Poverty and Homelessness in Canada: A Comparative Essay Analysis

This essay examines the complex issue of poverty and homelessness in Canada, drawing insights from articles by John Stackhouse and Jack Layton. The essay explores the multifaceted causes of homelessness, including lack of affordable housing, unemployment, and mental illness, while also considering individual responsibilities. Stackhouse's perspective highlights the stories of individuals facing homelessness, while Layton provides a counter-argument, emphasizing societal factors and the impact of panhandling. The essay analyzes the diverse factors contributing to homelessness, highlighting the need for public awareness and comprehensive solutions to address this critical social issue in Canada. The essay includes a comparative analysis of the two articles, with the goal of understanding the complex interplay between individual circumstances and structural problems.

Running head: POVERTY AND HOMELESSNESS IN CANADA
POVERTY AND HOMELESSNESS IN CANADA
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1POVERTY AND HOMELESSNESS IN CANADA
The situation of homelessness is not a choice, and any person can become homeless.
Canada is faced with homelessness each year, and the number of homeless people continues to
rise along with time. Canada’s homeless population is diverse, expanded into hidden areas.
Homelessness is a severe national issue caused by the shortage of affordable housing, poverty,
lack of employment and many more. This essay is on the problem of poverty and homelessness
in Canada justified by the article “I’m tired of being a slave to the church floor” by John
Stackhouse comparing with "The homeless: Are we part of the problem" by Jack Layton.
Two articles, “I’m tired of being of being a slave of church floor” by John Stackhouse
and “the homeless: are we part of the problem” by Jack Layton provides information that it is not
only a structural problem but also individual factors. The two articles have submitted information
that is necessary to bring public awareness. John Stackhouse has shown a perspective of looking
at the homelessness. Firstly, Stackhouse has given a picture of a person who was not precisely
poor but mentally ill. The person was not fully homeless. B. J. had his daughter who was a nurse
with grandchildren where he was happily welcomed. Through the story of B.J. Stackhouse has
highlighted the major causes of homelessness. There is an increase in the number of
homelessness in the state however the causes are diverse. Secondly, with the story Stackhouse
shows the unemployment, mental illness and the street life law and policies. There is a necessity
to keep working, and employment is not merely a medium to earn money and pay the rents, it
involves a part of healthcare as well. Unlike few of the countries where working is mandatory to
avail assistance from the government, Canada does not have a policy as such. It is evident for all
poor people to be homeless, however; it is not apparent for all homeless people to be poor.
Lastly, the reason is hope, all the homeless people are not without hope, and they can have
family members, relatives and places to go. There is a section of homeless people who are

2POVERTY AND HOMELESSNESS IN CANADA
mentally unwell as well as some people with a certain thought process. In the story, Stackhouse
gives insights into the reasons why one prefers to stay in the street.
In “The homeless: Are we part of the problem?” Jack Layton has presented a counter
argument to the previous article where he provides a better perception of showing the social
issue. Firstly, the way Stackhouse declined the years of research declaring that public resources
are used by the crack dealers, also beggars earn professional wages through begging. It is indeed
true since the people of Toronto will never question the situation and only help the person in
need which makes the beggars have a responsibility free life. Secondly, Jack Layton also points
Stackhouse’s opinion of finding the root causes of high cost of urban housing as well as pay
attention to the drug and alcohol consumers is an idea of the other researchers, thought long ago.
Therefore, it is not an innovative idea; also, the government is already working on these aspects.
Stackhouse has precisely encouraged the people who deny social responsibilities and nothing
above that. Thirdly, it is only a generous city that has helped the beggars. It is a reason enough
for getting freeloads and not working to earn the living. When a person is getting money in
begging it encourages them to continue doing so as the effort is less and sympathy is more.
Canada too is one such place where homelessness is a situation to take advantage. Due to the
mentioned reason the easy supports the Jack Layton’s article that could totally justify the
individual responsibility.
Unemployment is a significant cause for the homelessness since it stops the ability of a
person to generate income that would help in getting a house in rent or ownership. Unemployed
people fail to rent a place to stay which leads them to streets as a form of shelter. However, there
is more in the problem of homelessness. The addiction of panhandling is a serious issue that is a
result of homelessness which is the main focus of Jack Layton’s reply to Stackhouse. The point

3POVERTY AND HOMELESSNESS IN CANADA
Jack Layton emphasized is although homelessness is a serious issue in Canada, there are some
disguised factors which are not precisely mentioned by Stackhouse.