Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Policy Brief No. 26 - The Dynamics Of First Nations Migration Shaped By Socio-Economic Inequalities, Marilyn Amorevieta-Gentil, Robert Bourbeau, Norbert Robitaille

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Migration by First Nations people (both Registered and non-registered Indians) reflects inequalities between First Nation communities, and also between First Nations and the non-Aboriginal Canadian population, in terms of its nature, its intensity and its direction. Residential mobility, within the same community or urban centre, is the commonest form of migration among First Nations, while inter-provincial and international migration concerns a small minority of cases. The net effect of the migratory flows of Registered Indians is movement towards reserves rather than to other rural or urban areas. Improvement in living conditions and the feeling of belonging to a community are …

Dossier De Politique No. 26 - Les Inégalités Socioéconomiques Façonnent Les Dynamiques Migratoires Des Premières Nations, Marilyn Amorevieta-Gentil, Robert Bourbeau, Norbert Robitaille

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

La nature, l’intensité et la direction des mouvements migratoires des Premières Nations (Indiens inscrits et non-inscrits) sont le reflet d’inégalités entre leurs communautés, mais aussi avec la population canadienne non-autochtone. Ainsi, la mobilité résidentielle est la forme la plus fréquente de migration chez les Premières Nations, soit au sein d’une même communauté ou dans un centre urbain, alors que les migrations interprovinciales et internationales sont marginales. L’effet net des flux migratoires des Indiens inscrits favorise nettement les réserves, plutôt que les régions rurales ou urbaines. L’amélioration des conditions de vie et le sentiment d’appartenance à une communauté expliquent le plus …

An Examination Of The Emergence Of The Queer Figure In North American Culture Using A Queer Marxist Theoretical Framework, Jade C.R. Da Costa

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis develops a new sociological perspective entitled “Queer Marxism,” a neo Marxist perspective on gender identity, gender expression, and gender oppression that incorporates Judith Butler’s queer perspective of gender performativity. Using this Queer Marxist framework, this thesis will identify an existing tension, due to emerging contradictions within the North American capitalist structure, between the current realities of gendered bodies and the dominant gender binary ideology of North American society. In reflecting on this tension, this project will argue that non-normative genders (and sexualities) are gaining more recognition and validation at a cultural level which, in turn, serves to only …

Gender And Health Over The Life Course: Temporal, Contextual, And Intersectional Considerations, Nicole Etherington

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Research has continuously demonstrated differences in health between men and women and emphasized a “gender paradox” whereby women live longer than men, but have higher rates of morbidity. Still, relatively little attention has been given to the underlying mechanisms and processes involved within groups of women and men that may provide greater insight into the patterns of health experienced among each group rather than simply between them. Specifically, there has been an over-reliance on cross-sectional and retrospective data; inattention to multiple resources and health conditions; limited consideration of various age ranges and time spans; and an over-emphasis on comparing women …

A Critical Examination Of Immigrant Integration: Experiences Of Immigrants From Turkey To Canada, Guliz Akkaymak

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Drawing upon qualitative interview data, this dissertation critically examines the integration experiences of immigrants from Turkey to Canada, who comprise an understudied immigrant group. I am interested in how immigrants access and develop social networks, how they integrate into the labour market, and how being an immigrant affects their workplace experiences. Relying theoretically on the work of Pierre Bourdieu, I aim to address social inequalities existing among Turkish immigrants in particular and in Canadian society in general.

The first manuscript (Chapter 2) examines immigrants’ intra- and inter-group differences and hierarchies, and their impact on study participants’ access to and development …

Research Brief No. 23 - Exiting Poverty In Canada, Lori J. Curtis, Kate Rybczynski

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

This study investigates the determinants of poverty duration in Canada, and examines which factors may affect women and men differently. It specifically focuses on poverty exit destinations: exits to just above the poverty line versus exits to further above the poverty line. Results show that nearly 25% of poverty spells end within 110% of the poverty line, meaning near poverty. The study also indicates that receiving social assistance, being an immigrant, being disabled, and having pre-school aged children are strongly associated with both a lower probability of exiting poverty, and a lower probability of exiting to higher income levels. Finally, …

Policy Brief No. 23 - Health Inequalities Among Older Adults: Reconciling Theories And Policy Approaches, Amélie Quesnel-Vallée, Andrea Willson, Sandra Reiter-Campeau

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Despite universal access to healthcare, there are disparities in older people’s health status in developed countries. These inequalities are rooted in lifelong differences in social and economic status. Government policies to assist older people may end up reinforcing these inequalities if they fail to create a buffer against their effects. However, best case practices and WHO guidance show that policies can also mitigate against the effects of lifelong disadvantage in older age. There is opportunity to design initiatives for older people in Canada that lessen the disparities in health outcomes that we currently see.

Policy Brief No. 21 - An Increasing Age At Retirement May Amplify Socioeconomic Inequalities, Yves Carrière, Jacques Légaré, Mélanie Léger St-Cyr, Chloé Ronteix, Viorela Diaconu

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Population ageing raises questions about the sustainability of the public pillars of the retirement income system and about inter-generational equity. In response to this, a number of countries have raised the normal retirement age in an attempt to reduce projected future expenditures on their state pension system. In this context, private savings and later retirement represent the best ways of avoiding a major fall in living standards when retiring. Increased life expectancy at age 65 appears to justify this policy trend. But there are substantial differences in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy between people of different socioeconomic status, and …

Dossier De Politique No. 21 - Une Hausse De L’Âge De La Retraite Risque De Creuser Les Inégalités Socioéconomiques, Yves Carrière, Jacques Légaré, Mélanie Léger St-Cyr, Chloé Ronteix, Viorela Diaconu

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Le vieillissement démographique a pour effet de remettre en question la viabilité des régimes publics de retraite et l’équité intergénérationnelle. Plusieurs pays ont donc relevé l’âge normal de la retraite pour réduire les dépenses prévues de leur régime public de retraite dans le futur. L’épargne privée et le report de la retraite représentent alors la meilleure alternative pour éviter une baisse de niveau de vie importante à la retraite. Les gains en espérance de vie à 65 ans semblent justifier cette politique. Mais les écarts d’espérance de vie et de santé selon le statut socioéconomique sont substantiels et semblent vouloir …

Policy Brief No. 18 - The Dynamics Of Inequality Among Canadian Children, Peter Burton, Shelley Phipps, Lihui Zhang

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

This study characterizes income inequality and mobility of Canadian children between the ages of 4/5 and 14/15. There is considerable inequality of family income. Moreover, income position is especially persistent for children at the bottom and top of the distribution; this is unfair and may be perpetuated into adulthood. Finally, family structure is very important for children’s material well-being; for example, they experience a considerable drop in income position upon parental separation/ divorce. It is recommended that such children be protected, perhaps through advance maintenance payments.

Policy Brief No. 17 - Language Training And Education Help Adult New Immigrants Exit Poverty, Lisa Kaida

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

New immigrants to Canada are particularly vulnerable to poverty, but a study of data from the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada finds participation in English/French language training has a positive impact. The federally-funded official language training, a unique feature of Canada’s immigrant settlement policy, helps new immigrants overcome their initial economic hardships. In addition, education in Canada helps low-income adult newcomers with international postsecondary credentials lift their families out of poverty. As the highly educated comprise a majority of entering immigrants, facilitating their ability to return to school is a promising policy option for their economic well-being.

Policy Brief No. 14 - The Underutilization Of Immigrant Skills: Trends And Policy Issues, Jeffrey G. Reitz, Josh Curtis, Jennifer Elrick

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Since 1996, the problem of underutilization of immigrant skills in Canada has grown significantly. University-educated immigrants are more numerous, yet our census analysis shows that their access to skilled occupations in the professions and management declined between 1996 and 2006. In these years, the value of work lost to the Canadian economy from immigrant skill underutilization grew from about $4.80 billion to $11.37 billion, annually. Given the significance of immigration for economic development, the evaluation of current policies and consideration of future directions seem urgent.

Research Brief No. 15 - Visible Minority Groups Vary In Social Integration, Zheng Wu, Christoph M. Schimmele, Feng Hou

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

On the basis of the 2001 Ethnic Diversity Survey, this study examines relationship between generation of Canadian residence and social integration. Two subjective (self-reported) measures of integration are used: sense of belonging to Canada and feelings of discomfort living in the host society. The study finds that the relationship between immigrant generation and social integration depends upon demographic and neighbourhood characteristics, as well as upon the city of settlement. The study also illustrates that while sense of belonging does not change across immigrant generations, it is higher for South Asians, lower among Chinese and French Canadians, and similar to the …

Research Brief No. 13 - The Social And Health Service Needs Of Aboriginal Peoples In Urban Southern Ontario, Martin Cooke, Julia Woodhall, Jennifer Mcwhirter

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

The disproportionate needs of urban Aboriginal people make it important for urban social and health service providers to understand the conditions faced by this population. This synthesis paper reviews recent literature on urban Aboriginal populations in order to identify their characteristics and main areas of need. It is meant to inform those who work in health and social service planning and delivery in smaller urban centers, particularly non-Aboriginal service agencies in Southern Ontario. The existing research shows that urbanized First Nations, Métis and Inuit have greater needs for specific health, cultural, justice, financial, and educational services. Further-more, the literature indicates …

Research Brief No. 9 - Racial Minority Immigrant Offspring Successes In The United States, Canada, And Australia, Jeffrey G. Reitz, Heather Zhang, Naoko Hawkins

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

How well-off are second-generation immigrants in the US, Canada, and Australia? In this study, we examine the successes of immigrant offspring as compared to the respective mainstream populations (third- and higher-generation whites). We also ask whether cross-national differences in the successes of immigrants carry over to their children. We discover that the educational, occupational, and income achievements of second-generation immigrants are very similar for several ethnic groups across these countries. Each country shows common patterns of high achievement for the Chinese and South Asian second generation, less for those of other Asian origins, and still less for Afro-Caribbean blacks.

