Canadian Review of Social Policy (CRSP) / Revue canadienne de politique sociale (RCSP)
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Organ Donor Policy in Canada: Valuing Inclusion
No full textOrgan Donor Policy in Canada: Valuing Inclusion
Organ, cell, and tissue transplantation has become a common worldwide procedure
as knowledge, technology, and skills have developed in this area. Policies relating
to all aspects of organ, tissue, and cell donation have emerged in countries aroimd
the world in response. An issue that has generated debate is how to ensure
sufficient supply of organs to meet the growing demand while ensuring that risks
to patients are minimized and quality of care is maximized. In attempting to incorporate
these conditions into its proposed new standards, Canada has produced a
policy that contains exclusionary criteria directed at men who have sex with men
(MSM). The position taken in this paper is that the criteria of minimizing risk and
~naximizingq uality can be achieved without this exclusionary impact.
Health Canada's standards in Safety of Human Cells, Tssues and Organs jor
Transplantation (2009) are reviewed using a risk theory framework that comprises
components of the "risk society" with a "cultural/symbolic" theoretical lens. The
risk framework provides insight into reasoning behind the donor exclusionary
criteria in an attempt to maximize safety. This facilitates a critical investigation
into the underlying forces and meanings inherent within the document. This
framework is also used to illustrate why the current Health Canada standards
are redundant and discriminatory. Subsequently, alternatives are proposed to the
existing cell, tissue, and organ do~~a t ioponl icy statements that address minim~zation
of risk but reduce the exclusio~~ariryn pact on MSM by taking into account
existing technology. This paper critically focuses on the policy position taken by Health Canada.
The reason for this is twofold. Firstly, reflexivity related to Canadian transplant
policy assists in filling a gap in the literature. Reflexivity encourages awareness to
the personal, social, cultural and political processes that influence and shape policy.
In their overview of Ulrich Beck's conception of the risk society, Lash & Wynne
(1992) describe, following Beck that "in order for societies really to evolve inodernization
must become reflexive." Secondly, reflexivity is often "excluded from the
social and political interactions between experts and social groups over modem
risks, because of the systematic assuil~ptiono f realism in science" (4).
This paper strives to engage in and encourage reflexivity in the area of
Canadian transplant policy. As Cal~adiavia~l ues and legal principles deter discrimination
based on group membership; in this case MSM, alternative approaches to
maximizing safety in organ transplantation without the promotion of discrirnination
need to be considered.
(Les politiques visant les dons d'organes au Canada : valoriser l'inclusion)
Les crit2res d'exclusion qui ciblent les hornmes ayant des rapports sexuels avec des hornrnes
21 l'e'gard des dons d'organes continuent h Etre renforcQ duns les politiques visant les dons
d'organes et les transplantations au Canada. Ayant pour cadre la the'orie des risques, les
politiques en vigueur au palier fe'de'ral pour les dons d'organes et les transplantations sont
analyse'es en visant particulierement la cornposante d'exclusion. Les politiques fe'dirales en
vigueur peuvent faire l'objet de re'visions qui minimisent les risques et garantissent la
quulite' des soins, tout en pe'conisant l'inclusion sociale. Pour que les politiques canadiennes
visant les dons d'organes et les transplantations soient h la hauteur des connaissances et
de la technologie actuelle, l'exclusion collective h l'e'gard des hornmes qui ont des rapports
sexuels avec &S hommes pour ce qui est du don d'organes ne'cessite une re'visio
Where is the Voice of Canada's Voluntary Sector
Get PDFVoluntary organizations in general and charities in particular have consistently contended
that government regulations and fear of contractual reprisals constrain their capacity to
advocate for progressive social policies. This mticle focuses on the regulatory and institutional
side of this equation and contends that advocacy constraints exhibited by charities
may be less attributable to limits externally imposed by the federal government than
they are to limitations on the institutional structure by which charities choose to organize.
The Can& Revenue Agency was chosen because it has the widest influence on what is
considered permissible political activities by charities across Canada. This study explored
changes across three iterations of Canada Revenue Agency regulations concerning permissible
political activities and resource allocation limits by registered charities. Between the
release of Information Circular 78-3 in 1978, which was viewed by the voluntary sector
as punitive and restrictive, and Political Activities CPS-022 in 2003, permissible political
activities have been clarified and expanded. This study goes on to analyqe the institutional
structure which characterized the voluntary sector and government when substantive
policy dialogue developments took place across this twenty-five year period. This study
concludes that the non-formal institutional structure characteristic of voluntary sector
representation and reporting has influenced both the lack of legislative change and the
nature and impact of sectoral advocacy. The voluntary sector in Canada would be well
served by increasing its institutional structure formality and charities should work together
to take full advantage of the potential new advocacy capacity available through Political
Activities CPS-022.
Les organismes be'ne'voles en ge'n&ral, et plus particuli2rement les organismes de bienfaisance,
ont toujours pktendu que les r?glements gouvernementaux et la crainte de repre'sailles
contractuelles limitent kur capacite' h militer pour des politiques sociales pogressistes.
L'article, qui s'attarde h l'aspect rkglementaire et institutionnel de cette e'quation, avance
que les contraintes lie'es au militantisme pre'sente'es par les organismes de bienfaisance
poumaient Ctre &vantage attribuables aux limites de la structure institutionnelle sous
Iaquelle ces organismes choisissent d'exercer leurs activite's qu'aux limites impose'es par le
gouvernement fe'de'ral. L'auteur a choisi de se pencher sur llAgence du revenu du Canada
parce qu'elle ewrce l'influence la plus importante sur la &finition des activitb politiques
admissibles des organismes caritatifs au Canada. L'e'tude a examine' les modifications
apporte'es lors de trois p~ksentations successives des r2glements de I'Agence du revenu
du Canada relativement aux actiuite's politiques admissibks et aux limites d'allocation
de ressources des urganismes de bienfaisance. Entre le lancement de la Circulaire
#information 78-3 en 1978, juge'e punitive et restrictive par le secteur be'ne'vole et
communautaire, et celui de l'e'nonce' de politique Activitks politiques CPS-022 en
2003, les actiuit6s politiques admissibles ont it6 clanfie'es et e'tendues. L'e'tude propose
ensuite une analyse de h structure institutionnelle qui a caructe'rise' la relation entre le
secteur be'ne'vole et le gouvernement lorsque &S de'veloppements importants du dialogue
relatif aux politiques sont survenus durant cette pkiode de 25 ans. L'auteur conclut que
la structure institutionnelle informelle prope h la repre'sentation et h la production de rapports
du secteur be'nkvole a exerce' une influence tant sur le manque de changements
d!ordre le'gislatif que sur la nature et l'imnpuct du militantisme de ce secteur. Le secteur
be'ne'vole du Canada be'ne'ficierait d'une formalisation de sa structure institutionnelle, et
les organismes caritatifs dewraient unir leurs efforts afin de profiter au maximum des
nouvelles possibilite's de militantisme offertes par l'e'nonce' de politique Activitks politiques
CPS-022
Les organismes communautaires et la transformation de l'État-Providence. Trois décennies de construction des politiques publiques dans le domaine de la santé et des services sociaux, par Christian Jetté
No full text
Lutte contre la pauvreté et sécurité alimentaire au Québec: comparaison de la logique d'intervention gouvernementale et du discours des acteurs du terrain
Get PDFDuns le cadre d'une e'tude de cas sur la pertinence des interventions en se'curite' alimentaire,
des acteurs oeuvrant auprks de la population de Que'bec touche'e par l'inse'curite' alimentaire
ont expime' en entrevue des solutions pour ame'liorer la situation. L'objet de cet article
est d'examiner si celles-ci cmespondent h la logique d'intervention sous-jacente h la strate'gie
que'be'coise de lutte contre la pauvrete'. Alors que les parties penantes interviewe'es
pre'conisent une approche globale pour s'attaquer aux de'terminants socio-e'conomiques de
l'inse'curite' alimentaire notamment par des mesures sociaks pour re'soudre l'insuffisance
de revenu, les dicideurs gouuernementaux s'en remettent essentielbment h l'insertion
.en emploi, h l'aide alimentaire ponctuelle et aux projets communautaires ayant pour
objectif de responsabiliser les individus et favoriser leur propre prise en charge. Au nom de
l'incitation au travail, le gouvernement rnaintient les prestations d'aide sociale h un niveau
trks faible, risqwznt de limiter l'accks aux aliments de nombreux me'nages. Les auteurs
suggkrent de remettre en perspective la tension entre l'objectif d'assurer h chaque citoyen
un revenu ¢ pour satisfaire les besoins essentiels et l'objectif de valoriser le travail.
. Pour faire progresser le &bat, ils appellent. les acteurs du terrain et les chercheurs h examiner
dans quelle mesure l'inse'curite' alimentaire peut constituer un obstacle h lJintigration
en emploi des personnes exclues du march4 du travail. Les auteurs insistent enfin sur
l'importance de &welopper des re'ponses spe'cijiques h l'inse'curite' alimentaire qui &passent
le cadre de la lutte contre la pauvrete'.
In a case study of the relevance of interventions to increase food security, Quebec
City stakeholders were interviewed about perceived solutions to improve household food
security. The paper examines whether their solutions correspond to the Quebec government's
strategy to fight poverty and social exclusion. The stakeholders suggest an overall
approach to address the so~io-economic determinants of food insecurity, especially social
measures to eliminate income insuficiency. However, government decision-makers focus
on employment policies, emergency food programs, and community programs promoting
individual responsibility and self-help. To encourage employment integration, the govemment
maintains social assistance benefits at a low level; this compromises the ability to
afford adequate food in many households. The authors suggest a more detailed exumination
of the conflict between the objective of adequute income to fulfill essential needs, and the
objective to promote re-entry to the labour market. The authors recommend that field
workers and researchers e m i n e the extent towhich food insecurity constitutes an obstacle
to job integration for persons excluded from the labour market. Finally, the authors
emphasize the importance of responses specific to food insecurity, beyond the framework
of fighting poverty
"I work hard for no money": The Work Demands of Single Mothers Managing Multiple State-Provided Benefits
No full textThe role of social assistance in structuring the lives.of women has been well-documented.
However, it is only one of a number of programs used by low-income single mothers,
and there has been little attention paid to how these programs interact to form a web of
rules and obligations for recipients. Through analysis of in-depth interviews with a small
sample of single mothers and caseworkers, this paper e~ploresth e effects of each policy on
women's day-to-day lives. We demonstrate the important amount of paid and unpaid work
already done by these women, but argue that receiving multiple benefits requires additional
work as conditions of individual programs, as well as work to coodinate various program
requirements and to avoid gaps in benefit coverage. Future research should consider both
the formal and informal program requirements, as well as how the requirements of various
program may be contradictory.
Keywords: poverty, single mothers, social assistance, welfare reform
Le r61e de l'assistance sociale dans la vie des femmes est bien document& Pourtant,
l'assistance sociale n'est qu'un des programmes auxquels les m&res inonoparentales
recourent, et peu d'attention a et6 portbe 5 l'interaction entre les diffkrents programmes,
tels l'assistance sociale, les logements subventionn6s, les subventions
pour frais de garde d'enfants et les pr&ts etudiants, bien qu'ils cr6ent un ensemble
de r&gles et d'obligations pour leurs benkficiaires. Grgce 5 des entrevues de fond
conduites aupr&s d'un petit Cchantillon de m&res monoparentales, nous analyserons les effets de ces obligations sur leur vie quotidienne. Nous y dCmontrerons l'imnportante
charge de travail, tant r6munerC que non remunerk, que cela represente
pour ces feinmes et nous soumettrons qu'une autre forme de travail doit aussi Ctre
assumke par celles-ci afin de ben6ficier de ces programmes. Aussi, les feinmes
doivent coordonner les besoins de ces divers programmes. Des recherches futures
devraient considkrer les exigences, tant formelles qu'informelles, rattachkes 5 ces
programmes et ainsi faire ressortir comment elles peuvent Ctre contradictoires.
Mots clis: Assistance sociale, pauvretf', rkforme de l'assistance social
