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Review the Foundations feature on regional disparity in this chapter. List the factors that contributed to regional disparity in Canadian per capita income during the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. Then, using current Statistics Canada data, compare past and present per capita income in Canadian regions. Hold a forum on the likely causes for the similarities and differences between the two sets of statistics.

Some regions of Canada benefited more than others from the economic boom following World War II. Then, as now, the economic health of individual Canadians largely depended on where they lived in this vast country.

In this activity, you will compare past and present per capita income in the regions of Canada. Then you will investigate some of the reasons for regional disparity. Finally, you will bring your research findings and questions to a class forum on this important issue.

Use the following process for this activity:

1. Work with a partner to create a table showing per capita income in the provinces of Canada for 1950, 1962, and 1995. Use Figure 8-7 on page 215 of Canada: Our Century, Our Story as your model, and pick up the percentages for 1950 and 1962 from there.
   
   To obtain the percentages for 1995 (data from the 1996 census), go to Selected income statistics for individuals, families, and households, 1991 and 1996 Censuses at the Statistics Canada website. Keep in mind that you are only interested in the 1995 data. Write down the "Average income" for Canada and for each of the provinces. (Note that you can submit requests for the data on the different provinces on this page.) Since the numbers are in dollars rather than percentages, you will need to calculate the average income percentages for each of the provinces. Then add these percentages to your table.
   
   
2. To see at a glance what differences there are and what comparisons you might make, use the data in your table to create a bar graph for the per capita income in Canadian provinces.
   
   
3. Keep your bar chart at hand, and carefully reread Foundations: What Is Regional Disparity? on page 215 of Canada: Our Century, Our Story. List the factors that contributed to regional disparity in Canada during the postwar period.
   
   
4. Work with a partner to turn your list of factors into questions. You will use these questions as the basis of your research into regional disparity in Canada, so be sure they will work well as research questions.
   
   
5. Choose one region of Canada as the focus of your research into regional disparity. Then select two of the questions you prepared in Step 4 and research how those factors contributed to regional disparity in your selected region. Remember that regional disparity works two ways: your region may be positively or negatively affected by it. For your research, use Canada: Our Century, Our Story (see the index to find appropriate topics) and the websites recommended for this activity.
   
   
6. As you research, prepare for your presentation to the class forum on regional diversity in Canada. A forum is a place of meeting for public discussion. In the forum for this activity, you will present your findings and explain how they relate to regional disparity in Canada. You will also want to prepare some questions regarding the importance of your selected factors in other regions of Canada.

During the decades following World War II, a healthy Canadian economy and US production caused a growth in Canadians' consumption of manufactured goods. How did US advertising help create this market? What effect did such advertising have on Canadian culture? Using Internet archival sources, prepare an illustrated report.

While advertising creates a market for consumer goods, it may also change the culture of its target audience. Culture reflects people's beliefs about what is good and bad, about which behaviours are acceptable and admirable and which are not. Advertising and marketing manipulate these beliefs and the fears and hopes of various groups of people.