Home » Canadian Social Policy

Canadian Social Policy

Oleksandr (Sasha) Kondrashov

Last Updated: April 2020

Course History

The course has lots of elements from the following five courses I have taught from 2007

SWRK 1310 Introduction to Social Welfare at the University of Manitoba

SWRK 2110 Emergence of Canadian Welfare State at the University of Manitoba

SWRK 3130 Contemporary Canadian Social Welfare at the University of Manitoba

SLWK 2110 History of Canadian Welfare at the Dalhousie University

SLWK 3012 Social Policy Perspectives.

The course is a second policy course that is delivered at Thompson Rivers University. I have now updated SLWK 3012 Social Policy Perspectives at Dalhousie and SWRK 3130 to match course structure and respond to specific course learning objectives through assignments that are specific for each course. The major paper assignment is the same for all the courses.

Course Description

This course explores the socio-historical, economic, ideological, and institutional contexts for the development of social policy in Canada. Students discuss the policy making process, as well as the role of social policy in processes of inclusion, exclusion, marginalization, and oppression. A critical analysis of selected social policies is emphasized.

Educational Objectives/Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

  1. Describe the historical evolution of the Canadian welfare state
  2. Describe significant campaigns for and debates about state welfare provision in Canada.
  3. Identify differences in ideology and the implications this has for social policy development in Canada.
  4. Describe the principal features of the Canadian constitution and the relationship it has to state welfare provision in Canada.
  5. Describe the process of policy-making and the roles of different actors including the legislature, cabinet, civil service, courts, commissions of inquiry, ombudspersons, interest groups, citizens and the media.
  6. Analyze a contemporary issue in Canadian social policy and identify its ideological features, theoretical dimensions, principal interest groups, media representations and intended benefits.

Course Materials

Chapter 2 from Brooks, S., & Ménard, M. (2017). Canadian democracy: A concise introduction. Oxford University Press.;

Chapter 3 from Lightman, E. S., & Lightman, N. (2017). Social policy in Canada. Oxford University Press.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). (2009). Discover Canada. The rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Retrieved from http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/pub/discover.pdf 

Chapter 4 from Harding, R. L., & Jeyapal, D. (Eds.). (2019). Canadian social policy for social workers. Oxford University Press.

Chapter 2 from Regehr, C., & Kanani, K. , McFadden, J., & Saini, M. (2016). Essential law for social work practice in Canada (3rd.ed.). Toronto: Oxford University Press;

Burnham, J. (2012). Developments in Social GRRRAAACCEEESSS: visible – invisible and voiced – unvoiced. In I.-B. Krause (ed.) Culture and Reflexivity in Systemic Psychotherapy: Mutual Perspectives (pp. 139–160). London: Karnac.                                                                               

Chapter 12 from Turner, J.C., & Turner, F.J. (2009). Canadian social welfare (6th.ed.). Toronto, ON: Pearson.

Chapter 6 from Armitage, A. (2003). Social welfare in Canada. Oxford University Press, USA.

Graham, J.R., Shier, M.L., & Delaney, R. (2017). Canadian social policy: An introduction. (5th ed.). ON: Don Mills: Pearson.

Chapter 1 from Westhues, A. (Ed.). (2012). Canadian social policy: Issues and perspectives (5th ed.). Wilfrid Laurier Univ. Press.

Chapter 6 from McKenzie, B. & Wharf, B. (2016). Connecting policy to practice in the human services (4th.ed.). Don Mills: Oxford University Press;

Phillips, S. D., & Orsini, M. (2002). Mapping the links: Citizen involvement in policy processes. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Policy Research Networks.                                                                                                                                                           

Chapter 12 from Mullaly, B., & Dupre, M. (2018). The new structural social work, ideology, theory and practice. Toronto: Oxford University Press;

Dudziak, S., & Coates, J. (2004). Social worker participation in policy practice and political activity. Canadian Review of Social Policy, (54), 79-96.

Chapter 13 from Samuelson, L., & Antony, W. A. (2012). Power and resistance: Critical thinking about Canadian social issues (5th ed.). Fernwood Publishing;

Cabrera, N. L., Matias, C. E., & Montoya, R. (2017). Activism or slacktivism? The potential and pitfalls of social media in contemporary student activism. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 10(4), 400-415. Recorded Lecture

Chapter 9 from Chappell, R. (2016). Social welfare in Canadian society (5th.ed.). Toronto, ON: Nelson Education;

Bradshaw, T. K. (2007). Theories of poverty and anti-poverty programs in community development. Community Development, 38(1), 7-25.

Chapter 7 from Hick, S. (2014). Social welfare in Canada: Understanding income security. Toronto, ON: Thompson Education Publishing

Chapter 4 from Eggleton, A., Corak, M., Lewchuk, W., Forget, E., & Raphael, D. (2018). The poverty, inequality, and job challenge. The case for basic income in Canada. Lindsay, On: Fireside Publishing House. Retrieved from http://www.caseforbasicincome.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Ebook-Sept-17-v2-SEPT-17-FINAL.pdf

Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW)/Association Canadienne des Travailleuses Sociaux (2005) Code of ethics. Ottawa: Author. Retrieved from https://casw-acts.ca/sites/casw-acts.ca/files/documents/casw_code_of_ethics.pdf

Truth and Reconciliation Canada. (2015). Honouring the truth, reconciling for the future: Summary of the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. Winnipeg: Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. Retrieved from http://www.trc.ca/websites/trcinstitution/File/2015/Honouring_the_Truth_Reconciling_for_the_Future_July_23_2015.pdf

