Impact of Poverty in Canada due to Ineffective Public Policies and What are Ways to Reduce Poverty

Poverty in Canada
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Poverty in Canada
Answer 1
In Canada, the poverty levels are usually higher than in most other developed nations. Economic resources are not distributed in a manner to reach numerous low-income Canadians. The majority of Canadians are at risk of being poor. Some of the most vulnerable ones include women, individuals of indigenous descent, people of color, uneducated individuals, unattached adults, persons with disabilities, and recent immigrants to the country (Raphael, 2020, Chapter 3). According to a survey done by Angus Reid Institute in 2018, 16% of Canadians were identified to be “struggling,” 11% living on the edge, 16% living in poverty, and 11% are close to experiencing poverty (Raphael, 2020, Chapter 1). Many Canadians live in poverty since they work in poorly paying occupations for an extended period. Others are unable to work because of disability or illness. There exist a percentage of individuals who are willing to work but cannot secure occupations, hence living below the international poverty line.
Poverty rates are very high for some Canadians, such as individuals with disabilities, people receiving social assistance, seniors over 65 years, elderly adults, lone non-elderly adults, and female lone-parent families (Raphael, 2020, Chapter 3). The escalating costs of post-secondary education and housing make the situation in Canada worse since many families without a good source of income are unable to educate their children, hence living in the vicious cycle of poverty. The primary reason why poverty remains a significant problem in a wealthy nation, such as Canada, is because public policy decisions lead to inequitable distribution of economic resources. Moreover, the economic and political forces enable and tolerate poverty. Individuals from marginalized communities in Canada have a high likelihood of living in poverty. For instance, Arabs, West Asians, Koreans, Blacks, Latin Americans, and all racialized people.
There exist various aspects of poverty that drive people to poverty in Canada. They include low-wage occupations, unequal distribution of social assistance benefits, geographical locations, the lack of education, disability, gender, age, and racial background (Raphael, 2020, Chapter 3). For example, a significant proportion of less-educated people residing in Nova Scotia (NS), Manitoba (MB), Prince Edward Island (PE), and Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) are likely to be poor due to unfavorable economic conditions. The unequal distribution of economic resources makes it challenging for low-income earners to receive proper financial assistance to uplift their living standards. Since those living in poverty are unable to educate their children, it becomes challenging for them to break the vicious cycle of poverty, and many people from upcoming generations are less likely to redeem themselves. When it comes to the minority groups of people, such as the people of color, they are unlikely to get employed in Canada, which leads to high poverty rates.
Answer 2
Many Canadians live in poverty due to the inequitable distribution of economic resources and ineff...