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| THE
PLIGHT OF CHILDREN IN CANADA |
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| • |
Population1
by sex and age (Statistics
Canada) |
| |
2002 |
| |
Both
sexes |
Male |
Female |
Both sexes |
Male |
Female |
| |
Number |
%
of total population |
| All
ages |
31,413,990 |
15,552,644 |
15,861,346 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
| 0-4 |
|
872,838 |
832,475 |
5.4 |
5.6 |
5.2 |
| 5-9 |
1,994,619 |
1,023,040 |
971,579 |
6.3 |
6.6 |
6.1 |
| 10-14 |
2,108,813 |
1,081,375 |
1,027,438 |
6.7 |
7.0 |
6.5 |
| 15-19 |
2,095,589 |
1,076,030 |
1,019,559 |
6.7 |
6.9 |
6.4 |
| 20-24 |
2,144,749 |
1,094,105 |
1,050,644 |
6.8 |
7.0 |
6.6 |
| 25-29 |
2,138,932 |
1,083,359 |
1,055,573 |
6.8 |
7.0 |
6.7 |
| 30-34 |
2,274,591 |
1,147,675 |
1,126,916 |
7.2 |
7.4 |
7.1 |
| 35-39 |
2,595,256 |
1,309,077 |
1,286,179 |
8.3 |
8.4 |
8.1 |
| 40-44 |
2,687,093 |
1,345,859 |
1,341,234 |
8.6 |
8.7 |
8.5 |
| 45-49 |
2,458,713 |
1,226,112 |
1,232,601 |
7.8 |
7.9 |
7.8 |
| 50-54 |
2,137,920 |
1,064,855 |
1,073,065 |
6.8 |
6.8 |
6.8 |
| 55-59 |
1,744,680 |
862,993 |
881,687 |
5.6 |
5.5 |
5.6 |
| 60-64 |
1,338,526 |
654,141 |
684,385 |
4.3 |
4.2 |
4.3 |
| 65-69 |
1,139,015 |
547,310 |
591,705 |
3.6 |
3.5 |
3.7 |
| 70-74 |
1,025,560 |
473,380 |
552,180 |
3.3 |
3.0 |
3.5 |
| 75-79 |
822,689 |
345,527 |
477,162 |
2.6 |
2.2 |
3.0 |
| 80-84 |
555,527 |
208,949 |
346,578 |
1.8 |
1.3 |
2.2 |
| 85-89 |
295,603 |
96,221 |
199,382 |
0.9 |
0.6 |
1.3 |
| 90
and over |
150,802 |
39,798 |
111,004 |
0.5 |
0.3 |
0.7 |
|
|
| Source:
Statistics Canada, CANSIM II, table 051-0001 |
| Last
modified: November 15, 2002. |
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| |
|
| • |
Of the 30.8
million people who live in Canada, 19.1% are children
under age 15. (UNDP, 2002) |
| • |
Children
and youth comprise 33% of the general Canadian population.
(CCSD, 2002) |
|
| |
|
|
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|
| • |
Percentage
of students who had used drugs 1990-1994-1998.
(Health Canada, 1998) |
| |
Grade
8 |
Grade
10 |
| |
1990 |
1994 |
1998 |
1990 |
1994 |
1998 |
| |
M |
F |
M |
F |
M |
F |
M |
F |
M |
F |
M |
F |
Alcohol
(really drunk
at least twice) |
23% |
20% |
15% |
12% |
18% |
14% |
48% |
45% |
39% |
38% |
43% |
43% |
Marijuana/
Hashish |
11% |
10% |
13% |
11% |
21% |
18% |
26% |
2% |
30% |
27% |
44% |
41% |
| Solvents |
6% |
6% |
9% |
8% |
10% |
9% |
5% |
7% |
5% |
7% |
9% |
6% |
| Cocaine |
2% |
1% |
4% |
2% |
5% |
3% |
4% |
2% |
3% |
3% |
6% |
5% |
| Amphetamines |
3% |
2% |
4% |
3% |
6% |
4% |
7% |
6% |
6% |
7% |
9% |
9% |
| LSD/Acid |
5% |
3% |
6% |
6% |
7% |
5% |
10% |
6% |
14% |
15% |
13% |
13% |
|
| |
|
| • |
Use of illicit
drugs is primarily a teenage phenomenon. The highest use of
cannabis was reported by males age 15-24 (26-28%). It was estimated
that in the 15 to 17 age group, 27% of males use cannabis; 31%
have used at least one illicit drug in their lifetime; and 27%
of males use at least one illicit drug. The statistics for young
women are only slightly lower: 24% of females in the 15 to 17
age group use cannabis; 29% have used at least one illicit drug
in their lifetime; and 24% use at least one illicit drug. (Health
Canada, 1994) |
| • |
17% of Grade 10
boys and 23% of Grade 10 girls were daily smokers in 1998. These
numbers have increased slightly since 1990.
(Health Canada, 1998) |
| • |
Cannabis abuse
in 1999 was 29.2%, compared to 12.7% in 1993. Significant increases
in the abuse of eight major drugs were reported, especially
since 1997. Lifetime prevalence rates in 1999 were 34.7% for
cannabis, 16.3% for hallucinogens, 10.9% for inhalants, 7.1%
for amphetamines, 5.1% for cocaine, 3.5% for sedatives and 2.8%
for opiates. Ecstasy and gamma hydroxybutyrate, because of their
low cost and high availability, have become the popular drugs
of choice for young people. The abuse of those substances in
Canada could increase in the future. (ODCCP,
2000) |
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| • |
Of
the estimated 21.52 investigations per 1,000 children in Canada
in 1998, an estimated 9.71 per 1,000 were substantiated, 4.71
per 1,000 were suspected, and 7.09 per 1,000 were unsubstantiated.
Child neglect was the most common reason for investigation (40%
of all investigations), followed by physical abuse (31%), emotional
maltreatment (19%), and sexual abuse (10%). The substantiation
rate for emotional maltreatment as the primary reason for investigation
was highest of all four categories of maltreatment (54% substantiated),
whereas the other three categories had similar levels of substantiation
(physical abuse: 34%, sexual abuse: 38%, neglect: 43%).
(Health Canada, 2001) |
| • |
The majority (69%)
of the substantiated reports of physical abuse involved inappropriate
punishment while other forms of physical abuse accounted for
almost one-third (31%) of the cases. Shaken Baby Syndrome accounted
for 1% of substantiated cases. Taken together, physical abuse
was the primary reason for investigation in 31% of all referrals
to child welfare services. 34% of these cases were substantiated.
(Health Canada, 2001) |
| • |
Touching and fondling
genitals was the most common form of substantiated child sexual
abuse, occurring in 68% of cases. Attempted and completed sexual
activity accounted for over one-third (35%) of all substantiated
reports. Adults exposing their genitals to children was reported
in 12% of cases. Sexual exploitation (6%) and sexual harassment
(4%) were less common forms of child sexual abuse. In all, sexual
abuse was the primary reason for investigation in 10% of all
child maltreatment referrals. 38% of these cases were substantiated.
