Chapter 7

Tracing History: Equality,

Equity, and Inequality in
Canada
AMANDEEP SINGH (300826148),
MANSOOR ABDUL KHADER (300799635),
RYAN NUGENT (),
URJA RANA ().

Learning Outcomes

Canada Egalitarian Society

Understanding Equality and Equity

What are Inequalities and Why do they exist?

(Social stratification, Power and Privilege,

Ideology, Barriers)

Case Study

Questions

Canada
Multiculturalism

Internationally, Canada has long been recognized and respected for its
progressive principles on matters of global citizenship and human rights .

Inclusion

Canadian identity is commonly presented as one of diversity, accommodation

of difference, and tolerance

Laws

and Regulations

1.

Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1982)

2.

Multiculturalism Act (1988)

3.

Employment Equity Act (1995)

4.

Ontarians with Disabilities (2001)

Who establishes these laws and policies?

Who are these laws and policies meant for?

Tokenistic Gestures

Tokenism The practice of

including one or small
number of members of a
minority group to create the
appearance of
representation, inclusion, and
non discrimination, without
ever giving these members
access to power (Anzovino
& Boutilier, 2015, p. 6)

Reasons Political,
Economical Benefits by
government

Multiculturalism

Arguably, the
Multiculturalism Act was not
necessarily introduced in the
interests of minorities
groups. While appearing
idealistic, the
multiculturalism policy
served alternative aims: to
attract newcomers to Canada
to increase the population
and therefore develop the
economy, and to improve
trade relations with
developing countries.

Understanding Equality and Equity

Equality

denotes sameness where everyone is treated the same without

consideration of individual needs, circumstances, background, or history.
(Fleras, 2012)

Equity

defines the need to take difference-based disadvantages into

consideration (Fleras, 2012)

Equity promotes the differential treatment of individuals based on need,

circumstances, experiences, background, history, and so on, in order to
balance the scale.

Equity is actually focused on achieving equality in the outcome.

Understanding Equality and

Equity
Social

justice

The full and equal participation of all groups in a society that is

mutually shaped to meet their needs. Social justice includes a vision
of society in which the distribution of resources is equitable and all
members are physically and psychologically safe and secure. We
envision a society in which individuals are both self-determining
(able to develop their full capacities), and interdependent(capable of
interacting democratically with others). Social justice involves social
actors who have a sense of their own agency as well as a sense of
social responsibility towards and with others and the society as a
whole.(Adams, Bell, & Griffin, 1997)

Social inequality

can be defined as any

Social inequality

is the differences in

difference in the

income, resources,

treatment of people on

power and status within

the bases of class,

and between societies.

gender, age, ability, race,

Such inequalities are

ethnicity, or citizenship.

maintained by those in

This treatment generally

powerful positions via

involves restringing

institutions and social

peoples full participation

processes. (Naidoo

in society and limiting

and Wills 2008)

resources and
opportunities, hence,
affecting overall quality
of life (McPherson, 2013)

"...all animals are equal here, but some are more equal than others."[G,Orwell,
Animal Farm]

What is Inequality And Why Do They

Exist?

Inequality consists of the unequal power, rights, distribution and access

to resources, services, and opportunities on the basis of race, class
gender and ability.

These differences are socially structured and within this structure some
groups are more disadvantaged than others.

Various Social factors which cause Inequality :

Unemployment

Discrimination on the basis of Religion, Race, Class, Gender and

Ability.

What Are Inequalities And Why Do

They Exist?
Inequalities

are maintained through following

four factors working together :
1.

Social Stratification,

2.

Ideology,

3.

Power and Privilege,

4.

Barriers.

Factor-1 : Social Stratification

Social stratification refers to

the hierarchal arrangement
of large social groups on the
basis of their control over
basic resources (Kendall,
2010, p. 214).

It is an system which divides

the people into groups on the
basis of power, wealth and
status.

Factor-1 : Social Stratification

Groups are classified according to their social
positioning.

Dominant groups :

Dominant groups, defined as those group of people which have

large share of power, social status and wealth, are at the top of the
hierarchy.

Minoritized groups :

Minoritized groups, are those group of people who have limited

access to power, resources, and social status. These people are at
the bottom of the hierarchy.

Factor-1 : Social Stratification

Differences in social rank lead to

Disparities between the capacities of individuals to access

opportunities and resources and to maintain power and control in

order to make decisions and exercise choice.

Dominant Groups are responsible for defining the criteria which

causes Social positioning.

This hierarchy is reproduced across and between generations

where those who are disproportionately disadvantaged
maintain that position, as do their children, due to barriers
that

make it very difficult to advance.

Factor-1 : Social Stratification

Class
Class refers to the relative location of a person or group within a
larger society, based on

wealth,

power,

prestige, or other valued resources

(Kendall, Lothian-Murray, & Linden, 2007, p. 655).

Class determines ones access to rewards, resources, and

opportunities, Which, in turn, influence ones level of education,
income, occupation, housing, health care, and life expectancy.

Factor-1 : Social Stratification

Class Orders
In a capitalist system like Canadas, class is hierarchically stratified, with
individuals belonging to upper, middle, working, working-poor, and
underclass orders, as identified by Gilbert and Kahl (1998).

