The Wealthy Banker's Wife: The Assault on Equality in Canada

by Linda McQuaig

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• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140230653
• ISBN13: 9780140230659
• Release Date: January 1993
• Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 1.0" x 1.0"

Customer Reviews

A Book Every Canadian Should Read

Linda McQuaig is simply one of Canada's finest journalists and writers on our country's persistant social problems. Her analysis of the neoconservative agenda to dismantle governmental involvement in social programs is both clear and articulate. The general point that McQuiag makes is that Canadians have been fed a bogus line by neoconservatives when it comes to the financial burden caused by the government's involvement in social programs. Drawing on examples from Europe, she argues that countries that spend considerably more of their GDP on social programs have lower crime and poverty rates, etc. and do not have larger deficits (since they have relatively high tax rates). Where the reverse is the truth, such as in the US and South Africa, what we find is a much more pronounced inequality between the rich and the poor. Canada, McQuaig claimed, was at the crossroads in 1993--either we could go the Europeans route, or adopt the American approach, which of course is what the neoconservatives would prefer. But why? Does it have to do with saving taxpayers money, improving services by allowing private corporations to operate day care centres or provide medical insurance? Nope. It all has to do with power, and the pathetic notion that the wealthy and elite have concerning those who are poor, disabled and unemployed--this is their lot in life, so why should we [the rich] have to pay their way? In essence, McQuaig exposes the true nature of Canadian society--which is very much contrary to the image that is presented to the rest of the world--and this discomforts many people, and downright irritates those who have much to lose from Canadian society becoming more equitable.

well-researched and provocative

A powerful book written in defense of the Canadian welfare state, "The Wealthy Bankerfs Wife" takes a critical look at the American social-welfare system and compares its counterpart in Europe - most notably the Scandinavian countries. In doing so, author Linda McQuaig reveals to readers the direction that Canadafs leaders are taking Canadafs social-welfare system in their quest to "re-define" Canadafs social-welfare programmes. In chapter after chapter, McQuaig shows that under the European model, family values have been maintained, families have been supported, children do not go hungry, children are educated. There is a support system purposely designed so that parents can stay at home to raise their children. In contrast,"The Wealthy Bankerfs Wife" shows that under the American model, purposeful, conscious social policy has been to destroy and attack family values in a country where extremely high rates of child poverty, malnutrition, child abuse and child violence are the rule rather than the exception. "The Europeans manage to maintain extensive social welfare systems and strong economies, while the Americans have convinced themselves that they canft afford anything more than the most minimal social programmes. Canada, which has traditionally been situated somewhere between the two models, has recently been drifting in the American direction. Before we drift any further we should remind ourselves that we do have a choice of directions, and that the direction we choose will ultimately determine what kind of society we live in." A well-researched, provocative book that provides the opportunity for much-needed debate concerning the future of Canadafs social-welfare system.