Research Brief No. 6 - Family Background And Economic Mobility In The United States And Canada, Miles Corak, Lori Curtis, Shelley Phipps

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Canadians and Americans have very similar notions of what constitutes the “good life”: largely economic success, stability, health and freedom. They also both believe that the way to achieve that success is through hard work, ambition and personal choices. However, there is a large gap between the ability of Canadians and Americans to achieve a different economic status than their parents. On average, three times more economic inequality is passed on in the United States than in Canada, and the largest gaps occur at the extremes of the spectrum: the richest segment of the population and the poorest. This gap …

Research Brief No. 4 - An International Comparison Of Lifetime Inequality: How Continental Europe Resembles North America, Audra Bowlus, Jean-Marc Robin

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Is earnings inequality in North America as high as previous research has suggested? And how does North America compare to Europe? Previous studies on this topic have found a higher level of earnings inequality in North America than in Continental Europe. However, these studies have focused largely on earnings in a single year. In their forthcoming study on earnings inequality, authors Audra Bowlus and Jean-Marc Robin develop a new methodology for investigating and comparing earnings inequality in North America and Europe. The methodology developed by Bowlus and Robin constructs a measure of lifetime earnings in order to compare lifetime earnings …

Policy Brief No. 10 - The Town With No Poverty: Health Effects Of Guaranteed Annual Income, Evelyn L. Forget

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Guaranteed Annual Income (GAI) has been advocated and opposed in both the United States and Canada as a means to fight poverty since the 1960s, but how does GAI influence specific health and social outcomes? In examining data from a town involved in a Canadian GAI field experiment, we primarily found that a relatively modest GAI can improve population health at the community level. Considering the increasing burden of health care costs in Canada, it is possible that implementing GAI could amount to considerable savings.

Policy Brief No. 9 - A Canada-Us Comparison Of The Wage Gap For Highly Educated Immigrants, Aneta Bonikowska, Feng Hou, Garnett Picot

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

This policy brief focuses on changes in the wages of university educated new immigrants over the 1980-2005 period in Canada and the United States. Generally speaking, wage outcomes for this group were superior in the U.S. Wages of university educated new immigrants relative to domestic born university graduates declined in Canada over that period but rose in the United States. Also, the university wage premium — the difference in the wages of the university and high school educated — for new immigrants was similar in both countries in 1980, but rose over the next two decades in the United States …

Inégalités En Santé Chez Les Adultes Plus Vieux Dans Les Pays Développés: Réconcilier Théories Et Approches Politiques, Amélie Quesnel-Vallée, Andrea Willson, Sandra Reiter-Campeau

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Discussion Paper Series/ Un Réseau stratégique de connaissances Changements de population et parcours de vie Document de travail

Les politiques dont le but est de soutenir les personnes âgées creusent peut-être les inégalités. Des régimes de pensions de plus en plus privatisées et un manque de services de soutien subventionnés profitent de façon disproportionnée à ceux qui ont les moyens sociaux et économiques les plus forts à l’âge avancé. Les gens favorisés sont en meilleure santé que ceux qui sont désavantagés. Le Canada a l’occasion d’éviter un impact si biaisé des programmes pour les aînés, en puisant dans les approches créées par l’Organisation mondiale de la santé, des exemples internationaux et dans la théorie et la recherche sociologique. …

Sustainable Development Goals Worth Sharing, Erika Simpson

Political Science Publications

The international community has agreed upon another set of goals for the next 15 years. On the table are no less than 169 objectives and 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The new aspirations are summarized and the merits and demerits of further elaboration and measurement including country-specific deadlines and targets are discussed. The hefty budget to achieve all 17 goals is estimated at more than $4 trillion US a year. North American policy-makers need to be aware of humankind’s shared aspirations as they consider the new and expensive SDGs. Foreign aid is one of the instruments of North American foreign …

Living And Working Longer In An Aging Society: Toward Increasing Inequalities?, Yves Carrière, Jacques Légaré, Mélanie Léger St-Cyr, Chloé Ronteix, Viorela Diaconu

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Discussion Paper Series/ Un Réseau stratégique de connaissances Changements de population et parcours de vie Document de travail

Population ageing raises questions about the sustainability of the public pillars of the retirement income system and about inter-generational equity. In response to this, a number of countries have raised the normal retirement age in an attempt to reduce projected future expenditures on their state pension system. In this context, private savings and later retirement represent the best ways of avoiding a major fall in living standards when retiring. Increased life expectancy at age 65 appears to justify this policy trend. But there are substantial differences in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy between people of different socio-economic status, and …

Migration Among The First Nations: Reflections Of Inequalities, Marilyn Amorevieta-Gentil, Robert Bourbeau, Norbert Robitaille

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Discussion Paper Series/ Un Réseau stratégique de connaissances Changements de population et parcours de vie Document de travail

The subject of this review is the migration dynamics of the First Nations (Registered and non-registered Indians), seen in the light of inequalities of various kinds. Individuals who undertake a migration are attempting to find a balance between their current situation and the situation they would like to be in, with a view to a better life. Analysing these situations implies making decisions which lead them to opt for the type of migration likely to bring them most benefit.

The First Nations are a distinct population group in Canada. As well as being heterogeneous, they also have their own socio-demographic, …