Factor-1 : Social Stratification

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives states that the richest
20% of Canadian families make about 50 %of the nations income,
and they hold 70% of the nations net wealth.

40% make up the middle class, which can further be subdivided

into upper-middle and lower-middle. College Education is the
distinguishing factor here.

The working class, about 30% of the Canadian population, is made

up of labourers such as factory, office, and daycare workers.

Approximately 20% of the Canadian population consists of the

working poor. Earnings below poverty line.

Factor-1 : Social Stratification

Consequently working poor

are subjected to

a shorter life expectancy,

poorer health care,

higher teen pregnancy

rates,

higher obesity rates,

higher infant mortality

rates,

lower literacy rates,

a greater likelihood to fall
under the control of the
criminal justice system.

Factor-2 : Power and Privilege

Power is the capacity to command resources and thereby to control social

situations.

Resources can be material, human, and ideological and their control can be
economic, political, and ideological.

Power can also be defined as the ability of people or groups to achieve

their goals despite opposition from others.

In a stratified system, dominant group members have great power, meaning

they have the ability to make decision, influence systems, and establish
dominant ideologies.

They can use their position of power to develop laws and policies that work
in their favour and sway public views and principles to uphold their agendas
.

Factor-2 : Power and Privilege

Membership in dominant groups also grants

individuals privilege. Privilege is gained
through unearned power that gives dominant
group members economic, social, and
political advantage.

Its not attained due to hard work or

achievement. Rather is assumed merely
because one belongs to a dominant group.
Those who are privileged therefore have
opportunities, resources, rights, choices, and
freedoms that are categorically denied to
others.

Examples - Public Holidays being more

Christian than General, Gender Discrimination
in pay

Factor-3 : Ideology

Ideologies are patterned clusters of normatively imbued ideas and

concepts, including particular representations of power relations.
These conceptual maps help people navigate the complexity of their
political universe and carry claims to social truth,(Manfred
Steger,Paul James)

Ideology refers to system of ideas that are transferred through

socialization, such as media, government, families, religion and
education.

The degree to which each of these systems and structures can

affect ones socialization will depend upon the degree to which they
are important and prevalent in a particular historical period.

Factor-3 : Ideology
Dominant Ideologies

In the Marxist perspective, Dominant ideology is referred to as

the ideology of the majority in a population. This ideology remains
to be prevalent given that interests of the dominant class are
fulfilled. This can lead to seizure of development process in the
subordinate class, who are unable to form an effective opposition.
It can be said without doubt that the ideas of the dominant class
are deeply penetrated into the social system.(Williams, 1977)

The dominant ideologies are closely aligned with a group of people

who represent a particular set of class, economic, cultural, political
and social interests situated at the top of the hierarchy.

Factor-3 : Ideology
Dominant Ideologies

Dominant ideologies in society originate from a group of people who

were directly involved in, or whose cultural ancestors were an integral
part of, the drafting of a countrys constitution, its charter, laws and the
systems of justice, its dominant religion, and the content of the canons in
educational institutions.

These are the ideologies that serve to influence how society functions
and how it is structured. Ideology is used by those in dominant positions
to achieve desired ends, which often benefit a select few.

These ideologies hold little merit in terms of accuracy or truth. But these
ideologies only become dominant because they were created from the
people who had power and privilege

Factor-3 : Ideology
Negative Effects:

Dominant Ideologies reinforce stereotypes and prejudices.

Norms and values of a society are created by these ideologies.

Ideology serves to create a routine response to how certain

phenomena (social, political, etc.) and certain groups of people
are viewed.

Dominant ideologies consistently reinforce such ideas,

ultimately affecting how we see and treat others.

We adopt these views through socialization and structures.

They become dominant merely because those who hold

positions of power and privilege created them.

They serve to perpetuate oppression and inequality.

Factor-4 : Barriers

Barriers are policies and practices that prevent full

and equal participation in society.

Barriers can be both visible and invisible.

These barriers can be physical, social, attitudinal,

organizational, technological, or informational.

Ex. A person that cant see properly, his physical

barrier in class can be the font or the lighting.
Physical Barrier Visible

Factor-4 : Barriers
Visible Barriers

Visible Barriers are physical barriers

Visible barriers are public and private spaces that are literally
inaccessible to individuals who have a physical disability.

Visible barriers are also documents policies and practices in any

economic, political or social institution.

These practices represent members of dominant groups, nondominant groups are restricted from participating in policy
development and therefore are not represented in it.

Factor-4 : Barriers
Invisible Barriers

These barriers occur in our social structure.

People in minoritized groups encounter barriers, that affect there

ability to obtain the access to opportunities, resources, and benefits
of memberships in society.

They lose many resources that other individuals receive and they
are left behind.

Certain beliefs that create an invisible barrier for making a

physically disabled person appear inferior, deficient or incapable in
performing a job.

Video

Two Monkeys Were Paid Unequally: Excerpt from Frans de Waal's TED
Talk

Social Equity and Discrimination

http://youtu.be/meiU6TxysCg

http://youtu.be/HQIg2uL4mXE

Problem faced by Aboriginals in Canada

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGqtcnqRRNY

Questions

How does the concept of equity play a role in hiring

practices?

What is the relationship between poverty and other social

inequalities?

Thank you