- Young people that feel connected, valued, and engaged are less likely
to become involved in risky behaviours and are more likely to be resilient
and be involved in their communities (McCreary Adolescent Health Survey,
2008).
- In Canada, it is legal for parents and teachers to assault children
in the name of correction (Repeal 43 Committee, 2007).
- In 2003 the Government of BC amended the Employment Standards Act,
eliminating the requirement for employers to obtain a permit to employ
children between the ages of 12 and 14. This caused the removal the role
of the Employment Standards Branch in pre-determining the suitability
of a work site for a child employee in that age group. Since 2005, the
number of accepted work-related injury claims for children aged 12 to
14 has been steadily climbing (First Call, What’s Happening to Our
Children).
- Since the new law came into force in 2004, BC is the only province
that does not place legislative or regulatory restrictions on occupations,
tasks or time of day a child can work. Even though the new law requires
parents consent for their children to work, 58.3% of 12 to 14 year olds
with jobs report that their employers did not receive written consent
(First Call, What’s Happening to Our Children).
- The infant mortality rate and injury deaths of Aboriginal children in
Canada rank among developing nations (Canadian Council on Social Development,
2006).
- Fewer than 50% of students always feel safe at school (McCreary Adolescent
Healthy Survey III, 2003).
- Internet safety is an emerging issue, especially for girls. Females
were three times more likely than males to have had contact with a stranger
on the Internet who made them feel unsafe (18% vs. 6%) (McCreary Adolescent
Health Survey, 2008).
- The most commonly cited reason for discrimination among BC youth is
physical appearance (18% of youth), followed by race/skin color (12%),
and sexual orientation (4-5%) (McCreary Adolescent Health Survey, 2008).
- Childhood overweight/obesity rates in Canada went up 15% between 1978
and 2004 to a high of 26%. On reserves, 55% of first nations children
are overweight or obese; whereas off reserve, 41% of first nations children
are overweight or obese (Standing Committee for Health, 2007). Canada
also ranks poorly internationally, having the 2nd highest rate of overweight
youth of 21 OECD countries surveyed (Innocenti Report Card 7, 2007).
- Canada ranked 21st out of 25 OECD countries for childhood mortality
(Innocenti Report Card 7, 2007).
- Only 17% of mothers in Canada breastfeed their babies exclusively for
a full 6 months, which is recommended by the World Health Organization
(Canadian Council on Social Development, 2006).
