Majority of Aboriginals lack confidence in the justice system and feel it treats Aboriginals unfairly

Most Aboriginal urban peoples opt to stay in city

Almost half of Canadian aboriginal peoples are city dwellers, and a new study released to CBC by the Environics Institute suggests many have no plans to return to their home reserve.

The national Urban Aboriginal Peoples Study of 2,614 self-identified aboriginal people found that while many native Canadians maintain ties with their home communities, only three in 10 first-generation urban aboriginal peoples have moved back to their home community since moving to the city.

"Notwithstanding the sense of connection majorities of urban aboriginal peoples have to their communities of origin, the large majority of urban aboriginal peoples feel their current city of residence is home," the study said. "When asked 'where is home for you?' seven in 10 (71 per cent) UAPS participants say it is their current city of residence."

Native Canadians in 11 urban centres across the country participated in the study, which included person-to-person interviews conducted from March to October 2009. The Urban Aboriginal Peoples Study set out to examine the attitudes of native Canadians who call the city home. Non-aboriginal people were also interviewed in a separate poll.

Half of the country's 1,172,790 aboriginal Canadians lived in urban centres, according to the 2006 census. Nine in 10 of those interviewed in the study said they liked living in their city at least somewhat.

"Within [Canada's] cities, urban aboriginal peoples are seeking to become a significant and visible part of the urban landscape," the study said. "They like living in their cities and majorities feel they can make a positive difference in their urban homes. Notably, they are as likely as non-aboriginal people to feel this way."

Eighty-two per cent of participants said they were "very proud" of their specific aboriginal identity, that is, First Nations, Métis or Inuk. Slightly fewer — 70 per cent — said the same about being Canadian.

And most are confident that they can retain cultural ties in an urban setting. Six in 10 were completely or somewhat unworried about losing contact with their culture, while a minority were totally (17 per cent) or somewhat (21 per cent) concerned.

Perceptions of racism

Ashley Julian, Halifax
"It's so weird to say I'm an urban Aboriginal because no matter where I go, I continuously say I'm from Indian Brook and that's my home community. But when I'm talking to people from home, they ask where I'm from, I say that I'm from Halifax."

---

Damon Johnston, Winnipeg
"Self-determination, that is the motivating factor. So the question off-reserve and in cities is 'what form does that take over time?' We're not going to get there overnight but we're certainly on that path."

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Tina Pisutkie, Montreal
"When my mother came to Montreal she didn't want to take the bus, she'd rather walk everywhere because she was afraid of white people. People who come here know about mainstream culture only by what they saw on TV."

Participants in the study did note, however, that while they have a strong sense of pride in their culture and their country, a majority continue to experience negative stereotypes.

"If there is a single urban aboriginal experience, it is the shared perception among First Nations peoples, Métis and Inuit, across cities, that they are stereotyped negatively," the report said. "Indeed, most report that they have personally experienced negative behaviour or unfair treatment because of who they are."

Almost nine in 10 of those native Canadians interviewed said they believe others behave unfairly or negatively toward aboriginal people. Seventy per cent said they had been teased or insulted because of their background.

Many of the aboriginal respondents also believe other Canadians hold negative stereotypes against them. Almost three in four perceive assumptions about addiction problems in the aboriginal community, while many felt negative stereotypes about laziness (30 per cent), lack of intelligence (20 per cent) and poverty (20 per cent).

One participant in the study said the stereotypes tend to be twofold — aboriginal peoples as both romantic ideals and troublemakers.

"There's that impression of [the] noble savage, there's like the exotic romantic view, and generally we're viewed as problematic," one participant said. "You know, blocking bridges, protesting and always looking for a free lunch."

In contrast, the survey of non-aboriginal city dwellers found generally good impressions of native Canadians. Researchers labelled 45 per cent of urban non-native Canadians as "cultural romantics" who believe in the artistic and cultural contributions of aboriginal people to Canadian society. As well, these survey respondents are optimistic that the lives of aboriginal people will improve in the next generation.

However, the survey found 24 per cent could be described as "dismissive naysayers" who tend to hold more negative impressions.

Education a top priority

Participants in the study were also asked about their goals, which closely mirrored those of many Canadians. For example, respondents said their top aspirations are to complete their education (28 per cent), start or raise a family (24 per cent) and have a satisfying career (22 per cent).

Many participants also saw education as a top priority for themselves and future generations, but reported financial cost as a major obstacle to post-secondary studies.

