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Poilticians and legislators have
the greatest powers over the lives of marginalized people.
Photo: Paul Ryan.
The impacts of marginalization are felt
in every city and town in Canada. However, its shadow
is cast into sharpest relief in Vancouver’s Downtown
Eastside (DTES).
The poorest postal code in the country
according to Statistics Canada, the DTES is a social
crucible for Canada on addiction, policing, housing,
and prostitution.
It is a problem, a challenge and an opportunity.
Solve the problems of the DTES, and you are on your
way to solving problems of marginalization across Canada.
Social prejudices
Marginalization is a direct outcome of
our social values. These values express themselves in
many subtle but all-pervading ways through the legislative
framework that governs our society.
Unfortunately, social norms are often
confused as ethics. Prejudiced beliefs are strongly
held. There is often a belief that the benefits of the
law should go to those who are "morally deserving,"
a path of reasoning which often eliminates those who
by mental disability, behavioural anomalies, addiction,
or base poverty do not attract the sympathies of those
in positions of institutional power and influence.
Canada has a Charter of Rights and
Freedoms and laws that can be used to promote the
health, well-being, and safety of marginalized persons
as well as challenge the causes of marginalization.
Laws that enable or support marginalization
can be framed in conflict with more fundamental principles
within our legal system, and if challenged aggressively,
the legal manifestations of prejudiced and unfair social
attitudes can be overturned. The last 100 years have
seen major strides in challenging discriminatory laws
for women, racial minorities, gay and lesbian people,
and disabled people.
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However,
due to their poverty and lack of integration, the situation
of society’s most impoverished and disenfranchised
groups has seen little change.
Although legal remedies for marginalization
exist, the laws protecting rights and entitlements make
many assumptions about the functionality, knowledge,
and resources of those requiring protection.
In reality, marginalized people are poorly
integrated into the structures of mainstream society
and rarely in a position to effectively participate
in the formal processes necessary to challenge those
structures.
Without financial resources, and without
a means to strategically and effectively advocate on
their own behalf before government and the courts, marginalized
persons often cannot obtain the benefits of the socially
progressive developments in the law enacted during the
last century.
Traditional approach not enough
Politicians and legislators have the greatest
power over the lives of marginalized people, through
setting economic and social priorities. Unfortunately,
there is little mainstream political capital in challenging
the widely held social attitudes that create the conditions
for marginalization.
Even the political left, traditionally
focused on the interests of the working poor, often
overlooks or ignores the concerns of marginalized persons.
Service organizations such as food banks and temporary
shelters are critical in protecting marginalized people
from the worst impacts of poverty.
However, such organizations, while invaluable,
address the symptoms rather than the causes of marginalization.
Untreated mental and physical illness, social isolation,
drug addiction, and sexual exploitation remain prevalent.
Although the charitable service model
has been the traditional way of addressing poverty and
hardship in North America, in its long history it has
failed to effectively challenge the systemic institutional
causes of marginalization.
Continued...
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