(Health Canada, 2001) |
| • |
Failure to supervise
leading to physical harm represented 48% of the substantiated
cases of child neglect. Physical neglect (19%), permitting criminal
behaviour (14%), abandonment (12%), educational neglect (11%),
and medical neglect (9%) were next in order of percentage. Failure
to provide necessary treatment (2%) and failure to supervise
leading to sexual harm (5%) were much less common. In total,
neglect was the primary reason for investigation in 40% of all
cases. Of these, 43% were substantiated. (Health
Canada, 2001) |
| • |
The most common
form of emotional maltreatment was exposure to family violence
(58%). This was followed by emotional abuse (34%) and emotional
neglect (16%). Emotional maltreatment was the primary reason
for investigation in 19% of all cases. Of these, 54% were substantiated
(the highest percentage out of all four categories of maltreatment).
(Health Canada, 2001) |
| • |
Well over one-third
(43%) of all substantiated cases of child maltreatment continued
beyond 6 months in duration. Single incidents and those continuing
for less than 6 months in duration accounted for another 44%
of the cases. Emotional maltreatment was most likely to have
continued beyond 6 months (56% of substantiated emotional maltreatment
was over 6 months in duration), followed by sexual abuse (43%),
neglect (43%), and physical abuse (29%). Across all four categories
of substantiated maltreatment, family members or other persons
related to the child victim constituted the vast majority (93%)
of alleged perpetrators. Not surprisingly, one or both biological
parents were most often the alleged perpetrator. Across all
categories of maltreatment, biological mothers were identified
as the alleged perpetrator most often (60% of substantiated
cases), followed by biological fathers (41%), step-fathers/common-law
partners (9%) and step-mothers/common-law partners (3%). (Health
Canada, 2001) |
| • |
In half of the
substantiated cases of child maltreatment, there was at least
one child functioning issue. Most of these concerns involved
stress-related symptoms, such as depression or anxiety, as well
as behavioural problems such as negative peer involvement, irregular
school attendance and violence to others. Coupled with stressful
economic and housing arrangements, caregivers of maltreated
children were described as having considerable adjustment problems
across all categories of maltreatment. These problems included
alcohol/drug abuse, mental health problems, a childhood history
of abuse, and spousal violence. (Health
Canada, 2001) |
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|
CHILD NUTRITION (food
security) |
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|
| • |
In
1994, 1.2% or 57,000 Canadian families reported having experienced
hunger because of a lack of food or money.
(National Report to Unicef – Canada, 2001) |
| • |
Approximately 75,000
Canadian families experienced hunger in 1996 – 21,000
more families than in 1994. (CCSD,
2002) |
| • |
Children under
age 18, who account for just over one-quarter of the population,
make up 39% of food bank recipients. 62,000 children went hungry
at least once in 1996. Of those, 22% went hungry at least once
a month. (Campaign 2000, 2002) |
|
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|
|
| CHILD SURVIVAL AND
HEALTH |
|
|
| • |
Between
1981 and 1996, rates of obesity nearly tripled among boys (from
5% to 13.5%) and more than doubled among girls (from 5% to 11.8%).
(CCSD, 2002) |
| • |
Over one-third
(37%) of Canadian children aged 2 to 11 were overweight in 1998-1999,
and of these, about half (18%) could be considered obese. (Statistics
Canada, NLSCY 1994-1999) |
| • |
In 1998-1999, an
estimated 35% of girls and 38% of boys were overweight, including
17% of girls and 19% of boys who were classified obese. (Statistics
Canada, NLSCY 1994-1999) |
| • |
In 1998-1999, one-quarter
of children aged 2 to 11 living in families with incomes below
the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) were obese; only 16% of children
in families above the LICO were in this weight category. The
proportion of overweight and obese children decreased as the
family income increased. (Statistics
Canada, NLSCY 1994-1999) |
| • |
One-quarter of
15- to 19-year-old females and more than one-third of young
men aged 20 to 24 smoke. (CCSD,
2002) |
|
| |
|
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|
| • |
Kane
(1998) cites reports of more than 400 child prostitutes in Calgary
and up to 3000 in Montreal. |
| • |
It is estimated
that there are about 100 offences relating to the child sex
trade in Vancouver every day. (ECPAT
International, 1999) |
| • |
Workers aged 15
to 24 accounted for 17% of all workplace injuries in 1999. There
were over 62,000 time-loss injuries among that age group. (CCSD,
2002) |
|
| |
|
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|
| • |
Between
1993 and 1998, more than 7 million Canadians had lived in poverty
in one of the six years. More than a quarter, or about 2.2 million,
were children under 18 years of age. About 1.1 million were
youth aged 18 to 24 years. (CSW,
1999) |
| • |
Over 1.5 million
Canadians lived in long-term poverty for all six years from
1993 through 1998. More than 30%, or 459,000, of those who experienced
this long duration of poverty were children under 18 years of
age. Tragically, children under six were the most likely of
all age groups to have lived in poverty for all six years, from
1993 to 1998. (CSW, 1999) |
| • |
Child Poverty Rates
and Poverty Rates for all Persons, Canada, 1980-1999. (CSW,
1999) |
| Poverty trends,
all persons,
1980-1999 |
|
Poverty trends,
children under 18, 1980-1999 |
|
Poor
Persons |
All
Persons |
Poverty
Rate (%) |
|
|
Poor
Children |
All
Children |
Poverty
Rate (%) |
| 1980 |
3,871,000 |
24,135,000 |
16.0% |
|
1980 |
1,061,000 |
6,713,000 |
15.8% |
| 1981 |
3,914,000 |
24,579,000 |
15.9% |
|
1981 |
1,091,000 |
6,701,000 |
16.3% |
| 1982 |
4,269,000 |
24,838,000 |
17.2% |
|
1982 |
1,259,000 |
6,626,000 |
19.0% |
| 1983 |
4,660,000 |
25,062,000 |
18.6% |
|