Schooling is also a top hope for future generations. When asked how they would like their children's and grandchildren's lives to be different from their own, one in five mentioned education. Slightly fewer hoped for a solid cultural connection (18 per cent) and a life without racism (17 per cent). 

The Environics Institute

The study suggests, however, that many aboriginal people are clearly concerned about how to pay for that future. Money was cited as the No. 1 barrier to getting a post-secondary education among 36 per cent of those planning to attend — and 45 per cent of those already enrolled in — a university or college.

Little faith in justice system

One out of every two urban native Canadians interviewed say they have had serious involvement with the Canadian justice system in the past decade: 52 per cent have been a crime witness or a victim, or have been arrested or charged.

Of these people, nearly four in 10 believe they have been treated unfairly by the system, while 57 per cent believed they received a fair shake.

The participants also tended to lack faith in the justice system. More than half of aboriginal respondents have little (33 per cent) to no (22 per cent) confidence, while six per cent have a great deal.

A majority of respondents — 56 per cent — supported the idea of creating an aboriginal-only justice system separate from mainstream Canadian courts.

Methodology

Researchers interviewed 2,614 status and non-status First Nations, Métis and Inuit people in 11 cities across Canada: Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, Montreal, Toronto, Halifax and Ottawa (Inuit only), between March and October 2009. The one-on-one interviews lasted one to two hours or longer.
A separate telephone survey was conducted with 2,501 non-Aboriginal urban Canadians living in these same cities (except Ottawa) between April and May 2009. The results of this part of the survey are considered accurate to 2.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Urban natives content: study- Survey shows happiness in white society, lingering stereotype fears

OTTAWA -- Aboriginal people living in Canada's cities are generally happy, proud of their heritage and have the same desires to go to school, get good jobs, own a home and raise happy, healthy kids as anyone else.
But they still fear non-aboriginals see them as lazy, stupid and addicted to drugs and alcohol.
The findings are part of the Urban Aboriginal Peoples Survey, released Tuesday by the Environics Institute. It looked at how urban First Nations, Métis and Inuit people view themselves and how they are viewed by non-aboriginals. Environics conducted the survey between March and October 2009 using in-person interviews with 2,614 aboriginal Canadians in 11 cities, including Winnipeg. It also conducted a phone survey of non-aboriginals living in 10 cities, including Winnipeg.
"Much of what we found won't be particularly surprising to urban aboriginal communities, but there are a lot of surprises for the rest of us," said Keith Neuman, vice-president of public affairs with the Environics Research Group.
Those surprises likely include the fact most urban aboriginals consider the city they live in their home, have no desire to move back to their hometown or reserve, and are not all that worried about losing their cultural identity. They retain strong ties to their hometowns and their culture, but are almost equally proud to be Canadian.
They also reported similar aspirations to all Canadians for a good life, including getting an education, landing a good job, buying a home and starting or raising a family.
Urban aboriginals are generally more tolerant of other cultures and languages than non-aboriginals, but more than seven in 10 aboriginal people in cities feel they are viewed negatively by non-aboriginals. Almost three in four say other Canadians associate aboriginal people with drug and alcohol abuse, 30 per cent think they are perceived as lazy and 20 per cent believe they are seen as stupid or uneducated.
Andrew Bighetty, an outreach worker for homeless people at the Circle of Life Thunderbird House, said he is proud of his Cree heritage because it keeps him away from alcohol and a destructive lifestyle.
"It gives me life," he said. "Every morning, I take sage and purify my mind, my body, my spirit and my emotions and then I can speak to the Creator."
He said he doesn't worry about stereotypes and does his best to treat everybody he meets as an equal.
"I greet just about everybody I see on the street. I shake their hands, I hug them. I ask for a minute of their time and if they need help. A homeless person will always be polite to you and greet you with a hello. If they ask for assistance and I don't have it, they'll thank me just for greeting them," he said.
Non-aboriginals are also likely to see aboriginal Canadians as targets for discrimination, with 12 per cent of non-aboriginals saying discrimination is the leading issue affecting the quality of life for aboriginal Canadians. More than eight in 10 non-aboriginals surveyed felt aboriginal people experience discrimination.
However, more than half of non-aboriginals feel aboriginal people are discriminated against to the same degree or less than other cultural or ethnic groups in Canada, including Jews, Chinese, blacks, Pakistani/East Indians and Muslims.
Most non-aboriginal people in cities seem to know no or very few aboriginal people, with 87 per cent reporting no or few aboriginal friends and 84 per cent reporting no or few aboriginal co-workers.
Nearly half of non-aboriginals have never been to a reserve, and seven in 10 have never attended an aboriginal cultural ceremony. The most common exposure to aboriginal culture comes from television and the movies (83 per cent).
More than six in 10 urban aboriginals said they learned almost nothing about aboriginal culture in elementary school and almost half said that trend continued in high school.
Despite the increased attention given residential schools since Prime Minister Stephen Harper apologized for the tragic policy in June 2008, almost half of non-aboriginals living in cities have neither heard nor read about Indian residential schools. Out of those that have, less than one-third think the schools are responsible for many of the problems and challenges currently faced by aboriginals in Canada.
That is a drastic difference from how urban aboriginals feel. More than two-thirds have been personally affected by residential schools, either attending themselves or having a family member or friend who did. Of those, half said the schools had a significant impact and 23 per cent said it had some impact.
Neuman said non-aboriginals who have heard of residential schools are generally "horrified." More schools are adding elements of aboriginal culture to the curriculum, but most Canadian adults were not exposed to much about residential schools or aboriginal culture in school.
Neuman said he hopes the survey will be seen as a positive story, and it will be used by both aboriginals and non-aboriginals alike to reframe how they think about each other.
"Aboriginals are living in cities because they want to," he said. "They are thriving."



