1. Poverty in BC

2. 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

3. 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)

4. 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

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

8. 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

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

11. 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

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

13. 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?

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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?