1983 |
1,299,000 |
6,570,000 |
19.8% |
| 1984 |
4,745,000 |
25,319,000 |
18.7% |
|
1984 |
1,364,000 |
6,543,000 |
20.8% |
| 1985 |
4,499,000 |
25,564,000 |
17.6% |
|
1985 |
1,261,000 |
6,524,000 |
19.3% |
| 1986 |
4,258,000 |
25,829,000 |
16.5% |
|
1986 |
1,149,000 |
5,562,000 |
17.5% |
| 1987 |
2,254,000 |
26,142,000 |
16.3% |
|
1987 |
1,151,000 |
6,573,000 |
17.5% |
| 1988 |
4,040,000 |
26,475,000 |
15.3% |
|
1988 |
1,054,000 |
6,618,000 |
15.9% |
| 1989 |
3,771,000 |
26,847,000 |
14.0% |
|
1989 |
1,016,000 |
6,680,000 |
15.2% |
| 1990 |
4,181,000 |
27,260,000 |
15.3% |
|
1990 |
1,195,000 |
6,773,000 |
17.6% |
| 1991 |
4,545,000 |
27,682,000 |
16.4% |
|
1991 |
1,282,000 |
6,833,000 |
18.8% |
1992 |
4,767,000 |
28,119,000 |
17.0% |
|
1992 |
1,317,000 |
6,911,000 |
19.1% |
1993 |
5,143,000 |
28,530,000 |
18.0% |
|
1993 |
1,484,000 |
6,956,000 |
21.3% |
1994 |
4,941,000 |
28,867,000 |
17.1% |
|
1994 |
1,362,000 |
6,997,000 |
19.5% |
1995 |
5,205,000 |
29,197,000 |
17.8% |
|
1995 |
1,472,000 |
7,012,000 |
21.0% |
1996 |
5,481,000 |
29,415,000 |
18.6% |
|
1996 |
1,533,000 |
7,095,000 |
21.6% |
1997 |
5,415,000 |
29,730,000 |
18.2% |
|
1997 |
1,459,000 |
7,081,000 |
20.6% |
1998 |
5,055,000 |
29,994,000 |
16.9% |
|
1998 |
1,353,000 |
7,052,000 |
19.2% |
1999 |
4,886,000 |
30,249,000 |
16.2% |
|
1999 |
1,313,000 |
7,028,000 |
18.7% |
|
| |
|
Poverty trends, couples
under 65 with children under 18, 1980-1999
|
| |
Poor
Couples Under 65 with Children |
All
Couples Under 65 with Children |
Poverty
Rate (%) |
| 1980 |
283,000 |
3,073,000 |
9.2% |
| 1981 |
302,000 |
3,089,000 |
9.8% |
| 1982 |
349,000 |
3,060,000 |
11.4% |
| 1983 |
373,000 |
3,068,000 |
12.1% |
| 1984 |
381,000 |
3,009,000 |
12.7% |
| 1985 |
346,000 |
3,027,000 |
11.4% |
| 1986 |
323,000 |
3,054,000 |
10.6% |
| 1987 |
300,000 |
3,018,000 |
9.9% |
| 1988 |
273,000 |
3,070,000 |
8.9% |
| 1989 |
260,000 |
3,070,000 |
8.5% |
| 1990 |
289,000 |
3,070,000 |
9.4% |
| 1991 |
320,000 |
3,071,000 |
10.4% |
| 1992 |
314,000 |
3,059,000 |
10.3% |
| 1993 |
366,000 |
3,064,000 |
11.9% |
| 1994 |
346,000 |
3,091,000 |
11.2% |
| 1995 |
402,000 |
3,135,000 |
12.8% |
| 1996 |
421,000 |
3,137,000 |
13.4% |
| 1997 |
390,000 |
3,125,000 |
12.5% |
| 1998 |
327,000 |
3,062,000 |
10.7% |
| 1999 |
321,000 |
3,076,000 |
10.4 |
|
| Using
1992 base pre-tax low-income cut-offs. |
| Poverty
trends, single-parent mothers under 65 with children
under 18, 1980-1999 |
|
Poverty trends,
single-parent fathers under 65 with children under 18,
1980-1999 |
|
Poor
Single-Parent Mothers Under 65 |
All
Single-Parent Mothers Under 65 |
Poverty
Rate (%) |
|
|
Poor
Single-Parent Fathers Under 65 |
All
Single-Parent Fathers Under 65 |
Poverty
Rate (%) |
| 1980 |
206,000 |
360,000 |
57.3% |
|
1980 |
15,000 |
57,000 |
25.4% |
| 1981 |
187,000 |
354,000 |
52.6% |
|
1981 |
11,000 |
61,000 |
18.6% |
| 1982 |
228,000 |
389,000 |
58.7% |
|
1982 |
17,000 |
64,000 |
25.8% |
| 1983 |
233,000 |
387,000 |
60.2% |
|
1983 |
15,000 |
53,000 |
28.6% |
| 1984 |
264,00 |
427,000 |
61.8% |
|
1984 |
17,000 |
63,000 |
27.4% |
| 1985 |
253,000 |
416,000 |
60.9% |
|
1985 |
15,000 |
57,000 |
26.2% |
| 1986 |
230,000 |
403,000 |
57.0% |
|
1986 |
16,000 |
72,000 |
22.7% |
| 1987 |
243,000 |
423,000 |
57.6% |
|
1987 |
10,000 |
60,000 |
17.3% |
| 1988 |
244,000 |
444,000 |
54.9% |
|
1988 |
17,000 |
70,000 |
24.3% |
| 1989 |
238,000 |
457,000 |
52.1% |
|
1989 |
12,000 |
61,000 |
19.9% |
| 1990 |
283,000 |
486,000 |
58.2% |
|
1990 |
21,000 |
86,000 |
25.0% |
| 1991 |
296,000 |
497,000 |
59.5% |
|
1991 |
16,000 |
73,000 |
22.0% |
1992 |
337,000 |
604,000 |
55.8% |
|
1992 |
15,000 |
83,000 |
18.2% |
1993 |
351,000 |
610,000 |
57.6% |
|
1993 |
31,000 |
101,000 |
30.5% |
1994 |
309,000 |
554,000 |
55.8% |
|
1994 |
29,000 |
91,000 |
31.9% |
1995 |
321,000 |
565,000 |
56.8% |
|
1995 |
29,000 |
95,000 |
30.7% |
1996 |
328,000 |
563,000 |
58.4% |
|
1996 |
26,000 |
95,000 |
27.5% |
1997 |
311,000 |
553,000 |
56.2% |
|
1997 |
23,000 |
101,000 |
23.2% |
1998 |
307,000 |
580,000 |
52.9% |
|
1998 |
25,000 |
109,000 |
23.1% |
1999 |
295,000 |
570,000 |
51.8% |
|
1999 |
19,000 |
108,000 |
18.0% |
|
| Using
1992 base pre-tax low-income cut-offs. |
| • |
Between 1993 and
1999 almost one in three children in Canada experienced poverty
for at least one year, while one in ten children lived in poverty
for four years or more. (Campaign
2000, 2002) |
| • |
Child poverty has
increased by 49% since 1989; nearly half a million more children
are in poverty now than in 1989. (Campaign
2000, 2000) |
| • |
Families with children
are the fastest growing group of homeless shelter users in Canada.
In Toronto alone, 6,200 children used Toronto’s homeless
shelters in 1999, an increase of 130% from 1998.
(Campaign 2000, 2002) |
| • |
Children account
for 41.5% of all people assisted in emergency programs. (CAFB,
1998) |
| • |
| In Canada
between1989-1999 (Campaign
2000, 2002): |
| • |
The number
of poor children increased by 39%. |
| • |
The number of poor children
in families with full-time, full-year employment increased
by 15%. |
| • |
The number of poor children
in two-parent families increased by 33%. |
| • |
The number of poor children
in female lone-parent families increased by 44%. |
| • |
The number of children
living in unaffordable rental housing (1989-1996) increased
by 91%. |
| • |
The number of children
in families with incomes less than $20,000 (constant $
1999) increased by 32%. |
|
| • |
In 2000, an estimated
868,000 children (12.5%) under age 18 were living in low-income
families, Just over half of the children in low-income families
lived in two-parent families. However, at 8.5%, the low-income
rate of children living in these families was much lower than
that of children living in female lone-parent families (38%).
(Statistics Canada, 2000) |
|
| |
|
|
|
| • |
In
2000, children and youth under the age of 18 years represented
23% of the Canadian population and comprised 23% of the victims
of sexual and physical assault. Overall, children and youth
made up a much larger proportion of sexual assault victims (61%)
than physical assault victims (19%).