The numbers

WINNIPEG ABORIGINAL
POPULATION

Total: 68,385 (9.8 per cent)
First Nations: 25,900 (3.7 per cent)
Métis: 40,980 (5.9 per cent)

-- Statistics Canada, 2006 Census

CANADA-WIDE SURVEY RESULTS

First-generation residents: 68 per cent

Number of years since moving to the city:
More than 20 years:
38 per cent
Less than five years:
24 per cent

Plans to move back to your hometown or reserve:
No: 50 per cent
Yes: 22 per cent
Don't know yet: 22 per cent

Reasons for moving to the city:
Family: 38 per cent
School: 37 per cent
Work: 37 per cent

Proud to be First Nations:
Very proud: 88 per cent
Somewhat proud: 11 per cent
Not proud: less than one per cent

Proud to be Métis:
Very proud: 77 per cent
Somewhat proud: 16 per cent
Not proud: three per cent

Proud to be a Canadian:
Very proud: 70 per cent
Somewhat proud: 18 per cent
Not proud: 8 per cent

Attended residential school:
Personally: 12 per cent
Family member or friend: 53 per cent
Neither: 30 per cent

Impact of residential schools:
Significant: 50 per cent
None: 12 per cent
Some/little impact: 33 per cent

Happiness of urban aboriginals:
Very happy: 58 per cent
Somewhat happy: 36 per cent
Not happy: 5 per cent

Life aspirations of urban aboriginals:
To complete education/degree: 28 per cent
Start/raise/provide for a family: 24 per cent
Career/job satisfaction: 22 per cent
Own a home: 19 per cent

Contact with the justice system in last 10 years:
At all: 69 per cent
As a victim: 30 per cent
Arrested: 27 per cent
Charged with a crime: 23 per cent
As a witness: 21 per cent
Work in system: 11 per cent
Feel justice system treats aboriginals unfairly:
52 per cent

Lack of confidence in the justice system:
52 per cent

I believe that discrimination against Aboriginals is what causes all the problems. They are discriminated against through the criminal justice system mainly. They are over-represented in Canada's prisons and are usually more likely to be arrested, charged, convicted and sentenced more harshly than White individuals charged with the same crime. This needs to change and we as a society, need to help these people overcome poverty, unemployment, addictions, family violence, etc. 

School food programs keep focus on learning

School food programs keep focus on learning

Some schools in Winnipeg are noticing more children attending classes hungry and schools are stepping in to ensure kids can focus on learning instead of hunger.
"A week ago there were 57 kids who came for breakfast," said Brenda Melnyk , co-ordinator of Elwick Community School's breakfast program.
Melnyk said the program started 20 years ago in response to evidence that hunger was competing for children's attention.
If you're hungry, all you can think about is lunch, said Melnyk.
It's not just the children of unemployed parents who attend the program, said Melnyk, children of working poor families attend as well.
The Winnipeg school is located near Manitoba housing units in the Maples neighbourhood.
On a typical morning, the school feeds between 30 and 40 children breakfast, said Melnyk, adding that about 10 children come everyday and others use the program sporadically.
Children from Kindergarten to Grade 5 start arriving in the breakfast room at around 8 a.m. and the doors stay open until 8:50 a.m. According to Melnyk, children in the higher grades have all-day access to toast and other foods in their classrooms.
The program receives sponsorship from Breakfast for Learning, which is a Manitoba-based organization that supports child nutrition programs.

