scholarly journals The viability of pronatalism as a response to population growth decline in the Canadian context

Author(s):  
Katharine Emma Blair

A decrease in fertility over the last thirty years has led to projections for population growth decline and possible population decline in the near future. Although immigration has traditionally been seen as a source of growth for Canada, current demographic trends suggest a more comprehensive approach may be needed. A pronatalist policy may help offset the long term effects of population decline if used in tandem with increased immigration and increased support for arriving immigrants. In order to be successful such a policy would need to address both the direct and indirect barriers to fertility as experienced by women and families while encouraging increased labour force participation by women.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharine Emma Blair

A decrease in fertility over the last thirty years has led to projections for population growth decline and possible population decline in the near future. Although immigration has traditionally been seen as a source of growth for Canada, current demographic trends suggest a more comprehensive approach may be needed. A pronatalist policy may help offset the long term effects of population decline if used in tandem with increased immigration and increased support for arriving immigrants. In order to be successful such a policy would need to address both the direct and indirect barriers to fertility as experienced by women and families while encouraging increased labour force participation by women.


2006 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Ibbott ◽  
Don Kerr ◽  
Roderic Beaujot

ABSTRACTThe future of mandatory retirement is at least partly driven by changing demographics. In Canada, these demographics include slowing population growth, rapid aging, declining rates of labour force participation, and slowing labour force growth. After reviewing the demographic trends and considering alternate scenarios in labour force participation, we consider the determinants of early departures from the labour force and suggest scenarios that might reverse these trends. With a decline in labour force entrants, delays in early life transitions, and possible reductions in retirement benefits, a trend to retire later would bring mandatory retirement into question.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 172477 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dailos Hernández-Brito ◽  
Martina Carrete ◽  
Carlos Ibáñez ◽  
Javier Juste ◽  
José L. Tella

The identification of effects of invasive species is challenging owing to their multifaceted impacts on native biota. Negative impacts are most often reflected in individual fitness rather than in population dynamics of native species and are less expected in low-biodiversity habitats, such as urban environments. We report the long-term effects of invasive rose-ringed parakeets on the largest known population of a threatened bat species, the greater noctule, located in an urban park. Both species share preferences for the same tree cavities for breeding. While the number of parakeet nests increased by a factor of 20 in 14 years, the number of trees occupied by noctules declined by 81%. Parakeets occupied most cavities previously used by noctules, and spatial analyses showed that noctules tried to avoid cavities close to parakeets. Parakeets were highly aggressive towards noctules, trying to occupy their cavities, often resulting in noctule death. This led to a dramatic population decline, but also an unusual aggregation of the occupied trees, probably disrupting the complex social behaviour of this bat species. These results indicate a strong impact through site displacement and killing of competitors, and highlight the need for long-term research to identify unexpected impacts that would otherwise be overlooked.


2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
TAMARA M. WONG ◽  
TAMARA TICKTIN

SUMMARYDemographic comparisons between wild and restored populations of at-risk plant species can reveal key management strategies for effective conservation, but few such studies exist. This paper evaluates the potential restoration success ofAlyxia stellata, a Hawaiian vine. Stage-structured matrix projection models that compared long-term and transient dynamics of wild versus restoredA. stellatapopulations, and restored populations under different levels of canopy cover, were built from demographic data collected over a four year period. Stochastic models of wild populations projected stable or slightly declining long-term growth rates depending on frequency of dry years. Projected long-term population growth rates of restored populations were significantly higher in closed than open canopy conditions, but indicated population decline under both conditions. Life table response experiments illustrated that lower survival rates, especially of small adults and juveniles, contributed to diminished population growth rates in restored populations. Transient analyses for restored populations projected short-term decline occurring even faster than predicted by asymptotic dynamics. Restored populations will not be viable over the long term under conditions commonly found in restoration projects and interventions will likely be necessary. This study illustrates how the combination of long-term population modelling and transient analyses can be effective in providing relevant information for plant demographers and restoration practitioners to promote self-sustaining native populations, including under future climates.


Author(s):  
David Paterson ◽  
Simon Brown

This paper examines labour force participation trends in New Zealand, how we compare to the rest of the OECD and how participation and economic growth might be affected in the future by population ageing. Participation has risen significantly over the past 20 years despite an increase in the average age of the working­age population. We have looked at how participation has changed by age, gender and ethnicity. By contrast, average hours worked has declined over the past 20 years and we consider the reasons for that. Population ageing means the recent growth seen in labour force participation is likely to come to an end, with the participation rate projected to decline over the medium term. Falling participation will have a dampening effect on economic growth. We have investigated the impact of declining participation on gross domestic product using official labour force projections and identified a range of scenarios for what participation might look like in the year 2029. In each scenario, we discuss the impact on economic growth. Most other OECD countries are in a similar situation to us with respect to population ageing. We have looked at the latest Australian projections for economic growth in the long term and the increased growth in New Zealand’s productivity that would be necessary to begin to close the gap on Australia.


2021 ◽  
pp. 444-470
Author(s):  
Daniel J. Gammons ◽  
Jeffrey L. Davis ◽  
David W. German ◽  
Kristin Denryter ◽  
John D. Wehausen ◽  
...  

