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Barriers to Achieving Equality

Barriers to Achieving Equality. What is a barrier?. A barrier to achieving equality is something that prevents someone from participating fully in society.

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Barriers to Achieving Equality

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  1. Barriers to Achieving Equality

  2. What is a barrier? • A barrier to achieving equality is something that prevents someone from participating fully in society. • E.g. Women could not vote federally until 1919 ( 1917 under the Military Voters Act) and could not vote in all provinces and territories until 1951 in NWT)

  3. Barriers we have discussed • Women • Native Peoples • Immigrants • Gay Men and Lesbians • People with disabilities • The poor

  4. History of the Vote in Canada (just a few facts) • 1917 – Women can vote in federal elections (if they had a son or husband is overseas) • 1918 – All women can Vote in federal elections • 1920 – Non-status Aboriginals could vote • 1947 – Chinese Canadians could vote • 1960 – Status Aboriginals could vote • 1963 – First “universal” vote in Canada What does this tell us about barriers that have existed?

  5. What do we already know about these groups and the barriers they have faced?

  6. What barriers have been removed? What barriers still exist? Women • Could not vote in all of Canada until 1951 • Not considered “persons” until 1929 • Canadian women still earn about 71% of what men do (Stats Canada 2010) • Under represented in government, CEO positions etc. • Double standards • Other?

  7. What barriers have been removed? What barriers still exist? Native Peoples • Residential Schools • Reserve System • Indian Act • Aboriginal peoples “wards of the state” • Also created barriers for women (removed with bill c-31) • 1927 revision -> forbids Aboriginals from forming their own political organizations to represent their interests. • 1946-1948 – Changes made to the Indian Act in preparation to Canada signing the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. • 1960 – could vote without losing status • Still a major debate in Canada • Educational gap • Employment/wage gap • Others? Note: Section 25 of the Charter

  8. Section 25 - Aboriginal Rights • The Aboriginal people of Canada deserve all rights established in the Charter and should have an extension of rights and privileges due to long established treaties. • The guarantee in this Charter of certain rights and freedoms shall not be construed so as to abrogate (to abolish or annul) or derogate (to take away or detract) from any Aboriginal, treaty or other rights and freedoms that pertain to the Aboriginal peoples of Canada including: • a) Any rights and freedoms that have been recognized by the Royal Proclamation of October 7, 1763; and • b) Any rights or freedoms that now exist by way of land claim agreements or may be so acquired. The Constitution recognized the rights of Aboriginal peoples of Canada (which includes Indian, Inuit, and Metis groups) in order to protect the culture, customs, traditions, and languages of Aboriginal peoples. • In addition to section 25 of the Charter, section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, states that the existing Aboriginal and treaty rights of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada are recognized and affirmed. The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that section 35 means that Aboriginal rights under treaties or other laws are now protected under the Constitution Act, 1982.

  9. What barriers have been removed? What barriers still exist? Gay Men and Lesbians • Criminal act until 1969 • Discrimination cases (e.g. Vriend v. Alberta) • 1978 – homosexuality is removed from Immigration Act as a reason for non-admitance • 1996 – sexual orientation added to Canadian Human Rights Act and read into Charter • 1999- Supreme Court rules that same-sex couples should have equal benefits • 2005 – Civil Marriage Act • Others?

  10. What barriers have been removed? What barriers still exist? Immigration • Early 1900s “Continuous Voyage” policy – immigrants must travel directly to Canada without stopping • Chinese Exclusion Act of 1923 • No Chinese Immigrants accepted until 1947 • 1928 - Japanese limitation to 150 per year • Internment of Japanese • 1962 – New Immigration Act • This new act stated that any unsponsored immigrant that had the required education skill or other quality was able to enter Canada if suitable, irrespective of colour, race, or national origin • Others?

  11. People with disabilities What is a disability? • Disability - A physical or mental condition that limits a person's movements, senses, or activities. • OHRC view - “Disability” covers a broad range and degree of conditions, some visible and some not visible. A disability may have been present from birth, caused by an accident, or developed over time. There are physical, mental and learning disabilities, mental disorders, hearing or vision disabilities, epilepsy, drug and alcohol dependencies, environmental sensitivities, and other conditions. Why is disability difficult to define?

  12. People with Disabilities • Physical • Attitudinal • Systemic What barriers have been removed? What barriers still exist?

  13. Poverty: The Facts • Note: A family is considered poor if they spend 55% or more of their income on basic necessities. • As of 2010, 9% of Canadians are in a family whose income is below the low-income cut-off. • What conclusions can we draw from the data (handout)

  14. Why would poverty be a significant barrier? • Lack of proper nutrition • Early school leaving • Social stigma • Less money for education • What else? • What could Canada do to remove this barrier?

  15. Barriers as a Social Construct STEREOTYPE • Involve generalizations about the "typical" characteristics of members of a group • Labels that people apply to members of certain groups, regardless of their individuality • Usually based on incomplete information • Can be positive, but usually negative • Applied to many factors such as class, gender, race, age, and ethnicity

  16. PREJUDICE • It is a preconceived opinion, belief, or attitude about a group of people that is applied to an individual. Literally means “prejudgment” • A prejudiced person pre-judges another individual based on the fact that he or she belongs to a group, not on actual character, skill, or personality • Prejudice opinions are based on ignorance, not fact • Stereotypes lead to prejudice

  17. Are these illegal? • Why?

  18. DISCRIMINATION • Occurs when people act on a prejudice or stereotype and treat others unfairly • Discrimination is illegal, unlike prejudice and stereotyping, because it violates the human rights of individuals • There are two types of discrimination in law: • Intentional discrimination (a.k.a. differential treatment) • Occurs when a person or organization knowingly commits a discriminatory act (on purpose) – examples? • Unintentional discrimination (a.k.a. disproportionate impact) • Occurs when people or organizations treat others unfairly but are not aware that their actions are discriminatory – examples?

  19. Is this illegal? • Remember: • Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms: Section 15 – Equality Rights • 15. (1) Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.

  20. Examples of Stereotypes: • All women are dangerous drivers • All Asian people are superior at Math • All people living at Jane and Finch are gang members

  21. Using the same three examples stated above, show how these stereotypes can lead to prejudice:

  22. Using the examples previously stated, show how these prejudices/pre-judgements could lead to discrimination:

  23. Examples: What Would You Do? • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8czPXxwbg5U

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