Page 521 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | Canadian and World Studies

common good (e.g., respect for others, perseverance, capacity for empathy, willingness to lead or take initiative, collaborative skills, oral communication skills, organizational skills)
Sample questions: “In what ways do you believe you demonstrate the attributes of a responsible citizen? In what areas do you think you could improve?” “Do you believe that your approach/ attitude enables you to address this political issue in a constructive way?” “How might your peers help you with a personal growth plan that might enhance the qualities needed for responsible citizenship?”
B1.5 explain, with reference to the perspectives of bystanders and upstanders, why people choose to take action on, or not get involved in, political issues (e.g., bystanders may be apathetic or fearful, may feel powerless, or may not feel strongly about the issue at hand; upstanders may be highly motivated by their sense of justice and concern for others or may be personally affected by the issue), and analyse possible consequences of both stands
Sample questions: “What arguments can be made in favour of intervention by private citizens in cases of perceived wrongdoing? What arguments can be made against such intervention?” “Why do Canadians respond quickly to sudden disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis but less reliably to long-term disasters such as famine and drought or long- term challenges such as climate change? What are some of the consequences of these patterns?” “Why might Canadians be more generous
with international communities in need than with those living in poverty within their own borders?”
B2. Issues of Political Importance
FOCUS ON: Political Significance; Political Perspective
By the end of this course, students will:
B2.1 explain the political importance of some current local, national, and/or global issues (e.g., issues related to bullying in schools and/or cyberbullying, public transit, food security, substandard housing in some First Nations communities, water and/or energy conservation, disaster relief and/or development aid, working conditions in sweatshops, child soldiers, human rights abuses, climate change, the AIDS pandemic, violence against women, social and/or economic inequality)
Sample questions: “Why are some issues politically important while others tend to be ignored? What are some factors that have increased the profile of certain issues and
contributed to their political importance?” “Why has cyberbullying become a political issue?” “Why might evidence of increasing use of food banks in Canadian communities contribute to the political importance of the issue of poverty in Canada?” “How and why has the question of where clothing is made, and the working conditions of those making it, become a political issue?”
B2.2 identify criteria that could be used to rank issues in order of their political priority (e.g., the number of people affected; how long people have been waiting for a solution; whether the issue involves basic human needs; whether human rights are being violated; having the means and/or authority to respond; the social, economic,
and/or environmental impact of an issue)
Sample questions: “Which criteria do you think should be given the most emphasis when ranking issues?” “Is the political priority given an issue always an accurate reflection of the issue’s actual importance?” “In what ways might the relative power of the people affected by or concerned with an issue affect its political priority?”
B2.3 analyse the positions of different stakeholders concerned with some issues of political import- ance (e.g., those directly affected, upstanders or advocates, bystanders, non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations, governments, business)
Sample questions: “What concerns might different individuals and groups have about the location of a half-way house?” “Why would people choose to cooperate with or not get involved in a police investigation?” “Why might a municipal government or band council have a different position than a provincial government on a transportation plan?” “What are some arguments made by different groups in response to proposals to raise or lower taxes?” “Why might First Nations people and cottagers take different positions on water conservation or protection?”
B3. Causes, Impact, and Solutions
FOCUS ON: Objectives and Results; Stability and Change
By the end of this course, students will:
B3.1 analyse the causes of some issues of political importance and how an understanding of these causes can affect the action taken to address the issues
Sample questions: “How have factors such as gender inequality, poverty, global apathy, lack
FOUNDATIONS OF POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT
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Politics in Action: Making Change
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