Page 208 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | Canadian and World Studies

Grade 12, University Preparation
THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | Canadian and World Studies
provide any benefits to trade relations between countries?” “How does the arrival of immigrants from other countries affect the culture of the country that receives them?” “Why might countries such as Denmark, Japan, and Germany have tight restrictions on immigration while other countries such as Sweden, Canada, and the United Kingdom have more open policies?” “For what reasons might people seek refugee status? What types of situations does the International Rescue Committee [IRC] become involved in?” “Why do countries regularly review their limits on different types of immigration? Why has Canada imposed limits on different immigration categories
over the years? Which of Canada’s current immigration categories do you predict will become more contentious as a result of globalization?”
D2. Impacts and Management
FOCUS ON: Spatial Significance; Geographic Perspective
By the end of this course, students will:
D2.1 analyse issues relating to the impacts of globalization on economic and social conditions in both developing and developed countries and on the environment (e.g., outsourcing of manufacturing and services to low-wage countries; loss of manufacturing jobs in high-wage countries; increased pollution in low-wage countries; illegal immigration; exploitation of migrant workers; increased greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation of people and goods; increased risk of damage to local ecosystems from invasive plant, animal, and insect species; increased risk of global pandemics)
Sample questions: “How does the outsourcing of manufacturing to low-wage countries benefit people in those countries? Who benefits in high- wage countries?” “How are labour conditions in low-wage countries affected by the desire
to produce goods at the lowest possible cost?” “What goods do we no longer produce in Canada? What factors, besides globalization, might be contributing to the decline of manu- facturing in Canada?” “Which sectors of the Canadian economy have benefited from globalization?” “What is the pollution haven hypothesis? What evidence is there for it and against it?” “What kinds of toxic wastes are exported to developing countries? Why?”
Using spatial skills: Students can use flow maps to show the sources and destinations of various types of waste (e.g., e-waste and other
toxic waste, landfill material). Students can then layer socio-economic data such as number of televisions or cellphones, number of doctors, caloric intake, and GDP per capita to determine correlations between standards of living and waste flows. The maps can be used to support a discussion of ethical questions relating to waste exports.
D2.2 analyse the impacts of globalization on indi- vidual countries and on the interrelationships between countries (e.g., increased interdependence of countries, internationalization of local conflicts)
Sample questions: “How does our consumerism contribute to our interdependence with devel- oping economies?” “What are conflict minerals? How has the international demand for these contributed to civil wars in Africa?” “How
do global black markets aid the financing of terrorism?” “Has globalization made wars between countries more likely, or less?”
D2.3 assess the responsibility of consumers for moderating economic, social, and environmental impacts associated with globalization, and describe ways in which this could be done
(e.g., informing themselves about how products are made and disposed of, buying fair-trade products, boycotting products made through exploitive
practices, raising awareness of labour and environ- mental issues in developing countries, supporting NGOs that are active in promoting workers’ rights and environmental protection in producing countries)
Sample questions: “Should consumers be concerned about how the products they buy are made? Would you be willing to pay more for products that have not been produced in sweatshops?” “How can you find out where products are made and whether manufacturers follow acceptable labour and environmental practices?” “What are some examples of fair-trade products? How does fair-trade certification protect small producers in devel- oping countries?” “How can you influence labour standards in other countries through your purchases? How can you support Canadian businesses through your purchases?”
D2.4 assess the responsibilities of governments and businesses for managing economic, en- vironmental, and social impacts associated with globalization, and describe ways in which this could be done (e.g., through national laws regard- ing foreign operations of domestic companies, international organizations such as the International Labour Organization, international agreements such as the Basel Convention, voluntary business initiatives such as implementing codes of conduct requiring foreign suppliers to meet more stringent
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