(Statistics Canada, 2002) |
| • |
The majority of
child and youth victims of assaults reported to the police in
2000 were assaulted by acquaintances (52%), followed by family
members (23%) and strangers (19%). For cases of sexual assault,
acquaintances were the perpetrators for almost half (49%), followed
by family members (30%) and strangers (15%). Similarly, more
than half of the child and youth victims of physical assaults
were assaulted by acquaintances, followed by family members
(21%) or strangers (20%). (Statistics
Canada, 2002) |
| • |
Young single men
aged 15 to 24 - especially students with active social lives
- and young separated or divorced women who live alone have
the highest rates of violent victimization. (CSW,
2000) |
| Within
families: |
| • |
39% of children
and youth who were sexually assaulted by a family member were
victimized by parents, followed by siblings (32%), extended
family members (28%) and spouses (1%). Children and youth who
were physically assaulted by a family member were victimized
by parents (67%), siblings (18%), extended family members (8%)
and spouses (6%). (Statistics Canada,
2002) |
| • |
Young children
aged 5 years and under were more than twice as likely to be
physically assaulted by family than non-family members (48 and
63 compared with 20 and 31 per 100,000 children). (Statistics
Canada, 2002) |
| • |
In 58% of the
substantiated sexual abuse cases, children had problems with
child functioning, including depression or anxiety (29%), age-inappropriate
sexual behaviour (17%), behaviour problems (14%), negative peer
involvement (13%) and irregular school attendance (10%). In
over one-half of substantiated physical abuse cases, behaviour
problems (39%), negative peer involvement (15%), depression
or anxiety (15%), violence to others (11%), and developmental
delay (9%) were the most often indicated concerns.
(Statistics Canada, 2002) |
| • |
According to police-reported
data, almost six in ten (59%) child and youth victims in 2000
reported suffering minor physical injury due to physical assaults
by family members. (Statistics
Canada, 2002) |
| • |
In 1999-2000, 38
in 100,000 children under the age of 1 year were reported by
doctors to have suffered injuries requiring hospitalization
as the result of child battering or other maltreatment.
(Statistics Canada, 2002) |
| • |
About 8% of children
aged 4 to 11 witnessed adults or teens in their home physically
fighting, hitting or trying to hurt others in 2000.
(CCSD, 2002) |
|
| |
|
|
|
| • |
The
province of Alberta has not formally supported the ratification
of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Alberta's refusal
is particularly serious in light of the recent drastic cuts
to health education and social services in that province. (CCRC,
1995) |
| • |
There appear to
be few instances (aside from the Child Tax Benefit and Child
Development Initiative) in which the Convention on the Rights
of the Child actually has inspired or moved governments to take
action to enhance and promote the rights of children. (CRCC,
1995) |
| • |
No systematic children's
rights education program exists in most provinces.
(CRCC, 2001) |
|
| |
|
|
| CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES |
|
|
| • |
Almost
one-quarter of all children aged 11 or younger in 1994 and 1996
had one or more special needs (24.0% and 23.1%, respectively).
This represents approximately 1.1 million children in Canada
in both years. (CCSD, 2001) |
| • |
14% of children
aged 6 to 11 have special needs. However, of more concern, is
the fact that 7% live with two or more special needs. This means
that almost 325,000 children in this age group has one special
need, and a further 163,000 live with two or more special needs.
(CCSD, 2001) |
| • |
Children with special
needs are more likely to live in lone-parent families –
21.1% of all children with special needs lived in a lone-parent
family. Only 15.3% of children with no special needs lived in
a lone-parent family. (CCSD, 2001) |
| • |
Almost 30% of children
in families with less than $15,000 household income had special
needs. Comparatively, only 16.6% of children in families with
a household income of $80,000 or more had special needs (CCSD,
2001) |
| • |
In 1996-97, the
proportion of Canadians under 19 years who had an activity limitation
or disability was 7.7%.
(National Report to Unicef – Canada, 2001) |
| • |
A Quebec report
showed that the probability of high school graduation for students
with mild learning disabilities was 38%, for those with behavioural
difficulties it was 15%, and for those with severe learning
difficulties it was 13%. All of these are in contrast with a
probability of graduation of 83% for those with no declared
disability. (PCERA, 2000) |
| • |
Rates of poverty
are 5 times higher among families that have children with disabilities
than among other families. (Campaign
2000, 2002) |
|
| |
|
|
|
| • |
Among
First Nations populations in Canada, the rate of infant mortality
has fallen from 28 per 1,000 live births in 1979 to 11.98 in
1994. While progress has been made, however, the current rate
remains approximately double that of the Canadian population
as a whole. (National Report to
Unicef – Canada, 2001) |
| • |
In 1996, there
were 280,415 Aboriginal children under the age of 15 living
in Canada, representing 35% of all Aboriginal people identified
in the census that year. When the Aboriginal children and youth
populations (0 to 24 years) are combined, they represent 53%
of all Aboriginal people. These 424,000 Aboriginal young people
constitute 5% of all Canadian children under age 15 and 4% of
youth aged 15-24.
(National Report to Unicef – Canada, 2001) |
| • |
In 1996, about
40% of Aboriginals were under the age of 18, compared with 24%
of non-Aboriginals. (CSW, 2000) |
| • |
In 1996, 32% of
Aboriginal youths aged 15 to 24 were unemployed, almost twice
the already-high rate of 17% for their non-Aboriginal counterparts.
The figures for Aboriginal people aged 15 to 64 were not much
better, indicating an unemployment rate of 24%, compared to
10% for non-Aboriginals. (CSW,
2000) |
| • |
The Aboriginal
population is also very disadvantaged in terms of education:
54% of those aged 15 and older do not have a high school diploma,
compared to 35% of the non-Aboriginal population. Only 4.5%
of the Aboriginal population have university degrees, compared
to 16% of non-Aboriginals. The Canadian Human Rights Commission
wrote that "In fact, an Indian youngster in Canada has
a better chance of being sent to prison than of completing university”.
(CSW, 2000) |
| • |
By 1997, aboriginal
peoples constituted close to 3% of the population of Canada
and amounted to 12% of all federal inmates. (CSW,
2000) |
| • |
In Canada, 20 to
25% of First Nations’ community water and sanitation services
pose a danger to health and safety or are in need of repairs
to meet basic government standards. (Campaign
2000, 2002) |
| • |
Aboriginal children
experience a significantly higher incidence of poverty than
the general Canadian population.
(National Report to Unicef – Canada, 2001) |
| • |
Among Aboriginal
children, whether living on or off reserve, almost one in two
lives in poverty. (Campaign 2000,
2002) |
| • |
Aboriginal people
are 4 times more likely to report ever experiencing hunger than
the non-Aboriginal population. (Campaign
2000, 2002) |
| • |
8% of Aboriginal
aged 15 to 19 are parents.
(Statistics Canada, Census 1996) |
| • |
Aboriginal, visible
minority children and children with disabilities (0-14 years)
more likely to be poor
(Campaign 2000, 2002 from Statistics Canada, Census 1996) |
| |
| |
| Total children |
23.4% |
| Aboriginal children |
52.1% |
| Visible minority children |
42.7% |
| Children with disabilities |
37% |
|
|
| |
|
| • |
First Nations children
were five times more likely to be in the care of Child and Family
Services (CFS) agencies than the national average in 1996-97.
(National Report to Unicef –
Canada, 2001) |
| • |
In First Nations
communities, disability rates are twice the national average.
(National Report to Unicef –
Canada, 2001) |
| • |
Suicide rates for
First Nation females aged 15 to 24 years are eight times higher
than the national rate among females of the same age cohort.