Child poverty

According to the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, Manitoba and B.C. are the child poverty capitals of Canada, which means in our province about one in five children grow up in poverty.
Every school division in the city has schools that host food programs like Elwick's. And Winnipeg Harvest distributes food to 26 schools across the city, said a Winnipeg Harvest spokesperson.
Ten years ago, Winnipeg Harvest fed 5,500 children each month. Now they feed 19,523 children a month.

Bankruptcy numbers are on the rise

Bankruptcy numbers on the rise

In Manitoba, personal bankruptcy was up by 21 percent last year, according to Bankruptcy Canada.
John Silver, executive director of a non-profit debt counseling service in Winnipeg, said the misuse of credit is a major cause of bankruptcy.
"We live in a society where most people live on their credit cards," said Silver.
Edward Fread and his wife are both working professionals but are buried under student loan debt, repayment of which takes one-fourth of their monthly after-tax income of $4000.

'All we need is one major unexpected expense and that might crush us,'—Edward Fread, Archaeologist

Fread said he often has to use his credit card in order to buy groceries or gas for their car.
They are living hand to mouth after accumulating $90,000 in student loans and are just one unexpected bill away from financial disaster.
"All we need is one major unexpected expense and that might crush us," said Fread.
Fread has a Masters degree in archeology and his wife, who works part-time due to injury and child-care responsibilities, holds a masters degree in occupational therapy.
"My wife and I combined pay over $1000 every month in student loan payments," said Fread. "That works out to about 25 per cent of our net income on a monthly basis."
Only 25 per cent of Canadians have any savings, which means the vast majority are living paycheque to paycheque, said Silver.
Total student loan debt in Canada is $13 billion and average student debt at graduation in Manitoba is $19,000, said Silver. This has an impact on a large number of people and these are big debts, added Silver.

Solutions

According to Silver, there are numerous repayment assistance programs that offer debt consolidation and interest reduction for people struggling to pay down their student loans.
In order to keep the option of renegotiating debt load open, it is also important to avoid the slippery slope of missing payments, said Silver.

Welfare conditions spur complaint to province

Welfare conditions spur complaint to province

The quality of life on social assistance in Manitoba has triggered an ombudsman complaint against the Manitoba government.

"There were a number of items on the complaint, such as people not getting information about what they're eligible for," said Paula Keirstead, spokesperson for the Community Employment and Income Assistance Education Program. "[And] people being detracted from applying for EIA, when everyone has the right."

Keirstead was one of the signatories of the complaint.

The complaint also highlighted rate hikes, to ensure rent is covered for those on EIA.

Employment and Income Assistance or EIA is one of the biggest government programs that deals with poverty.

An estimated 31,000 Manitoba families are receiving EIA.

'It's cost-efficient for them. The less the community knows about what's available, the less money they have to put out,'—Katherine McGregor

Katherine McGregor, who's raising two kids on EIA, lives in Winnipeg's Point Douglas neighbourhood.

She pays $550 a month for rent, but EIA only allots her $430 for rent.

In order for McGregor to pay rent, she has to take from the $500 she receives for expenses or the $500 she receives from child tax.

McGregor said social workers in general will not tell their clients about the programs they're entitled to unless the client asks exactly the right question.

"It's cost-efficient for them. The less the community knows about what's available, the less money they have to put out," said McGregor.

McGregor said the day after she receives he welfare cheque, her money is gone.

"We're at zero," said McGregor. "I have my buss pass and I have my groceries. We have everything we need, but we don't have any money."

She volunteers at Winnipeg Harvest and is part of the Housing Options Mentorship and Economic Security (HOMES) program.

McGregor, who has a B.A. in psychology but is unable to work due to depression, receives a couple hundred dollars per month through the HOMES program, which helps women figure out what EIA benefits they are entitled to.

The program is run out of the West Central Women's Resource Centre and receives partial funding from the province.

'I'm the boss of you. You don't have any rights from this point on,'—Heather Cox

McGregor said she's had a positive experience on EIA, but attributes it to her ability to articulate her needs.

Keirstead said the complaint to the ombudsman also requests a social worker code of ethics to avoid horror stories.

Heather Cox, a working single mother, said six years ago she was on social assistance.

Cox recounted what her first caseworker said to her: "I'm the boss of you. You don't have any rights from this point on."

