How do decisions about social programs and taxation in

Canada and the U.S. attempt to meet the needs of citizens?

A snapshot of social programs and government responsibilities.

Canada is a mixed economy. Individuals and government are both involved in the economy. How involved the government is in the economy depends on which political party is in power.

The values and beliefs of a mixed economy encourage individuals to be free to strive and achieve a high quality standard of living.

It is, however, also a belief in a mixed economy that no one should live in poverty, that society has a role to help individuals in need, and, most importantly, that the government has a role in providing a social safety net.

social safety net: social programs that provide assistance and opportunities such as health care, pensions for senior citizens, and income assistance for Canadians in emergency situations as well as those who are disadvantaged.

The government collects income and service taxes from Canadians to help support a social safety net for people in need. Because each province and territory may have different needs, the federal government distributes some of this money, called federal transfers, to provinces and territories to help run social programs.

federal transfers: significant amounts of funds collected by the federal government that is given to provinces and territories to support programs and services.

Social Programs and TaxesCanada’s health-care system, also known as

Medicare, is a federally sponsored, publicly funded system. This means that all health-care services are provided to all Canadian residents and citizens based on need rather than the ability to pay.

Health care in Canada is paid for by taxes that are collected. How important is Canada’s health care system to you, your family, friends, or members of your community?

Health care is considered a social program in Canada because both the provincial and federal governments assist in providing the service to ensure that the needs of all citizens are met. It is just one of the social programs available to all residents of Canada.

social program: a government-provided service that promotes the meeting of basic needs and economic equality for all citizens.

Many social programs such as health care, pensions for senior citizens, and income assistance are dealt with differently by governments in Canada and the United States.

How do you think health care should be provided? If you were to survey a cross-section of people in Canada and the United States about this question, you would likely end up with many differing viewpoints.

Let’s read page 271 together.

Complete Lesson 1: Comparing Social Programs and Health Care in Canada and the U.S.