(National Report to Unicef –
Canada, 2001) |
| • |
Among racialized
groups, the rate of poverty for children under 6 is 45%, compared
to 26% for other children of the same age.
(Campaign 2000, 2002) |
| • |
The rate of death
from injuries is four times greater for Aboriginal infants,
and among preschoolers, the rate is five times greater. (CCSD,
2002) |
| • |
In 2000, the unemployment
rate among young workers (15-24) in Canada was almost twice
as high as the adult average. (UNDP,
2002) |
| • |
One-third of recent
immigrant children live below the Low Income Cut-Off, compared
with one-fifth of non-immigrant children. (CCSD,
2002) |
| • |
Years lived in
poverty by disability, visible minority status and immigration
status in Canada, 1993 to 1998 (CSW,
1999) |
Characteristics |
Total
Number of Individuals or Families |
Pre-Tax
(%) |
Post-Tax
(%) |
All
Six Years |
|
|
|
|
|
| Work Limitation Status |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Work Limitation |
372,000 |
21.3 |
55.2 |
34.5 |
16.2 |
48.8 |
|
| Work Limitation – Status Changed |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| No Work Limitation |
|
3.2 |
23.0 |
7.3 |
1.8 |
18.9 |
5.6 |
| Visible Minority Status |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Minority Status – Aboriginal |
|
|
49.4 |
21.7 |
-- |
41.2 |
17.4 |
| Visible Minority – Immigrant |
|
|
42.5 |
27.9 |
10.3 |
38.3 |
23.7 |
| Visible Minority |
|
|
38.7 |
24.2 |
9.2 |
34.6 |
20.7 |
| Not A Visible Minority |
|
|
28.0 |
10.7 |
2.6 |
22.3 |
6.9 |
| Visible Minority – Canadian
Born |
|
|
22.2 |
7.9 |
-- |
18.3 |
7.7 |
| Immigration Status |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Immigrant, after 1989 |
|
|
44.1 |
26.6 |
10.3 |
39.4 |
21.0 |
| Immigrant, 1980-1989 |
|
|
44.4 |
25.5 |
8.0 |
39.7 |
21.0 |
| Immigrant, 1970-1979 |
|
|
32.8 |
15.2 |
4.8 |
26.5 |
9.4 |
| Immigrant, before 1970 |
|
|
20.0 |
9.8 |
-- |
16.2 |
4.5 |
| Canadian Born |
|
|
28.3 |
10.6 |
2.8 |
22.5 |
7.1 |
|
| Source:
Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics, 1993-1999. |
|
| |
|
|
|
| • |
In
our country, in 1992-93, the percentages of students who obtained
a high school diploma was (Statistics
Canada): |
| New Brunswick |
83% |
| Manitoba |
78% |
| Prince Edward Island |
78% |
| Ontario |
75% |
| Saskatchewan |
75% |
| Newfoundland |
72% |
| Nova Scotia |
70% |
| Quebec |
69% |
| Alberta |
66% |
| British Columbia |
64% |
| Canada |
75% |
|
| • |
Comparison between
students who have a diploma and those who have abandoned secondary
school (from the study "Après l'école"
Ressources humaines et Travail Canada, 1993) |
| |
Drop-out |
Diploma |
| SOCIO-DÉMOGRAPHIC |
|
|
| * Biparental family with
father unemployed at the time of dropping-out |
14% |
7% |
| Biparental family with
father low income |
55% |
40% |
| Biparental family with
mother unemployed at the time of dropping-out |
30% |
24% |
| Biparental family with
mother low income |
12% |
7% |
| * Monoparental (mother
or father) |
25% |
12% |
| * Has not lived with parents
in the last year |
13% |
5% |
| Parents with few education |
45% |
32% |
| * Has a child (girl) |
27% |
4% |
| * Has a child (boy) |
7% |
1% |
| SCHOOL
EXPERIENCE |
|
|
| * Does not like school and unsatisfied
with programs |
41% |
10% |
| Find no interest in classes |
41% |
21% |
| Problems with teachers |
12% |
7% |
| Unsatisfied with rules
in the school |
21% |
15% |
| Miss days of school |
75% |
59% |
| Does not participate in
school activities |
45% |
27% |
| * Has repeated one year
in primary school |
36% |
8% |
| PSYCHOSOCIAL
CHARACTERISTICS |
|
|
| Friends who find important
to obtain a diploma |
45% |
80% |
| * Friends don’t
find important to obtain a diploma |
18% |
2% |
| * Feels different |
11% |
5% |
| Work 20 hrs a week or
more (boys) |
33% |
25% |
| Work 20 hrs a week or
more (girls) |
22% |
18% |
| * Young offender criminal
act in last year |
12% |
3% |
| * Use soft drugs |
30% |
15% |
| * Use hard drugs |
7% |
2% |
|
| *Factors
where the difference is over 100% |
| • |
10 to 15% of all
college and university graduates were found to have loan repayment
difficulties. Overall, one in three students finishing in 1995-96
experienced difficulties in repayment – an increase from
one in five for those finishing their studies in 1990-91. (PCERA,
2000) |
| • |
16.6% of Canadian
people aged 16 to 65 lacked functional literacy skills in 1998.
(UNDP, 2002) |
| • |
In 1998, only 28%
of 18- to 21-year olds went to university. Only 19% of young
people in the lowest income quartile attended, compared with
39% in the highest. (CCSD, 2002) |
| • |
Educational attainment,
1999 (population age 15+):
(Statistics Canada, 2000) |
| |
Males |
Females |
Total |
| |
11,768,300 |
12,200,800 |
23,969,000 |
| Education |
% |
| 0-8 years |
10.6 |
11.4 |
11.0 |
| Some secondary |
18.8 |
18.0 |
18.4 |
| Graduated from high school |
18.3 |
20.1 |
19.3 |
| Some postsecondary |
8.8 |
9.1 |
8.9 |
| postsecondary certificate or diploma |
27.7 |
27.6 |
27.7 |
| University degree |
15.8 |
13.8 |
14.8 |
| Total |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
| • |
Young men have
a higher school drop-out rate than do women: by age 20, 15%
of Canadian men are failing to meet what is considered to be
the minimum educational standard, compared with 9% of young
women. (CCSD, 2002) |
| • |
In 1999, the dropout
rate stood at 15.1% for 18- to 19-year-olds and 11.9% for 20-
to 24-year-olds. Two out of every three dropouts were young
men – and they were more likely to be living with a single
parent or no parent at all. (PCERA,
2000) |
| • |
As of December
1999, the high school dropout rate for 20-year-olds stood at
12%. (HRDC, 2002) |
| • |
Slightly more than
one-quarter of youth no longer in high school had graduated
but had not gone on to post-secondary education (PSE); others
were high school dropouts that had not gone on to PSE (12%).