Keirstead said she is satisfied with how the complaint is being handled by the province. The Ombudsman has talked to hundreds of staff in every office in Manitoba.

Keirstead, and the others who signed the complaint, expects a response from the province by mid-April. The province says it may take longer.

New library program fights illiteracy

New library program fights illiteracy

A library program aims to turn the page on illiteracy in First Nations.

Rolling River First Nation is celebrating the launch of the Imagination Library, which will send a book a month to every child under five in the community.

The First Nation is located about 250 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg.

American researchers have found that poorer children hear 30 million fewer words than more affluent peers by the time they're three years old.

Thomas Boyce, neuroscientist at the University of British Columbia, said that reading and related activites affect the physical development of a child's brain.

'I hope it's going to make [my daughter] smarter,'—Nicole Baptiste, parent

Boyce said he doesn't know systematically what causes the changes, but he does think reading is important.

Dolly Parton's Dollywood Foundation administers the program supported by local donations at a cost of $4 per month per child.

The community of Rolling River has raised enough money to keep it running for 10 years.

Rolling River doesn't have a library or a school, but the community is taking action to make sure their kids get excited about learning.

Kiera and Kendra Baptiste's parents, Nicole and Ivan, are working hard to break the cycle of poverty.

"I don't want my kids to experience that," said Ivan Baptiste. "There's a few times when I was at home and there wasn't any food in the fridge."

Ivan works full time. His wife Nicole works part-time as well and is volunteering with the Imagination Library.

Nicole Baptiste said the day her daughter learned her ABCs was a special day.

"I was so proud that day," said Baptiste. "She just made me so proud. I'm sorry, I'm getting all emotional."

Nicole Baptiste said she knows what it's like to be challenged in school; she was diagnosed with a learning disability in Grade 3.

"I was sad," said Nicole. "I wasn't as smart as the other people and I'm a twin so I wasn't as smart as my sister."

"I hope it's going to make [my daughter] smarter," said Nicole.

Karen Davis, program organizer, said she has already brought the program to Dauphin and the Pinaymootang and Ebb and Flow First Nations.

"I've known parents who really want to get their kids in nursery or head start because it's initiated that love of reading and learning," said Davis.

Results in Winnipeg's poorest area

Results in Winnipeg's poorest area

An adult learning centre in Winnipeg's poorest neighbourhood is helping people get the skills they need.
In Lord Selkirk Park, 68 per cent of the people in the community live in poverty, according to the most recent census data.
Kaakiyow, a school for adults, is open to everyone. It helps people to achieve their Grade 12 certificate.
"I've been clean for nine years," said James Cook, 48, and a student at Kaakiyow. "I got a support group. I've been trying to be a role model for my kids to show that I can do it, you can do it."

'Somebody saved my life, now I want to save somebody else's life,'—James Cook

Cook is graduating in June of this year after having dropped out earlier in life.
Candy Beardy, who started working at Kaakiyow three years ago, said last year the program had seven graduates, three of which have continued their education at post-secondary institutions.
Students of the program receive food, free textbooks and supplies, help with transportation and career counseling, said Beardy.
"We're going to look into programs, so that I can help people who have addictions," said Cook. "Somebody saved my life, now I want to save somebody else's life."
Cook dropped out of high school in Grade 10 after having trouble keeping up.
"I was kind of slow," said Cook. "I couldn't keep up with the teachers. That's when I dropped out. I was only 17 years old. I started using drugs and started to drink lots."
After graduation, Cook said he wants to help others in need.
Victoria Kattenat, a graduate of Kaakiyow's program, said she went back to school to make herself more employable.
"I dropped out of school in Grade 10, because I had to work," said Kattenat, who was pregnant with her second child at the time. "I realized I needed to go back to school to upgrade my skills."

'I have to keep fighting for my future, not only for me but for my children,'—Victoria Kattenat

Kattenat said there were times when her situation seemed hopeless.
"Everything bundles together and you feel like nothing is possible and maybe you're destined to live in poverty for the rest of your life," she said. "I have to keep fighting for my future, not only for me but for my children."
Kattenat wants to open her own clothing business.
According to census data, more than half of Lord Selkirk Park's residents age 15 years and older have no educational certificate, diploma or degree and the unemployment rate is 18.7 percent.

I think that this is a great program and education is a key indicator of crime. The more education people have, the less likely they are to commit crimes and I think it's great that this program is paying particular attention to people living in poverty as they dont have many options or resources and are the most vulnerable to crime. 

