poverty can lead to significant declines in a child's health and, in extreme cases, even life-threatening situations.  Poverty also affects a child's overall sense of well-being, impacting their comfort in their own bodies, minds, communities, and spaces.  Exposure to poverty can hinder a child's growth and development, including brain development.  One in five children in Canada is at risk of experiencing long-term and life-changing consequences due to poverty. Educational Access  Poverty has a significant impact on educational access.  Families with wealth can provide their children with opportunities for advanced education, including undergraduate and graduate degrees.  Educational access increases the chances of securing well-paying jobs for these children.  In contrast, children in poverty often lack educational opportunities, which hinders their competitiveness in the job market.  Limited educational access also restricts their ability to escape poverty.  Canada is described as a closed system where one's social class at birth often determines their future class, making poverty a barrier to upward mobility for many in society. Homelessness  A family living in poverty may struggle to afford rent and basic necessities like food and clothing, which can eventually lead to homelessness.  Homelessness among Canadian children may not match stereotypical images but is a significant problem.  In a Canadian context, homelessness among children might not involve them sleeping on the streets but rather staying in cars, basements, or couch-surfing with friends or family members Food insecurity and health  Food insecurity is another challenge linked to poverty, impacting children's health.  Food insecurity involves difficulty accessing healthy food, leading to the consumption of cheaper, unhealthy options.  First Nations communities often face even more severe food insecurity due to distance from urban centers and high food prices. Impact on Communities

 Addressing these problems requires a comprehensive understanding of the realities faced by children in Canadian communities.  - Food insecurity can manifest in economically marginalized neighborhoods where fast food is more accessible due to its lower cost, leading to children regularly consuming unhealthy meals.  Canada's reputation for helping other nations contrasts with the ongoing challenges faced by its own citizens, revealing a significant gap. Poverty  The well-being of children in poverty has broader effects on entire communities.  Wealth and privilege tend to pass from one generation to the next, while poverty can also be inherited.  Poverty's impact on health, education, homelessness, and food security is well- documented.  First Nations, Indigenous, racialized, and immigrant communities often experience higher levels of poverty.  These communities are significantly affected by poverty, and its negative effects can persist across generations.  The disadvantages experienced by children in poverty can continue into the next generation, perpetuating the cycle of poverty. How do the assumptions regarding parents’ ability to care for children increase the number of poor and racialized kids taken into care?  Assumptions about parents' caregiving abilities can lead to more poor and racialized children being placed in care due to biases, limited resources, cultural misunderstandings, and a lack of alternatives, resulting in disproportionate removals. SLIDE 7: Canadian Context • Income subsidy program Ontario (discontinued) • $14.00 minimum wage

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• Families can feed children for $75 a week ($75 per week on groceries? Tough but manageable, says Philippe Couillard, September 20 th , 2018) • Think about the context in Ontario. If someone is making $14.00 per hour they will make approximately $2240 a month before taxes. - If a 2 bedroom apartment costs approximately &1600 per month (not including utilities), the family is left with $640 a month to cover all other expenses including medication costs. Is this viable?  Minimum wage policy impact on children  Consideration of societal responsibility  Concerns about varying outcomes due to poverty  Children as the future workforce  Evaluation of the impact of poverty on child development  Reflection on Canada's commitment to supporting talent in communities. SLIDE 8: Canadian Statistics This slide what I have provided is a breakdown of the percentages of different categories that are impacted by poverty. 30% of single mothers are raising their children in poverty 34% of First Nations women and girls live in poverty 21% of visible minority women and girls live in poverty 23% of women with disabilities live in poverty 16% of senior women live in poverty. Source: Statistics Canada. https://www.canadianwomen.org/the-facts/womens-poverty /  We Focused on women living in poverty in the Canadian context because: o More single mothers than single fathers, with a recognition that men also experience poverty o Emphasis on the impact of a mother's status on her children's well-being, especially in cases of separation or divorce o Acknowledgment of the potential limitations on children's options if their mothers can't provide financial support.  Higher poverty rates among immigrant populations, First Nations, Métis, and Indigenous communities in Canada. o Status First Nations children, living on reserves, are over four times more likely to live in poverty than non-Indigenous children. o 14.4% of Canadian households were low-income in 2015, while 44.0% of Indigenous households living on-reserves were low-income o Almost half (47%) of all status First Nations children live in poverty, this is in contrast to 12% of non-Indigenous, non-racialized, non-newcomer children who live in poverty. Let’s look at some other facts: http://www.cwp-csp.ca/poverty/just-the-facts / Film: No Place Called Home: https://www.nfb.ca/film/no_place_called_home/

