Assignment: September 13 - Lecture - Margaret Little
Prior to September 13th, please read Margaret Little, "A Litmus Test for Democracy: The Impact of Ontario Welfare Changes on Single Mothers," Studies in Political Economy, Vol. 66, Autumn 2001, pp. 9-36. Then, during her talk, compare this article to the talk she gives on September 13th and answer the following questions, which will guide you through your own comparative policy analysis of the issues:
- The article is about the Ontario welfare/workfare policy introduced during the Mike Harris Government but which is still in effect. One of the major changes to welfare that the Harris Government brought in was the introduction of workfare. Did the B.C. government also bring in workfare? Why or why not?
- This article and Dr. Little's talk shows that Ontario welfare/workfare administration is very focused on fraud. According to the Ontario Government's own welfare fraud statistics is welfare fraud a large or growing problem? Has the B.C. government been equally concerned about welfare fraud? Why or why not?
- Why is a gender analysis helpful to understand current welfare/workfare administration? What can we learn by looking at how men and women are treated by the welfare/workfare administration?
- Why is a race analysis helpful to understand current welfare/workfare administration?
- As a result of reading this article and listening to Dr. Little's talk, what significant aspect of current welfare policy did you learn about for the first time?
- If you could make one change to the current Ontario welfare/workfare policy what would it be and why?