More than any other social support, education is the best means to make it out of a life of poverty. Once you have an education, no one can take it away from you and no one can de-value it (and some sure try).

Adult learners tend to be more motivated, more in touch with their next steps when it comes to education. They've generally learned the subtle difference between education and schooling. Many have not had a lot of success in the conventional school system (for many diverse reasons) so programs like this are crucial. I've worked in adult education off and on through the years (mainly with upgrading for trades training) and while I wouldn't pursue it as a full-time career, the rewards of seeing someone actually understand a concept are priceless... more so when you know it can be the first step to them making their life their own.

it's really nice to see people who have started out rough, push thru and come out reaching their goals. I really hope that these graduates continue pushing on, getting jobs, and are able to model to themselves, society, and our city's youth that this success is possible.

Great program. Education is clearly the way to a better society for all. I'm happy to see tax dollars (I'm assuming) being well spent.

Good. We need fewer poor people and more educated people anyway.

 

1970's Manitoba poverty experiment called a success

1970's Manitoba poverty experiment called a success

A controversial government experiment in the 1970s in which some households in a Manitoba town were given a minimum level of income improved the community's overall health, a professor at the University of Manitoba says.
From 1974 through 1978, about 30 per cent of the population of Dauphin was provided with a "mincome," as the guaranteed level of income came to be called.
"We found that, overall, hospitalizations in Dauphin declined relative to the control group," said Evelyn Forget, professor of community health science at the University of Manitoba. "We also looked at accidents and injuries, and they also declined. You can argue that accident and injury hospitalizations are strongly related to poverty."
The goal of the program, which cost $17 million, was to find out whether a guaranteed income would improve health and community life. If a household's income dropped below a certain amount, the program would top it up to an income equivalent to the welfare rates at the time.

'Hospitalizations for mental health issues were down significantly,'— Evelyn Forget, researcher

The participants who worked had their supplement reduced 50 cents for every dollar they earned in an attempt to encourage people in the program to look for work.
Forget has spent three years comparing the administrative health care records of Dauphin's citizens between 1974 and 1978 with those of a control group of people living in similar Manitoba communities at that time.
She said her research suggests that people appear to live healthier lives when they don't have to worry about poverty.
"Hospitalizations for mental health issues were down significantly," she said, adding that teenagers stayed in school longer as a result of the initiative.
The initiative, which started in 1974, was terminated in 1978 as political support for the experiment faded.
"Politically, there was a concern that if you began a guaranteed annual income, people would stop working and start having large families," Forget said.
Ron Hikel, the executive director of the Mincome project, is delighted Forget is taking a fresh look at the project's impact.

'Politically, there was a concern that if you began a guaranteed annual income, people would stop working and start having large families.'— Evelyn Forget, researcher

"As somebody who devoted three or four years of his life to making this happen, I was disappointed that the data were warehoused," Hikel said.
Forget has not1970 yet been given access to the 2,000 boxes of data collected by the original Mincome researchers, which contain copies of questionnaires participants filled out and, she believes, transcripts of interviews with the families who took part.
Hikel, who is now legislative director for U.S. Rep. Eric Massa, said Forget's research is immensely relevant in Canada and the United States. He said he intends to use her analysis as part of the current health-care debate.
"It has to do with the impact that larger social conditions have on one's health condition and the need for health care," Hikel said.

People with disabilities more prone to poverty

People with disabilities more prone to poverty

For many Manitobans there is a link between living in poverty and living with a disability.

Laurie Helgason, who requires a wheelchair after an unfortunate gym accident, believes there is a link between poverty and disability as employers are reticent to hire those with extra needs.

"All of us have the desire to do something with our lives," said Helgason. "But when you go to an employer with a disability he automatically thinks cost 'what will it cost me to employ this person.'"

"When an employer starts to look at cost instead of people, people with disabilities lose out," she said.

According to Barrier Free Manitoba, one in six or 170,000 people in Manitoba live with a disability, and 18.9 per cent of families where the income earner has a work-limiting physical or mental disability have a low income.

'When an employer starts to look at cost instead of people, people with disabilities lose out'—Laurie Helgason

Helgason is an active mother of two who once earned $4000 monthly. But she injured both feet, landing awkwardly during a kickboxing class and ended up in a wheelchair.

"If I did not have a disability, I would be a lot better off," said Helgason. "I'd have job opportunities. I'd be working full-time. I'd be a productive member of society."

Helgason, who is also fighting cancer, is the head of the Disabled Women's Network in Manitoba.

