Canada's patchwork policy: Family policy in the Canadian context

Abstract

Contemporary Canadian society reflects the same demographic trends found in other western countries: families are smaller, older, and more diverse than ever before. Canada has had family policies since Confederation in 1867, yet it does not have a coordinated national family policy. Key factors that influence Canadian family policy include a decentralized political structure with two levels of government (federal/provincial), a bijural legal system (common law/civil code), and a recent ideological shift (welfare state/neoliberalism). To analyze Canadian family policy, we introduce a twodimensional framework (i.e., three types of family policy by five family functions), citing examples of each. Given Canada's aging population, we explicitly use a lifespan development perspective as we examine policy with respect to family formation, family maintenance (younger families), family maintenance (older families), family dissolution, and family succession. We discuss the role of assessment and evaluation in family policy development and implementation and conclude with recommendations for policy makers and researchers alike.