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December 9, 1997
New report on children paints worrisome picture
Ottawa – The Canadian Council on Social Development today warned the Prime Minister and Premiers that de-investing in public services for children and their families is causing serious harm to a growing number of Canadians. The warning comes two days before the First Ministers will meet to discuss youth unemployment, health care and social programs.
The Council's warning coincided with the release of The Progress of Canada's Children 1997, the second issue in its annual series of comprehensive reports on the well-being of Canadian children. The 68-page, magazine-style report provides a wealth of data about how children are faring, including information about their health, school performance and social relations and work prospects for youth. It also assesses the quality of community resources for children.
"Stresses on children's lives are growing. Average family incomes have dropped and schools are reporting inadequate resources. A worrisome sign, particularly in light of the tragedy in Victoria two weeks ago, is that nearly half of 15-year-old boys and a quarter of girls reported taking part in bullying activities at school last year," says the CCSD's Katherine Scott, research director for the report.
According to the report, asthma rates among children have doubled in the last 15 years, and two-thirds of Canadian children are not active enough for their optimal health and development. Meanwhile, user fees for recreational facilities are rising. The majority of poor children and nearly half of more affluent children do not receive regular dental care, probably because in five provinces and territories, no public dental programs exist. On the positive side, all Canadian children have access to basic health care, due to public health insurance.
"Although youth with university degrees have much better job prospects than those who only completed high school, tuition fees have skyrocketed since 1990, and average student debt loads are $22,000 and rising," says Scott.
"We are saying to the First Ministers, the effects of government restraint are starting to have a negative impact on middle-class as well as poor children and youth. If this trend continues, children's chances to develop to their full potential are at risk," says Scott.
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The CCSD gratefully acknowledges the support of the Laidlaw Foundation, Health Canada, Justice Canada, and NOVA Corporation toward The Progress of Canada's Children 1997.
The Progress of Canada's Children 1997 - Related Material
Canadian Council on Social Development,
309 Cooper Street, 5th Floor,
Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 0G5
Tel: (613) 236-8977, Fax: (613) 236-2750, Web: www.ccsd.ca, Email: council@ccsd.ca
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