"I'm productive but I'm not making money doing it. I volunteer," added Helgason.

She receives a monthly disability pension of $1029 from her former employer and supports her family with that amount.

On average, a Canadian with a disability earns about $10,000 a year less than those without a disability.

"Everything you think of as a normal thing to do is a problem for us," said Helgason.

Even buying second-hand clothes is a problem, Helgason added.

"The prices at Value Village have gone up and that's the only accessible place because all the good will shops have stairs," she said.

While almost nine percent of Canadians with disabilities are unemployed, advances in workplace inclusion have increased the employment rate by 4 per cent between 2001 and 2006, according to a government report.

People with disabilities should NOT be discriminated against because of their disability when applying for a career. It's horrible that this actually happens. 

Winnipeg program offers "Bright Futures" for children in poverty

Winnipeg program offers "Bright Futures"

A unique program in one of Winnipeg's poorest neighbourhoods is working to increase its current high school graduation rate of 37 per cent.

Bright Futures is a program that gives kids in low-income neighbourhoods the tools they need to succeed in high school.

The program is only in its second year, but last year 85 per cent of the students met their academic requirements, and no one dropped out.

The participants of the program are high school students from families living in the Watson Street neighbourhood, which is a lower-income community in the Maples.

The program's goal is to help kids successfully graduate from high school and transition into a post-secondary education.

Bright Futures exposes students to a wide range of indoor and outdoor activities to help them decide what they want to work towards. The program provides each student with a parent support worker, who works with the student, the student's family and his teachers.

Rajvir Sahira , a tenth-grader in her second year of Bright Futures, said her involvement with Bright Futures has helped her maintain an 85 per cent average.

'It's like a snowball effect; if you drop behind it's going to get bigger. So, stay on track and keep going,'—Ricki Sanderson, student

"I know that there's someone to support me," said Sahira of the program. "My parents have [to] work so it's hard to get help from them. I can come to the tutoring centre and get my work done."

Ricki Sanderson, a tenth-grader, is also in his second year of the program.

Sanderson said at one point he was falling behind in pre-calculus math, but his support worker and the tutoring helped him to turn it around.

"It really helps," said Sanderson. "It's like a snowball effect; if you drop behind it's going to get bigger. So, stay on track and keep going."

Sanderson wants to pursue interests in architecture and forensic science.

The program offers a cash incentive of $1000 for every year of high school a student passes.

The money is intended to help the students attend the university or college of their choosing.

In addition to earning $1000 a year for post-secondary education, kids can earn up to $600 dollars a year to spend on art classes, music lessons, or sports that cost money.

Other incentives include bus tickets for transportation to and from the centre, and access to a gym for them and their parents.

Every participant in the program must come to Bright Futures for a minimum of three hours a week of tutoring and four hours of mentorship per month. Also, Bright Futures students have to volunteer and keep a high school average of 70 per cent.

Parents of the students are required to keep in contact with their child's support worker and are given regular progress reports.

"I'm thankful for the Bright Futures program," said Sanderson's father, Richard. " I see the support they give the children."

In order to help students transition into the professions they are interested in pursuing, the program facilitates meeting between the student and a professional in their field of interest.

The recently released provincial budget has earmarked additional resources towards the Bright Futures program.

I think this program sounds really great! Education has been shown to be the best predictor in whether individuals commit crimes or not. If we can get more low income students to graduate high school and possibly move on to higher education, we have a chance at reducing crime in the long term. This is a great program and we need to see more like it! I think it's great they are offering incentives to keep the teens motivated in completing school and also offering a wide variety of recreational activities to keep them busy. We need these programs all over Winnipeg and it is offering a better future for low income teens who may live in poverty and can help to reduce crime. :) 

More about Bright Futures 
Bright Futures Manitoba Official Website

Link between health and poverty

Link between health and poverty

Research reveals that social status and income level play a crucial role in a person's health.

"People who are poor have the highest rates of nearly every disease we know about," said Len Syme, who grew up in Winnipeg's North End, but is now professor emeritus of epidemiology at the University of California, Berkeley.

Syme has spent his academic life researching the underlying causes of disease and his conclusion is that health is directly related to your income and social status.

Of two people in the same state of health, but different socio-economic spheres, the wealthier one is less susceptible to disease, according to Syme.

'We really need to empower people to navigate the world,'—Len Syme, professor

Residents of lower income neighbourhoods have higher mortality rates and higher prevalence of mental and physical illness, according to a 2009 Manitoba RHA Indicators Atlas report.

