Canadian Income Inequality And Its Impact - 1007 Words

Canadian Income Inequality and Its Impact Sarah Pitre - 100 511 731 University of Ontario Institute of Technology Canada has always taken great pride in its health care system. Publicly funded, Medicare has helped many, but has also aided in masking one of this country’s largest growing problems. Income inequality is highly prevalent throughout Canada, affecting the health of its citizens, and over-burdening its health care system. The growing gap between incomes is largely in part to the economic neoliberalism taking place within Canada. The stress placed on lower and middle income families through various social determents of health is taking its toll on society and its individuals. The oppressed state of undermined†¦show more content†¦This income inequality started with Canada’s most recent recession, but as we left this recession income inequality continued to rise. The Gini coefficient is the most widely used measure of inequality, comparing the dispersion of income throughout a nations citizens. Over the past few years the Canadian Gini coefficient has been steadily increasing. In a study completed by Picot, G and Hou, F of Statistics Canada it was found that â€Å"Income inequality typically rises in recessions, as it did in the early 1980s and 1990s, and therefore might be expected to fall in economic expansions. But this did not occur in the late 1990s’ expansion, and this period instead displayed the largest rise income inequality in the past three decades.† This rise in income inequality continues to burden Canadian residents, increasing social determents of health within the country. The government has placed the responsibilities of housing, child care, education, retirement and much more on the individual. With all of the stress and responsibility placed on individuals, the Canadian government continues to make cuts to public expenditure on government aids. Depriving citizens of any safety nets and blaming them for being unable to acquire these underfunded social services. All of this stress has a significant impact on one’s overall health and wellness. From cancer to child mortality, nearly every