(HRDC, 2002) |
| • |
Just under half
of 18-20-year-olds reported facing barriers to going as far
in school as they would like. About two-thirds of those reporting
barriers cited financial barriers. Additional barriers reported
by high school continuers and dropouts were: not being able
to get into the PSE program they wanted or marks that were too
low; not enough interest or motivation; and in the case of high
school dropouts, wanting to work and needing to care for their
own children. (HRDC, 2002) |
| • |
High school graduates
were more likely than dropouts to have lived in two-parent families
during high school, while dropouts were more likely than graduates
to have come from single-parent families. (HRDC,
2002) |
| • |
Graduates were
more likely to have had parents who had completed a post-secondary
diploma or university degree; the proportion of dropouts who
had parents who had not completed high school was three times
that of graduates. (HRDC, 2002) |
|
| |
|
|
|
| • |
Families
in private households with and without children at home, 1996
census (Statistics Canada) |
| |
Number
of families |
1991 |
1996 |
%
change |
| Husband–wife
families |
6,402,090 |
6,700,355 |
4.7 |
| With children at home |
3,830,265 |
3,970,580 |
3.7 |
| Without children at home |
2,571,825 |
2,729,775 |
6.1 |
| Married
couple families |
5,682,815 |
5,779,720 |
1.7 |
| With children at home |
3,534,740 |
3,535,630 |
0.0 |
| Without children at home |
2,148,070 |
2,244,085 |
4.5 |
| Common-law
families |
719,275 |
920,635 |
28.0 |
| With children at home |
295,525 |
434,950 |
47.2 |
| Without children at home |
423,750 |
485,690 |
14.6 |
| Lone-parent
families |
953,640 |
1,137,505 |
19.3 |
| Male |
165,240 |
192,275 |
16.4 |
| Female |
788,395 |
945,235 |
19.9 |
| Total
families |
7,355,725 |
7,837,865 |
6.6 |
|
| • |
Proportion of children
under 12 living in different types of families in 1998 (CCSD,
2002) |
| Two-parent families |
84% |
| Lone parent families |
16% |
| Step-families |
8.8% |
|
| |
| • |
Census families
in private households by family structure, Canada, 1991, 1996
and 2001 Censuses (Statistics Canada) |
| CANADA |
1991 |
|
1996 |
|
2001 |
|
| Total families |
7,355,730 |
100% |
|
100% |
|
100% |
| Total
husband-wife families |
6,402,090 |
87% |
|
85.5% |
|
84.3% |
| Families of married couples |
5,682,815 |
77.2% |
|
73.7% |
|
70.5% |
| Families of common-law couples |
719,275 |
9.8% |
|
11.7% |
|
13.8% |
| Total
lone-parent families |
953,640 |
13% |
|
14.5% |
|
15.7% |
| Male parent |
165,240 |
2.2% |
|
2.4% |
|
2.9% |
| Female parent |
788,395 |
10.7% |
|
12% |
|
12.7% |
|
| |
|
| • |
Population statistics
for Canada – Legal Marital Status – 2001 Census
(Statistics Canada) |
| Legal Marital
Status |
Total |
Male |
Female |
| Total – Population
15 years and over |
24,281,555 |
11,775,855 |
12,505,700 |
| Single |
8,139,330 |
4,347,350 |
3,791,980 |
| Married |
12,011,675 |
6,008,450 |
6,003,225 |
| Separated |
733,870 |
326,725 |
407,145 |
| Divorced |
1,854,770 |
809,180 |
1,045,590 |
| Widowed |
1,541,910 |
284,150 |
1,257,755 |
|
| |
|
| • |
More than 71,000
couples divorced in 2000, up 3% from 1998. (Statistics
Canada, 2002) |
| • |
Divorces (Statistics
Canada, 2002) |
| |
1998 |
1999 |
1998
to 1999 |
2000 |
1999
to 2000 |
| |
Number |
% change |
Number |
% change |
| Canada |
69,088 |
70,910 |
2.6 |
71,144 |
0.3 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador |
944 |
892 |
-5.5 |
913 |
2.4 |
| Prince Edward Island |
279 |
291 |
4.3 |
272 |
-6.5 |
| Nova Scotia |
1,933 |
1,954 |
1.1 |
2,054 |
5.1 |
| New Brunswick |
1,473 |
1,671 |
13.4 |
1,717 |
2.8 |
| Quebec |
16,916 |
17,144 |
1.3 |
17,054 |
-0.5 |
| Ontario |
25,149 |
26,088 |
3.7 |
26,148 |
0.2 |
| Manitoba |
2,443 |
2,572 |
5.3 |
2,430 |
-5.5 |
| Saskatchewan |
2,246 |
2,237 |
-0.4 |
2,194 |
-1.9 |
| Alberta |
7,668 |
7,931 |
3.4 |
8,176 |
3.1 |
| British Columbia |
9,827 |
9,935 |
1.1 |
10,017 |
0.8 |
| Yukon |
117 |
112 |
-4.3 |
68 |
-39.3 |
| Northwest Territories and Nunavut1 |
93 |
83 |
-10.8 |
101 |
21.7 |
| 1Northwest
Territories and Nunavut are combined; prior to 2000, there
was no divorce court in the part of the Northwest Territories
which became Nunavut. In 2000, there were 7 divorces in
Nunavut. |
|
| |
|
| • |
Distribution of
children aged 0 to 14 by family structure, Canada, provinces
and territories, 2001 (Statistics
Canada) |
| |
Living
with married parents |
Living
with common-law parents |
Living
with
a lone parent(1) |
| |
% |
| Canada |
|
12.8 |
18.8 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador |
70.7 |
10.3 |
18.9 |
| Prince Edward Island |
73.2 |
8.6 |
18.2 |
| Nova Scotia |
68.0 |
9.9 |
22.2 |
| New Brunswick |
67.4 |
12.7 |
19.9 |
| Quebec |
52.1 |
28.5 |
19.4 |
| Ontario |
75.4 |
7.3 |
17.3 |
| Manitoba |
70.0 |
8.8 |
21.3 |
| Saskatchewan |
68.1 |
9.4 |
22.5 |
| Alberta |
74.0 |
8.8 |
17.1 |
| British Columbia |
71.5 |
8.0 |
20.5 |
| Yukon |
52.9 |
19.8 |
27.3 |
| Northwest Territories |
50.7 |
25.8 |
23.5 |
| Nunavut |
46.8 |
30.8 |
22.3 |
| 1
Also includes about 1% or less of children with no parents,
e.g., living with another relative or foster family |
|
| |
|
| • |
In 1995, before
age 15, about 1.9 million adult Canadians (8%) experienced one
change in the parental structure of their family. Most of these
disruptions in family life are caused by death or divorce.;
for example more than one-half of first changes a child experienced
resulted from separation or divorce. (Statistics
Canada, 2001) |
| • |
Most children aged
0 to 14 lived with married parents in 2001. The proportion of
children living with married parents has fallen substantially
from 84% to 68%. (Statistics Canada,
2001 Census) |
| • |
About 732,915
children, or 13% of children aged 0 to 14, lived with common-law
parents in 2001, more than four times the proportion in 1981
(3.1%). Younger children are more likely to live with common-law
parents than are older children. The 2001 Census data showed
that 17% of children aged 0 to 4 lived with common-law parents
compared with 9.3% of children aged 10 to 14. In 2001, children
were much more likely to be living with common-law parents in
Quebec (29%) than in the rest of Canada (8.2%). (Statistics
Canada, 2001 Census) |
| • |
According to data
from the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth,
children are experiencing parental separation at increasingly
younger ages. Furthermore, children born into common-law unions
are more apt to see the separation of their parents. Research
has also found that children who experience the separation or
divorce of their parents while growing up are more likely to
become separated themselves later in their adult lives. (Statistics
Canada, 2001 Census) |
| • |
In 2001, 1.07
million children, or about 19%, did not live with both parents.