"The people at the bottom have less resources available to them and less training on how to use resources," said Syme.

According to Syme, teaching people how to cope with life's obstacles and disappointments could be even more important to helping poor people have long-term health.

"Even when you provide people with money, it doesn't really solve the problem," said Syme. "We really need to empower people to navigate the world."

Syme said the tools needed to cope with stress should be taught at a young age.

"If I was in charge tomorrow I would make high-quality preschool education universally available – really challenging children to be the best they can be - even at age 2, 3 and 4," said Syme.

Yet another reason why we need to target poverty. I completely agree with the article that poorer people need more resources on how to cope with life challenges and also helping with mental disorders and illnesses. I do believe that education is key and we need better education for teens and children to help all succeed.  

Solutions-based program battles poverty

Solutions-based program battles poverty

A North End program in Winnipeg is helping people break the cycle of poverty.

Urban Circle is an Aboriginal focused training program on Winnipeg's Selkirk Avenue.

The program helps its participants graduate and stay in the labour force, instead of ending up back on welfare.

Haven Stumpf, manager of Urban Circle and a former participant, said she is most proud of the changes her education has inspired in her family.

Her son completed high school and her cousins are now pursuing post-secondary.

Stumpf grew up on Alfred Avenue where her alcoholic parents neglected her and her younger brother.

"We would take the potato peelings out of the garbage, wash them off and we would deep fry them," said Stumpf.

'There were no role models in my life,'—Haven Stumpf

Stumpf left home as a teenager and sold drugs in hotels on Main Street to support herself.

At the age of 18, she was a single mother raising her son on welfare.

"There were no role models in my life," said Stumpf. "I didn't know no other way of life but to live on social assistance, where everything was provided for you."

Stumpf enrolled in Urban Circle to pave a better life for her son.

She said the job skills she learned from the program were essential, but learning about the residential schools her mother and grandmother attended had the biggest impact on her life.

"Wow, that's why my mother was the way she was," said Stumpf. "And that's what she did, [and] why she did the things the way she did. It wasn't my mother fault any longer, it was something taken away from her when she was a little child."

Stumpf was hired by Urban Circle as a receptionist and worked her way up to a management position. Now she is a homeowner, earns a good living and is proud of her new car.

'It wasn't my mother fault any longer, it was something taken away from her when she was a little child,'—Haven Stumpf

"The people that I've talked to that have gone to Urban Circle this is typical," said Shauna Mackinnon, who is doing her graduate thesis on aboriginal people who dropped out and went back to school later on.

Mackinnon said these people are dealing with the intergenerational impact of residential schools and poverty.

Besides raising self-esteem, teaching aboriginal culture and history makes them better able to cope with the challenges life throws their way.

"For them it's really significant, because it helps them make sense of their lives," said Mackinnon. "People have said to me 'until I could do that I [couldn't] move forward.'"

Stumpf said she was able to patch her relationship with her mom, who passed away a few years ago.

"We were able to make amends and we started practicing hugging and kissing each other just to say goodbye," said Stumpf.

I think this a GREAT program and am really pleased and encouraged to see something like this in the community. Aboriginals face soo many obstacles and challenges on their way to success. They face systemic discrimination every day. The social institutions (education, careers, law, etc.) are organized around a white, middle class perspective and ensure that whites succeed. As a white person, you have to actually try hard to fail, because the system is set up for them to succeed, not Aboriginals. Schools do not teach enough about Aboriginal culture and language and need to. Discrimination along with the reserve system and lack of activities, lead to poverty, addictions, crime, misconduct, etc. Aboriginals are overrepresented in Canada's prisons and are usually denied bail, convicted and sentenced more harshly than Whites. 

There should be more programs like this. They should also teach life skills, positive parenting, etc. 

By targeting poverty (one of the main factors contributing to crime), I believe we could see a reduction in crime in the long term, if more programs like this are implemented and are successful. If people are able to have jobs and schooling, they are less likely to commit crimes.  

Urban Circle Official Website
Poverty in Canada
Core Area Initiative
Crime prevention through social development
Strategic approaches to crime prevention
Manitoba report on Poverty
Urban Youth Adventures
Youth crime prevention programs in Canada
Poverty reduction in Canada
Poverty Reduction Strategy: Make Poverty History
Canadian poverty reduction strategy
CANADIAN Poverty Reduction Strategy
Poverty Programs in Canada
Manitoba Anti-Poverty Strategy
Vibrant Communities
Key Issues in Canada
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/view-here
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