Translocation of animals into formerly occupied habitat is a key element of the recovery plan for Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis sierrae), which are state (California) and federally listed as endangered. However, implementing Sierra bighorn translocations is a significant conservation challenge because of the small size of the extant population and the limited number of herds available to donate translocation stock. One such herd, the Mt. Langley herd, recently became unusable as a translocation source following a substantial population decline. At the time of listing in 1999, predation by mountain lions (Puma concolor; hereafter lion) was considered a primary threat to Sierra bighorn, and since then lion predation may have continued to limit the ability of source herds to provide translocation stock. We evaluated the relationship between lion predation and ewe survival rates within three source herds of the Southern Recovery Unit, compared lion abundance and ewe survival among years of varying predation levels, provided a range of estimated times for the Mt. Langley herd to recover to its former status as a translocation source, and determined if the rates lions have been removed to mitigate Sierra bighorn predation exceeded sustainable harvest guidelines. We found compelling evidence that lion predation has impeded the recovery of Sierra bighorn by reducing survival rates of adult ewes (and consequently, population growth) and by preying upon individuals that could have otherwise been translocated. Ewe survival was poor during years of extreme predation but even during years of typical predation, survival rates were below a level needed to ensure population growth, indicating that years with little or no lion predation may be necessary for the population to grow and meet recovery goals. Because the intensity of predation was related to lion abundance, monitoring lion populations could provide managers with advance warning of periods of extreme predation. We found that following a period of particularly extreme predation, the Mt. Langley herd decreased in abundance far below the threshold needed to be considered a source of translocation stock, resulting in the loss of approximately 25% of the recovery program’s capacity for translocations. It is unclear how many years it will take for this herd to recover, but management actions to reduce lion predation are likely needed for this herd to grow to a size that can afford to donate individuals to translocation efforts in the near future, even when optimistic growth rates are assumed. We found that lion removal may also be needed to prevent predation from leading to Sierra bighorn population decline. Lion removal rates that have been implemented thus far are well below what would be needed to reduce the abundance the eastern Sierra lion population itself. We recommend continued monitoring of Sierra bighorn and sympatric lions and note that lion removal may be required to facilitate bighorn recovery for the foreseeable future.


Author(s):  
Giovanni Razzu

Although the movement towards gender equality in the labour market has slowed in recent decades, a long-term view over the 20th century shows the significant narrowing of the gender employment gap in the UK, a result of the increases in women’s labour force participation and employment combined with falling attachment to the labour force among men. It is too early to assess with precision the extent to which these patterns will be affected by the Covid-19 pandemic but emerging evidence and informed speculation do suggest that there will be important distributional consequences. Various studies, produced at an unprecedented rate, are pointing out that the effects of Covid-19 are not felt equally across the population; on the contrary labour market inequalities appear to be growing in some dimensions and there are reasons to believe that they will grow more substantially in the medium term.


2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simplice A. Asongu

Purpose – The generation is witnessing the greatest demographic transition and Africa is at the heart of it. There is mounting concern over corresponding rising unemployment and depleting per capita income. The purpose of this paper is to examine the issues from a long-run perspective by assessing the relationships between population growth and a plethora of investment dynamics: public, private, foreign and domestic investments. Design/methodology/approach – Vector autoregressive models in the perspectives of vector error correction and short-run Granger causality are used. Findings – In the long-run population growth will: first, decrease foreign and public investments in Ivory Coast; second, increase public and private investments in Swaziland; three, deplete public investment but augment domestic investment in Zambia; fourth diminish private investment and improve domestic investment in the Congo Republic and Sudan, respectively. Practical implications – Mainstream positive linkage of population growth to investment growth in the long-term should be treated with extreme caution. Policy orientation should not be blanket, but contingent on country-specific trends and tailored differently across countries. The findings stress the need for the creation of a conducive investment climate (and ease of doing business) for private and foreign investments. Family planning and birth control policies could also be considered in countries with little future investment avenues. Originality/value – The objective of this study is to provide policy makers with some insights on how future investment opportunities could help manage rising population growth and corresponding unemployment.


2005 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 335-357 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea M.L. Perrella

Abstract. Canadian voting behaviour from 1979 to 2000 is examined by relating long-term economic changes to support for “non-mainstream” parties, defined as parties other than the Liberals or Progressive Conservatives. This long-term perspective is unique, in that standard economic voting research focuses mostly on how short-term economic changes affect support levels for the incumbent. In order to illustrate the effects of long-term economic decline, federal voting results are related with short- and long-term economic data, namely unemployment and labour-force participation rates, all aggregated at the provincial level. The pooled data produces results that confirm the relevance of short-term changes to explain support for the incumbent party, while support for non-mainstream parties is, instead, explained by long-term economic changes.Résumé. Cet article examine le comportement électoral des Canadiens de 1979 à 2000 en reliant les changements économiques à long terme à l'appui accordé aux partis “ non dominants ”, à savoir les partis autres que les libéraux et les conservateurs. Cette perspective à long terme est unique en son genre car les recherches standard sur le vote économique étudient surtout le retentissement des changements économiques à court terme sur l'appui au parti sortant. Pour illustrer les effets du déclin économique à long terme, nous avons relié les résultats des élections fédérales aux données économiques à court et à long terme, notamment les taux de chômage et de participation de la population active, calculés à l'échelon provincial. Les données agrégées donnent des résultats qui confirment la pertinence des changements à court terme pour expliquer l'appui au parti sortant, tandis que le soutien aux partis “ non dominants ” s'explique au contraire par les changements économiques à long terme.


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