Most of these children lived with a lone parent, the majority
of who were lone mothers. Only a small proportion, about 1%,
did not live with at least one parent, for the most part staying
with other relatives. In 7 of the 13 provinces and territories,
more than one out of five children lived with a lone parent
in 2001. In the Yukon, about one out of four children were in
a lone-parent family. Nova Scotia, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan
had the largest provincial proportions.
(Statistics Canada, 2001 Census) |
| • |
The families of
maltreated children were about 1.5 times as likely to be headed
by a single parent as by two (biological). (Health
Canada, 2001) |
| • |
Almost one-third
of all Aboriginal children under 15 live in single-parent families,
twice the rate for the general population. (CSW,
2000) |
| • |
There were 62,450
children in care in Canada in 1999.
(National Report to Unicef – Canada, 2001) |
| • |
Children in lone-mother
households are around 3 ½ times more likely to be below
the poverty line than children in two-parent households.
(LIS, 1996) |
| • |
Among children
whose parents divorced or separated, 71% felt that they had
had a very happy childhood; among those who experienced the
death of parent, the proportion rose significantly to 87%. This
finding suggests that the effects of divorce on childhood happiness
may be more pronounced than the effects of death and may have
deeper consequences on quality of life and emotional health.
(Statistics Canada, 2001) |
|
| |
|
|
| FAMILY
PLANNING AND CHILDCARE |
|
|
| • |
Studies
have shown that the average Canadian family requires 75.4 weeks
on the job at an average wage to cover basic annual expenses.
As a result, Canadian families require significantly more than
one full-time income in order to meet their average annual expenditures.
(National Report to Unicef – Canada, 2001) |
| • |
In 1994, the first
cycle of data collected from the NLSCY revealed that 63% of
Canadian mothers were working outside of the home. In addition,
many of these women are now working when their children are
much younger. Employment rates of women with children six years
or younger have risen over a 30 year period (from 1960 to 1990)
from insignificant levels to over 60%. (HRDC,
1999) |
| • |
In the 1994-1995
sample of the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth
(NLSCY), 33.2% of Canadian children under eleven and 39.9% of
children age five or younger were receiving some form of regular
non-parental care while their parents worked or studied. (HRDC,
1999) |
| • |
40% of Canadian
children aged 4 and 5 spend part of their week in some type
of care arrangement so that their parents can study or work
outside the home. The majority of these children are cared for
outside their home in an unregulated daycare (14.5%) or in a
regulated daycare (12.2%). Unregulated care in the home by a
non-relative (e.g., a baby-sitter or nanny) accounts for only
6.1% of these preschoolers (aged four and five) care arrangements,
while 7.3% are cared for by a relative. (HRDC,
1999) |
| • |
In 1998, 78% of
children in two-parent families had both their parents working
outside the home. In comparison, 68% of children in lone-parent
families had both their parents working outside the home, up
7% from 1995. (National Report
to Unicef – Canada, 2001) |
| • |
Between 1991 and
1998, there was a 6% increase in the number of workers with
dependants who reported excess tension due to work/family conflicts.
(National Report to Unicef –
Canada, 2001) |
| • |
Statistics Canada
data in 1999 showed that 90% of working women returned to their
workplace within one year of giving birth. By the year 2000,
70% of mothers with children under the age of six years were
employed. (CRCC, 2001) |
| • |
Today there is
only enough regulated child care to serve 1 out of every 10
children under 12 years in Canada; less than 1 in 3 of the children
using regulated child care has a fee subsidy. (Campaign
2000, 2002) |
|
| |
|
|
|
| • |
Girls
between the ages of 12 and 17 are diagnosed with depression
at almost twice the rate as boys. (CMHA,
1995; NHPS, Statistics Canada, 1995) |
| • |
The suicide rate
for Aboriginal girls is 8 times that of the national average
for non-Aboriginal girls. (National
Forum on Health, 1997) |
| • |
The Canadian Federation
of University Women report on the Girl Child reveals that more
than half (54%) of girls under the age of 16 have experienced
some form of unwanted sexual attention, another 24% have experienced
rape or coercive sex, and 17% have experienced incest. Of the
sexual assaults reported to police, 63% involve girls under
18 years of age. These figures do not take into consideration
girls who have witnessed violence at home or school. (CFVR,
1999) |
| • |
75% of Aboriginal
girls under the age of 18 have been sexually abused. Furthermore,
Aboriginal girls are hospitalized for attempting suicide at
twice the rate of boys. (CFVR,
1999) |
| • |
The Correctional
Service of Canada, found that up to 75% of Aboriginal victims
of sex crimes are females under 18 years of age, 50% are under
14 years, and almost 25% are younger than seven. Similarly,
the rate for girls with disabilities is quadruple that of the
national average.
(CFVR, 1999) |
|
| |
|
|
|
| • |
The majority of
young people who are arrested and whose lives are damaged by
contacts with the criminal justice system are from low-income
backgrounds. Most affected by this discrimination are the poorest
of our poor, Aboriginal people. (CSW,
1999) |
| • |
| Research has
found that the children most at risk of becoming delinquents
and criminals face the following circumstances: |
| 1. |
They receive little love, affection,
or warmth, and are physically or emotionally rejected
and/or abandoned by their parents; |
| 2. |
They are inadequately supervised by parents
who fail to teach them right and wrong, who do not monitor
their whereabouts, friends, or activities, and who discipline
them erratically and harshly; and |
| 3. |
They grow up in homes with considerable
conflict, marital discord, and perhaps even violence. |
| Families at greatest
risk of delinquency are those suffering from limited coping
resources, social isolation, and (among parents) poor
parenting skills. (CSW, 2000) |
|
| • |
The rate of youth incarceration
in Canada is twice that of the United States, and ten to fifteen
times the rate per 1,000 youth population in many European countries,
Australia and New Zealand. Although offences committed by youth
are usually non-violent, these offenders are treated by the
system similarly to violent offenders. Since 1990-91, the number
of youths sentenced to custody and the number held in custody
on remand have risen by 20%. Unlike the adult system, the youth
justice system has no parole or other form of conditional release.
(CSW, 2000) |
| • |
Youths and adults charged by
type of offence, provinces and territories (Statistics
Canada) |
| Canada |
2001 |
| |
Total |
Youths
charged |
Adults
charged |
| |
rate
per 100,000 population |
| All incidents |
6,897.5 |
4,897.5 |
2,240.6 |
Criminal Code offences (excluding
traffic offences) |
5,802.4 |
4,140.6 |
1,661.8 |
| Crimes of violence |
1,451.3 |
940.4 |
510.9 |
| Homicide |
2.9 |
1.2 |
1.7 |
| Attempted
murder |
5.2 |
2.9 |
2.4 |
| Assaults
(level 1 to 31) |
1,080.1 |
673.9 |
406.1 |
| Sexual assault |
97.9 |
64.9 |
33.0 |
| Other sexual
offences |
9.2 |
6.5 |
2.7 |
| Robbery |
174.6 |
145.8 |
28.9 |
| Other crimes
of violence2 |
84.5 |
45.2 |
39.3 |
| Property crimes |
2,342.7 |
1,824.0 |
518.7 |
| Breaking
and entering |
564.8 |
479.2 |
85.6 |
| Motor vehicle
theft |
285.0 |
249.4 |
35.6 |
| Theft over
$5,000 |
20.3 |
11.8 |
8.6 |
| Theft $5,000
and under |
1,009.6 |
780.8 |
228.8 |
| Possession
of stolen goods |
292.0 |
224.3 |
67.7 |
| Frauds |
171.0 |
78.5 |
92.5 |
| Other Criminal Code offences |
2,008.4 |
1,376.2 |
632.2 |
| Criminal
Code offences (traffic offences) |
357.4 |
0.0 |
357.4 |
| Impaired driving |
296.3 |
0.0 |
296.3 |
| Other c.c traffic offences3 |
61.1 |
0.0 |
61.1 |
| Federal statutes |
737.7 |
516.3 |
221.4 |
| Drugs |
535.1 |
338.5 |
196.7 |
| Other federal statutes |
202.6 |
177.8 |
24.8 |
| 1.
