Page 144 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | Canadian and World Studies

Grade 11, University/College Preparation
THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | Canadian and World Studies
D3. Economic Development
FOCUS ON: Spatial Significance; Interrelationships
By the end of this course, students will:
D3.1 analyse how various factors affect economic development in the region (e.g., richness and accessibility of natural resources; level of infra- structure and technology; availability of an educated, skilled workforce; access to markets; subsidies or tariffs, whether within the region
or among its trade partners; historical trade and development patterns; legacy of colonialism; political policies; political and social stability)
Sample questions: “How great an impact
has government policy had on the economic development of this region?” “What barriers to economic development exist in this region?” “If there are significant differences in the level of economic development among countries in this region, how would you account for these differences?”
D3.2 describe the main types of industry in the region (e.g., manufacturing, agriculture and food processing, resource extraction and processing, tourism, service industries, energy generation, knowledge-based industries, high-tech industries), and assess their impact
Sample questions: “Which type of industry employs the greatest number of people in the region? Who benefits most from the products of this industry?” “Which type of industry makes the greatest contribution to the GDP
of countries in this region?” “How would you characterize agriculture in this region? Is it dominated by monoculture and multinational agribusiness corporations, or does it tend to be smaller in scale?” “Do manufacturing jobs in this region tend to be well-paid, unionized jobs, poorly paid jobs in sweatshops, or something in between?” “What impact does industry have on the environment in this region?” “How would you gather evidence on the positive and negative impacts of industrial activity on people in the region?”
Using spatial skills: Students can analyse statistics to predict the future of a natural resource–based industry in the region (e.g., mining, water, agriculture, energy) and can construct a line graph that shows change over time.
D3.3 explain the relationship between the distri- bution of natural resources in the region and their development (e.g., the amount of a resource that is available and the ease with which it can be
accessed, extracted, and transported; the relative remoteness or inaccessibility of the area in which resources are located; political disputes over land and/or ownership of resources; the environmental sensitivity of the land where the resources are)
Sample questions: “What natural resources in this region are economically viable? Are there resources in the region that have not been developed? If so, why? Are there resources
in the region that can be sustainably managed? Is this being done?” “Who is responsible for funding infrastructure, such as roads, ports, and railways, that supports resource extraction?” “How does the natural environment, and its resources, affect the economic development
of countries within the selected region?”
D3.4 explain the benefits and disadvantages of the operations of multinational corporations [MNCs] in the region (e.g., with reference to creation of jobs, influence of MNCs on government policy, construction of infrastructure, resource depletion, violations of human rights, changes
in labour and/or environmental standards, funds from corporate taxes)
Sample questions: “Are there MNCs that are headquartered in this region? What are they and why are they located there? Are there MNCs that are headquartered elsewhere but have operations in this region? What is the difference between the two for the regional economy?” “How important are MNCs to the regional economy? Where might you find data on the proportion of the labour force that works for an MNC?” “Do MNCs regard environmental and labour regulations in this region as favour- able? Why or why not?” “Have factories owned or supported by MNCs in this region been the source of environmental disasters or labour violations? Have such events led governments to tighten lax labour/environmental protection laws? If not, why not?”
D3.5 analyse the advantages and disadvantages of foreign investment for this region, with reference, as appropriate, to countries that invest and those that attract investment
Sample questions: “Is this region a net source of or destination for foreign investment?” “Are there aspects of the economy of this region that owe their development to foreign investment? If so, what local socio-economic benefits have arisen from this investment?” “What impact might foreign control over a resource have on its rate of extraction?” “Why might a government legislate limits on foreign investment? Do any countries in this region have such legislation?
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