Poverty in BC

Peter Singer – “Effective Altruism” Ted Talk Altruism 1: unselfish regard for or devotion to the welfare of others charitable acts motivated purely by altruism 2: behavior by an animal that is not beneficial to or may be harmful to itself but that benefits others of its species

Key Takeaways Some nations are more advanced, and therefore charitable donations have a comparatively smaller impact than in countries with a greater need (service dog costs $40,000 to train vs. malaria insecticide nets can save 1 life per $2,000) Not all charities are equal (in terms of quality/their impact)

Charities vs. Social Programs Food Bank Shelters YMCA Salvation Army Red Cross (disaster relief) Social Programs Public Education Universal Health Care Government Run Day Care (in provinces like Quebec or Scandinavian countries) Social Housing (housing that is subsidized by the Gov.) Employment Insurance Disability Assistance Welfare

How do we fund social programs? Taxation Income Tax (Progressive) Consumption Taxes/Sales Taxes (e.g. GST/PST) Additional: gambling revenue, etc.

Perspectives on tackling poverty Conservative perspective: The onus is on the individual to improve their own circumstances – therefore the government should play less of a role People can improve their circumstances through work ethic Less gov./social programs, don’t raise the minimum wage Liberal perspective: Everyone is dealt a different deck of cards in life – therefore we need to collectively support (through the gov./social programs) those that are disadvantaged by circumstances More gov./social programs, raise the minimum wage

Social Safety Net Social Safety Net – government programs that ensure no one falls through the cracks e.g. Employment Insurance, Welfare, Disability Assistance, etc.

Is $710 enough to live off? Welfare Rate in BC = $710 ($710 + $400 is the maximum you can earn without $ being taken off) Disability Assistance Rate in BC = $1,133

Lifestyle budget Create a monthly budget for an individual living on welfare ($710 per month) – i.e. consider: transportation, housing, entertainment, food, etc.

Discuss Having completed a lifestyle budget for someone living on welfare: Do you consider it enough to accommodate the basic living needs of someone in BC? What are the consequences of raising the welfare rate? What are the consequences of lowering the welfare rate?

EDUCATION National workplace emphasis on advanced degrees Necessity of a high school diploma Family support, including time and supplemental funds Preparation for learning Access to quality schools Mobile existence “Tracking” of students in schools      Working outside of school Civic engagement

HEALTH Nutrition and food security Access to quality medical care Cognitive health, including problem-solving and decision-making Chronic illnesses, such as diabetes or asthma Mental illnesses, such as depression or bipolar disorder Physical disabilities Safe neighborhoods Safe schools

GEOGRAPHY Access to a safe neighborhood Urban and rural access to quality food Urban and rural access to quality schools Rural access to quality jobs Rural access to quality medical care Rural access to social networks Link between property taxes and school budgets

HOUSEHOLD AND FAMILY STRUCTURE Access to a safe home Marital status of parents or guardians Gender of single parent or guardian Education level of parent or guardian Income level of parent or guardian Incarceration of a parent or guardian Number of working persons in the home Number of children in the home People who live alone

Reflection continued What is your stance on the current minimum wage in BC ($12.65) – should it be raised significantly (to $15) or remain the same? Why?