"Assault level 1" is the first level of assault.
It constitutes the intentional application of force without
consent, attempt or threat to apply force to another person,
and openly wearing a weapon (or an imitation) and accosting
or impeding another person. "Assault with weapon
or causing bodily harm" is the second level of assault.
It constitutes assault with a weapon, threats to use a
weapon (or an imitation), or assault causing bodily harm.
"Aggravated assault level 3" is the third level
of assault. It applies to anyone who wounds, maims, disfigures
or endangers the life of complainant.
|
|
2. Includes unlawfully causing bodily harm, discharging
firearms with intent, abductions, assaults against police
officers, assaults against other peace or public officers
and other assaults.
|
| 3.
Includes dangerous operation of motor vehicle, boat,
vessel or aircraft, dangerous operation of motor vehicle,
boat, vessel or aircraft causing bodily harm or death,
driving motor vehicle while prohibited and fail to stop
or remain. |
|
Source:
Statistics Canada, CANSIM II, table 252-0014. |
| Last
modified: July 16, 2002.
|
|
| |
|
| • |
Cases heard by youth courts
with guilty findings, by most significant sentence |
| |
1996-1997 |
1997-1998 |
1998-1999 |
1999-2000 |
2000-2001 |
| |
|
| All sentences |
74,797 |
74,527 |
71,961 |
68,184 |
60,041 |
| Secure custody |
11,772 |
12,199 |
12,312 |
11,610 |
10,458 |
| Open custody |
13,506 |
13,470 |
12,857 |
11,605 |
10,351 |
| Probation |
37,960 |
35,913 |
34,451 |
33,028 |
29,053 |
| Fine |
3,574 |
4,295 |
4,081 |
4,062 |
3,502 |
| Community service order |
4,594 |
5,256 |
4,988 |
4,750 |
3,906 |
| Absolute discharge |
1,464 |
1,160 |
1,130 |
1,094 |
1,044 |
| Other sentences1 |
1,927 |
2,234 |
2,142 |
2,035 |
1,727 |
| 1. Includes
restitution, prohibition, compensations, pay purchaser,
and other sentences such as essays, apologies, counselling
programs and conditional discharges. |
Source:
Statistics Canada, CANSIM II, table 252-0009
and
Catalogue no. 85-002-XIE. |
|
| |
|
| • |
The rate of youth charged with
violent crimes increased by 7% in 2000 – the largest yearly
increase since 1991. (CCSD, 2002) |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| • |
In
2000, the number of missing children in Canada was at its highest
level since 1995, and there were 50,633 child runaways, the
highest number ever recorded. (CCSD,
2002) |
| • |
The number of missing
children cases has remained fairly consistent over a 14 year
period. The average by category for this period is as follows:
(Missing Children Services, 2000) |
| Category |
Number |
| Stranger abduction |
66 |
| Parental abduction |
410 |
| Runaway |
44,108 |
| Unknown |
10,704 |
| Accident |
36 |
| Wandered off |
728 |
| Other |
1,927 |
| Total |
57,979 |
|
| |
|
| • |
Runaway children
make up the greatest majority of missing children cases. The
exact number of children missing is not known as children run
away many times, each time generating a new case file. However,
runaways generated 50,633 cases in 2000, a cause for concern.
Children run from homes torn apart by family conflict. The situation
is exacerbated by factors such as marital problems, divorce,
poor communication skills, physical, sexual and emotional abuse
of children and/or spouses, and abuse of drugs and alcohol.
The majority of missing children cases were between the ages
of 14 and 17 years. However, there were 1,195 reports of younger
children missing, below the age of eight years.
(Missing Children Services, 2000) |
| • |
There were 225
children under the age of one, reported as missing to police
agencies. (Missing Children Services,
2000) |
| • |
According to the
Canadian studies, most street youths come from broken families
and have histories of abuse by their parents or foster parents.
(CSW, 2000) |
| • |
Compared with mainstream
adolescents, street youth report elevated rates of heavy drinking
and illicit drug use. Between one-quarter and one-half report
frequent heavy drinking. As well, the percentage using cannabis
ranges from 66% to 88%, while the percentage using cocaine ranges
from 18% to 64%. (CCSA, 1999) |
|
| |
|
|
|
| • |
The
mortality rate due to suicide increased over 2.5 times, from
3 per million in 1971 to 8 per million in 1996. Since few, if
any, suicide deaths occur among children aged 1 to 9, the suicide
death rate would be approximately 3 times as high if the calculations
were restricted to the 10- to-14 age group. (Statistics
Canada, 1999) |
| • |
Suicide rates (per
100,000) by gender and age, Canada, 1997.
(WHO, 2001) |
| Age group |
5-14 |
15-24 |
25-34 |
35-44 |
45-54 |
55-64 |
65-74 |
75 + |
| Total |
1.3 |
13.7 |
14.4 |
17.2 |
18.0 |
14.2 |
12.0 |
12.8 |
| Male |
1.9 |
22.4 |
22.7 |
27.0 |
27.4 |
22.7 |
20.6 |
27.0 |
| Female |
0.6 |
4.5 |
5.9 |
7.2 |
8.7 |
6.0 |
4.7 |
4.3 |
|
| • |
In Canada’s
Arctic north, suicide rates among the Inuit of between 59.5
and 74.3 per 100,000 have been reported in various studies,
compared with around 15.0 per 100,000 in the overall population.
Young Inuit men are at the highest risk for suicide, and their
suicide rate is rising. Rates as high as 195 per 100,000 have
been recorded among those aged 15-25 years. (WHO,
2002) |
|
| |
|
|
FACTORS HAMPERING
THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE SITUATION OF CHILDREN IN CANADA |
|
|
| |
| National inequalities |
| |
| • |
In
1994, the richest 10% of Canada’s people had incomes 8.5
times those of the poorest 10%. (UNDP,
2002) |
| • |
Young people from
high-income families were 2.5 times as likely as those from
low-income families to have attended university in 1998. (Campaign
2000, 2002) |
| • |
Between 1984 and
1999, the average net wealth of the top 20% of couples with
children increased by 43%. Among the middle 20% of couples,
it grew by just 3%, and for families at the bottom of the income
scale, it fell by more than 51%. (CCSD,
2002) |
| • |
The ratio of average
market income received by the 20% of families with the highest
income compared with the 20% of families with the lowest income
was 11.7 to 1 in 2000, that is, $11.70 held by the highest quintile
for every $1 held by the lowest quintile. (Statistics
Canada, 2000) |
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All rights reserved.
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