MMIWG-FFADA (2019). Reclaiming power and place: The final report of the national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. Retrieved from https://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Calls_for_Justice.pdf 

 

Student Evaluation & Assessment

EvaluationPercentageDue Dates
In Class Quizzes20 %Selected Classes: Please see class schedule.  
Research and Knowledge Quest part 130 %Research and Knowledge Quest part 1 report   
Research and Knowledge Quest part 250 %Research and Knowledge Quest part 2 report
Total100% 

Topics Covered/Course Content

Ideology and Canadian Social Policy
Canadian Government, Citizenship, and Social Policy
Human Rights, Intersectionality and Social Policy
Anti-Oppressive Policy Development
Social Policy Analyses
Making Policy for Social Change from Inside the System
Making Policy for Social Change from outside the System
Social Media, Policy, Advocacy and Social Justice Activism
Social Policy for Canadians Living in Poverty
Social Policy for Canadians in the Labour Market
Comparative Canadian Social Policy

Course Schedule

Week Topic(s) ReadingsAssignments / Remarks
 Introduction to the course: Ideology and Canadian Social PolicyChapter 2 from Brooks, S., & Ménard, M. (2017). Canadian democracy: A concise introduction. Oxford University Press.; Chapter 3 from Lightman, E. S., & Lightman, N. (2017). Social policy in Canada. Oxford University Press. 
 Canadian Government, Citizenship, and Social PolicyCitizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). (2009). Discover Canada. The rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Retrieved from http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/pub/discover.pdf Chapter 4 from Harding, R. L., & Jeyapal, D. (Eds.). (2019). Canadian social policy for social workers. Oxford University Press. 
 Human Rights, Intersectionality and Social PolicyChapter 2 from Regehr, C., & Kanani, K. , McFadden, J., & Saini, M. (2016). Essential law for social work practice in Canada (3rd.ed.). Toronto: Oxford University Press; Burnham, J. (2012). Developments in Social GRRRAAACCEEESSS: visible – invisible and voiced – unvoiced. In I.-B. Krause (ed.) Culture and Reflexivity in Systemic Psychotherapy: Mutual Perspectives (pp. 139–160). London: Karnac.                                                                               Citizenship Quiz
 Anti-Oppressive Policy DevelopmentChapter 12 from Turner, J.C., & Turner, F.J. (2009). Canadian social welfare (6th.ed.). Toronto, ON: Pearson. Chapter 6 from Armitage, A. (2003). Social welfare in Canada. Oxford University Press, USA.Human Rights Quiz
 Social Policy AnalysesChapter 8 from Graham, J.R., Shier, M.L., & Delaney, R. (2017). Canadian social policy: An introduction. (5th ed.). ON: Don Mills: Pearson. Chapter 1 from Westhues, A. (Ed.). (2012). Canadian social policy: Issues and perspectives (5th ed.). Wilfrid Laurier Univ. Press.Anti-oppressive Policy Development Quiz
 Making Policy for Social Change from Inside the SystemChapter 6 from McKenzie, B. & Wharf, B. (2016). Connecting policy to practice in the human services (4th.ed.). Don Mills: Oxford University Press; Phillips, S. D., & Orsini, M. (2002). Mapping the links: Citizen involvement in policy processes. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Policy Research Networks.                                                                                                                                                                       Social Policy Analyses quiz Research and Knowledge Quest Part 1 is due
 Making Policy for Social Change from outside the SystemChapter 12 from Mullaly, B., & Dupre, M. (2018). The new structural social work, ideology, theory and practice. Toronto: Oxford University Press; Dudziak, S., & Coates, J. (2004). Social worker participation in policy practice and political activity. Canadian Review of Social Policy, (54), 79-96.Research and Knowledge Quest Part 1 is due
 Social Media, Policy, Advocacy and Social Justice ActivismChapter 13 from Samuelson, L., & Antony, W. A. (2012). Power and resistance: Critical thinking about Canadian social issues (5th ed.). Fernwood Publishing; Cabrera, N. L., Matias, C. E., & Montoya, R. (2017). Activism or slacktivism? The potential and pitfalls of social media in contemporary student activism. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 10(4), 400-415. Recorded Lecture 
 Social Policy Concern Presentations15 three minute video / online presentationsResearch Quest Draft Poster and Presentation is due
 Social Policy Concern Presentations15 video / online presentationsResearch Quest Draft Poster and Presentation is due
 Social Policy and Canadians Living in PovertyChapter 9 from Chappell, R. (2016). Social welfare in Canadian society (5th.ed.). Toronto, ON: Nelson Education; Bradshaw, T. K. (2007). Theories of poverty and anti-poverty programs in community development. Community Development, 38(1), 7-25. 
  Social Policy and Canadians in the Labour MarketChapter 7 from Hick, S. (2014). Social welfare in Canada: Understanding income security. Toronto, ON: Thompson Education Publishing Chapter 4 from Eggleton, A., Corak, M., Lewchuk, W., Forget, E., & Raphael, D. (2018). The poverty, inequality, and job challenge. The case for basic income in Canada. Lindsay, On: Fireside Publishing House. Retrieved from http://www.caseforbasicincome.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Ebook-Sept-17-v2-SEPT-17-FINAL.pdfCanadians Living in Poverty Quiz Research and Knowledge Quest part 2 is due
 Course Review: Comparative Canadian Social Policy30 one minute video / class presentationsCanadians in the Labour Market Quiz Research and Knowledge Quest part 2 is due
%d bloggers like this: