Through Individualistic Criticisms: The Need for the Canadian Welfare System

Abstract

With the ever evolving international environment, individual stability is becoming a more pressing concern. Free trade and globalization have made the average person more interconnected and aware of people from different regions, countries and even continents. The changes from an industrial based economy to a service or information based economy, have transformed the nature of Western society. Citizens can travel more freely from one country to another, working in their specific field or taking a new job altogether. Traditional sectors have suffered with this change. The average citizen is no longer working 30-40 years at the same job. The current economic crisis in the United States has also impacted individual feelings of security. In this insecure and ever changing economic environment, one can pose the question as to whether the Canadian welfare state has become more of a problem than a solution in the new global, information-based economy. Even though the world has become even more unsecure and unstable, citizens can take comfort in knowing that their government is taking care of at least some of their pressing concerns with the social welfare state, allowing Canadians reassurance that some services will always be available for them. This research paper will argue that while the nature of the Canadian economy has changed, the welfare state is still an integral part of everyday life, giving the average Canadian a feeling of security in this turbulent time.