Looking Back

       After researching and composing four blogs upon the subject of poverty, I have come to realize it as an alarming issue that continues to worsen even throughout modern-day society.  There are many issues raised concerning poverty, as it branches out, affects and is affected by various different subjects.  These subjects include low-income families, social assistance, children, housing, health care, food, human rights and education to name a few.  It is also apparent the various communities poverty effects within Canada itself, including single parents, First Nations, the LGBTQ, immigrants and refugees. 

       The blogs I have written consist of various issues surrounding multi-generational poverty that I have found both interesting and appalling.  Being quite interested in history, I enjoyed writing my first blog on the subject of European Feudalism and the concept of poverty in the Middle Ages.  From this, I gained much information of the origination of poverty.  I have also developed knowledge of the English Poor Laws and which elements still effectively continue to enforce stigma against Canada’s poor society today.  My second blog focused upon the issue of the United Nations and their struggle to persuade the Canadian government to research multi-generational poverty.  I learned that although the UN provided Canada with a national food strategy, our government refused to take action and support these issues.  By researching this subject, I was notified of various alarming statistics.  I used the social democratic policy learned in class to provide ideas in which our Canadian government could change its policies in order to aid its growing poverty population.  The third blog I composed focused on the importance of social assistance programs and their need for reform.  By gathering research, I discovered that most social assistance programs in today’s society have not been effective.  It was concluded the Canadian government’s need to research the effectiveness of such social assistance programs to properly and most effectively distribute their funds in benefit of those communities in need.  My fourth blog focused on the LGBTQ community and the fact that they were of the poorest populations among Canadian communities.  I concluded that this was because of workplace discrimination and gender-based principles.  Because of this, I suggested our neo-conservative government look towards their promise of human rights and equality in supporting these communities through the difficulty of poverty. 

       By reading the various other blogs posted by my classmates, I gained an even wider perspective upon the issue of poverty and its importance in Canadian society.  I also noticed that each blog in its own greatly called for reform.  Some issues present within these blogs I found most interesting were the issues upon mothers and selling their bodies to provide enough income for their families, as well as the issue of abortion as a woman’s way to prevent being unable to provide for her child.  I also discovered various issues surrounding poverty within the branches of race, ethnicity, gender and inequality.  Not only did I learn about various issues surrounding poverty, but the other issues that affect Canadians throughout modern-day society.  These issues were included within the groups of mental illness, physical and mental disabilities, women, First Nations, northern communities, older adults, the LGBTQ, immigrants and refugees.  I was deeply moved upon important issues such as euthanasia, transgenderism and bathroom rights, contamination and environmental concerns and sex-selective abortion.  By understanding these issues, it has opened my eyes based on the need and importance of change within Canadian society.  It has also given me an understanding of the types of people presently active towards change.  More important, I was able to get a better understanding of social work and the ideologies present within its subject.

       I have believed this blogging assignment as beneficial for my learning in various ways.  By commenting on different blogs myself and other students were allowed to share and voice our opinions regarding the multiple issues surrounding us in Canada.  By learning from each other we can advocate ourselves toward change.  We have been able to research issues important to us, whether close at heart, or just plain interesting.  In this way, we were able to participate socially with one another.  The process of researching and composing such blogs has given me an opportunity to critically think and asses my thoughts and feelings towards the issue of poverty, and has provided me with various ideas on the subject of change.  I believe the concept of writing blogs throughout the semester has helped to open my eyes to such issues that surround poverty, while helping to develop my research and critical thinking skills, as well as using my own voice, thoughts and opinions present upon the subject.

 

-  Kara