• Poverty statistics exclude people living in hidden poverty , which occurs when an individual earns above the poverty line, but cannot afford adequate food, hydro bills, childcare, or other basic necessities. Hidden poverty also encompasses undocumented people in Canada, and people who are on the brink of poverty. SLIDE 9: Activism & Voice – changing the dialogue Working for Families(WFF) (2004) package and the response by the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) In what ways could the understandings of poverty change if the ideas came from those who lived that reality?  The need to include the voices and experiences of individuals living in poverty when discussing and addressing poverty-related issues.  Highlighting how media often perpetuates stereotypes about the poor, portraying them as lazy or unwilling to contribute to their own development.  Recognizing the disparity in resources and opportunities between those in poverty and those with privilege, which further perpetuates inequality The use of counter-narratives to challenge constructions of poverty  The importance of changing the way we talk about poverty and those in poverty within society.  Challenging stereotypes by understanding that people in poverty often work harder in terms of long hours and challenging jobs compared to those in higher-paying positions.  Emphasizing the importance of considering the needs and perspectives of those experiencing poverty when making decisions and policies related to housing and support.  Advocating for more inclusive and participatory approaches rather than top-down hierarchical models when addressing poverty and its challenges . SLIDE 10: Addressing Poverty Based on the assigned reading: Based on the assigned reading Child Poverty and Government Policy: The Contesting of Symbolic Power in Newspaper Constructions of Families in Need

Author: ALISON BARNETT , DARRIN HODGETTS1, LINDA NIKORA1 , KERRY CHAMBERLAIN2 and ROLINDA KARAPU In the Canadian context, it's essential to consider how these options can be implemented to reduce poverty and improve the lives of individuals and communities. Each of these approaches offers a different avenue for empowering those in poverty and creating a more equitable society. Access to skilled trades Providing access to skilled trades like plumbing, electrical work, and HVAC technician roles can offer individuals in poverty a path to generate a viable income without requiring advanced degrees. These trades often offer well-paying job opportunities, which can help support families. Entrepreneurship program Supporting the development of entrepreneurship programs can empower individuals to start their businesses. This not only helps them support their families but also creates employment opportunities for others in their communities. Entrepreneurs can also mentor and inspire others to start their own businesses. Income supplement programs Implementing income supplement programs can significantly improve the well-being of families in poverty. Such programs provide stability in terms of housing, access to food, and healthcare, leading to better outcomes for both adults and children. Social Enterprise programs These programs, often targeting lower-income women, provide small loans to start businesses. As these businesses grow, women repay the loans over time. Social enterprise programs help individuals avoid the strict requirements of mainstream lenders like banks and enable them to develop local businesses, supporting their families and creating opportunities for others. SLIDE 11: Changing the narrative To address poverty, there is a need to change how we talk about people living in poverty and reframe our understanding of poverty's causes and cycles.

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 Shift the narrative and understanding of poverty.  Give people in poverty a voice in policymaking.  Collaborate with impacted communities for effective solutions. Find opportunities to give voice to those who are most affected by these issues  Collaboration with impacted communities is crucial for designing effective programs and policies. Fostering collaborative ventures (Ontario Coalition Against Poverty – OCAP)  Empowers individuals in poverty to speak for themselves.  Involves working alongside affected communities.  Emphasizes sharing information and resources.  Aims to challenge stereotypes through critical media literacy.  Comprehensive strategy for addressing poverty. Provided access to different media outlets and sites to share supports Developing critical media literacy  Access to media outlets can be used to share information and resources that can help people in poverty.  Developing critical media literacy is important to challenge stereotypes and better understand complex issues. SLIDE 12: Wrap up  Summary: o Weeks 1 and 2 focused on defining key concepts related to the course. o Week 3 we begain looking more directly at the issue of of social class and child welfare into the role of social class in child welfare. The Canadian context of poverty  Slides provided insights into poverty in the Canadian context, emphasizing its impact on children and relevant statistics highlighting which communities are most affected by poverty. Media & constructions of poverty  Emphasis on how media constructs poverty and the influence of ideological stances (conservative or liberal) on proposed solutions. Film – No place called home  The film "No Place Called Home" offered insights into poverty from a family's perspective

Week 3 PP notes Child Poverty and Government Policy

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