Deck 3: Canadian Employment Trends

Question 1

Changes over the past several decades in Canada's immigration trends can be best explained by which of the following?

A) Increased global geographic mobility due to economic crises in Europe.
B) The need for Canada to fill impending labour shortages.
C) A shift to flexible systems of production and more part-time, temporary jobs in Canada.
D) Much more "open" immigration policies in the United States.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which of the following jobs would be classified as being in the service industry?

A) Medical doctor working in a large hospital.
B) Tree-planter working for a forestry company.
C) Secretary working in a construction company head office.
D) Cook preparing meals for workers in a copper mine.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following statements is most accurate with respect to regional industrial variations in Canada?

A) Atlantic Canada employs more people in agriculture than in manufacturing.
B) Alberta has the highest percentage of natural resource-based workers in Canada.
C) Across all regions of Canada, the largest number of people work in retail trade.
D) Ontario has a larger primary sector than service sector.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Youth labour force participation rates declined significantly in the 1990s. Which of the following is the best explanation for this decline?

A) More young people enrolled in postsecondary education because of limited job prospects.
B) A stronger economy allowed parents to support their children financially for a longer period of time.
C) Larger proportions of young people found themselves underqualified for available jobs.
D) Young people were becoming lazier and more apathetic in this period.

Question 5

Which of the following would most likely be true about Sarah, an 18-year-old Canadian university student?

A) She is employed in the lower-tier services.
B) She is employed in the upper-tier services.
C) She is employed in the goods producing sector.
D) She is likely working full-time.

Question 6

Joshua works part-time serving burgers at a local restaurant while working his way through college. Which of the following best describes the type of occupation Joshua is employed in?

A) White-collar work.
B) Temporary work.
C) Pink-collar work.
D) Upper-tier service-sector work.

Question 7

Which of the following would most likely be true if you had entered the Canadian paid labour force in 1901 rather than 2011?

A) You would have been more likely to work in the service sector.
B) Your chances of becoming a manager would have been greater.
C) Your sister would have been more likely to be joining you in the paid labour force.
D) You probably would have found work in a smaller organization.

Question 8

Which of the following best describes recent labour force participation trends in Canada?

A) Unemployment rates for Aboriginal Canadians are similar to the rest of the population.
B) Labour force participation is equally distributed across age groups.
C) Labour force participation is equally distributed across regions.
D) Male labour force participation decreased in the 1990s.

Question 9

What are the two dimensions on which occupations are categorized in Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC) system?

A) Gender and industry.
B) Skill level and organization size.
C) Skill type and gender.
D) Skill type and skill level.

Question 10

Which of the following demographic shifts is having the biggest impact on the traditional "three-stage model of work life?"

A) People who have retired from one career taking up part-time employment in another line of work.
B) Young people working part-time while attending school.
C) Immigrants saving money to sponsor family members to follow them to Canada.
D) Women returning to the paid labour force after their children start school.

Question 11

Which of the following best describes changing gender differences in labour force participation (LFP) rates in Canada?

A) Female LFP has risen over time but still lags behind male LFP.
B) Men and women now have equal LFP rates.
C) Female LFP in Canada is lower than in most other industrialized countries.
D) Female LFP is now higher than male LFP.

Question 12

The staple theory of economic growth, developed by Harold Innis, can be best described by which of the following propositions?

A) Countries should develop one or two strategic resources for international trade.
B) The development of staple products helps support multiple sectors of the economy.
C) Regions or countries should develop staple products for domestic consumption.
D) Dependence on one resource or product for export can makes regions or countries vulnerable in world markets.

Question 13

Which of the following statements best characterizes occupational trends in Canada over the past 25 years?

A) Most service-sector workers are now employed in lower-tier service occupations.
B) Blue-collar occupations have declined since the mid-1980s.
C) Men and women are equally likely to work in blue-collar occupations.
D) Men are more likely than women to be employed in health-related occupations.

Question 14

Which of the following individuals would be excluded from the calculation of the labour force participation rate?

A) Jonathan, who is 45 years old and unemployed.
B) Mary, who is 70 years old and working part-time as a "greeter" at a large retail store.
C) Elliot, who is 14 years old and working part-time at Burger King.
D) Christine, who is 35 years old and self-employed as a daycare operator.

Question 15

Which of the following statements best exemplifies recent immigration trends in Canada?

A) Compared to the 1990s, most immigrants come to Canada from African countries.
B) The majority of immigrants now come from European countries.
C) Immigration from Asian countries is contributing to greater workplace diversity.
D) On average, immigrants are older than the Canadian population.

Question 16

Demographic studies in Canada highlight which of the following?

A) Visible minorities now make up half of the population.
B) Seniors (age 65 and older) now make up one-third of the population.
C) For the past 25 years, the majority of immigrants to Canada have come from Asia.
D) Canada's Aboriginal population is as large as the visible minority population.

Question 17

Which of the following is correct about the age distribution of Canada's population?

A) It has remained much the same for the past several decades.
B) Over one-third of Canadians today are age 65 and older.
C) The age profile of the working age population is not a good fit with the decision-making and authority structure of most work organizations.
D) Immigrants tend to be older than Canadian-born citizens.

Question 18

Which of the following statements most accurately describes educational attainment trends in the Canadian labour force?

A) In 2012, there were more male workers than female workers with a university degree.
B) In 1975, more than half of labour force participants had at least some postsecondary education.
C) In 2012, over half of labour force participants had a university degree.
D) In 1975, over half of labour force participants had a high-school education or less.

Question 19

Single industry communities in Canada are best characterized by which of the following generalizations?

A) They are highly attractive to recent immigrants.
B) They have a high risk of decline because of shifts in demand for natural resources.
C) Until the past decade, they were of very little importance to Canada's economy.
D) Compared to other Canadian urban centres, they offer many more employment opportunities for women.

Question 20

From which of the following sources are monthly unemployment rates obtained?

A) The national census.
B) The Labour Force Survey.
C) A monthly survey of employers, asking if they have had difficulty hiring workers.
D) The National Household Survey.

Question 21

In a few sentences, discuss how where you live in Canada impacts labour force participation rates as well as the types of jobs available (industry and occupation).

Question 22

Briefly discuss how Canada's industrial structure has changed over time. Which industries do you think will be most important to Canada in the 21st century? Why?

Question 23

Imagine you travelled 100 years back in time. What would the experience of work look like for an average Canadian male and female worker? Explain why it would presumably be so different.

Question 24

The demographics of the population indicate that Canada has an aging workforce. What will the workforce look like in 15 years? What are the implications of this trend for employers, workers, and the Canadian government?

Question 25

In a few sentences, outline the main demographic factors that shape the Canadian workforce and explain why they are important.

Question 26

In the past few decades, Canada has seen a dramatic expansion of the service sector. Describe this shift and discuss its implications for the distribution of occupations in Canada? How might an individual's age and gender impact labour force participation in the changing service sector?

Question 27

How do Canadian patterns of labour force participation vary by age, gender, and region? Briefly comment on explanations for these patterns.