For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Facultp of Social Work University of Toronto
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SE2iWA.L REGULATION AND ONTARIO SOCIAL POLICIES IN THE 1990s Carol-Anne O'Brien A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Facultp of Social Work University of Toronto Copyright @ 1998 by Carol-Anne O'Brien Bibliothèque nationale du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services seMces bibliographiques 395 Wdington Street 395, rue Wellington OtEawaON KlAW Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Lïbracy of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distriiute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de rnicrofichelnlm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copy~&I~tin this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. ABSTRACT Carol-Anne O'Brien Faculty of Social Work University of Toronto Sexual Regulation and Ontario Social Policies in the 1990s This thesis analyzes sexual regulation undex the Ontario Conservativesl Conmon Sense Revolution and compares these developments with what took place under the previous NDP government. Mainstream social policy scholarship has ignored sexuality. However, it is not possible to detenuine how sexuality is regulated by social policies at an abstract Level, nos is it useful to argue that a policy is "reallyw about sexual regulation. By analyzing four specific sites linked to provincial social policies, 1 found different strategies of sexual regulation. Strategies for governing welfare recipients have shifted from problematizing poverty to problematizing welfare dependency. State-induced dependency is constituted as a moral failing, but "traditional forms of supportw are promoted, such as economic dependency within heterosexual relations and of youth upon their parents. An analysis of strategies for governing homeless youth shows ii that "street youth" were invented as a category in the 19708, a historp closelp linked to sexual regulation. Sovereign power is now being overshadared by neo-liberal approaches which constitute youth as self-governing. The governing of spousal relationships is a more direct form of sexual regulation. Official recognition of lesbian and gay relationships intensifies class differencas and may introduce enforced dependence into same-se* relationships. ~ecognitionwill integrate gay couples into the responsibilizing strategies undermining social approaches to welfare, and is more likelp to be granted when it will financially benefit the state. Moral and sexual regulation, deployed through stigma, play an important role in AIDS policy. There have been few differences between the NDP and PC governments on treatment issues, due to the NDP' s fiscal conservatism in their final pears in office, and to the ways AIDS and sexuality cross the boudaries of class, allowing AIDS activists to exercise some influence on policy. Yet PC cutbacks to social services have seriously affected lm-income people with HIv/AIDS. iii 1 have discovered that completing a dissertation is net possible without financial, research, intellectual and emotional support from an incredible arrap of individuals and organizations. My comments below cannot fully convey how appreciative 1 feel of the ways sa manp people helped me. My thanks go firstlp to the people of Canada who made my work possible through extensive public funding and tax erpenditures to the University of Toronto, and who also provided me with personal direct financial support through fout years of doctoral fellawships from the Social Sciences and Humaaities ~esearch~ouncil of Canada. 1 would like to thank the kep informants from various organizations and agencies who generouslp allowed me to interview them and draw on their knowledge and expertise. ~hanksalso to Carolyn Heald, of the Archives of Ontario and Mark Robertson, of the libraq of the AIDS Cdttee of Toronto. For kindlp providing me with access to agencjl documents and other sesearch material and for suggesting interviewees, f am grateful to: Joan Anderson and Darien Taylor of the AIDS Cornmittee of Toronto, B. Lee and Th McCaskell of AIDS ~ctionNowl, Elinor Mahoney of Parkdale Community Legal Services, John McCullagh of the Children's id Society of Metropolitan Toronto, Ian Morrison of the Clinic Resource Office of the Ontario Legal Aid Plan, Sheena Scott of ~usticefot Children and Pouth, Doug Weatherbee, the staff of Covenant House, YouthLink and Inner City Pouth, and the Coalition for Services for Lesbian and Gay Youth. 1 am very gratefui to my advisor, Sheila ~eysmithwho has been a constant source of support and guidance over the past four years. My committee members have also been invaluable to my work. Although 1 was not a student of the Centre of Criminologp, Mariana Valverde offered me challenging critiques as well as strong encouragement. 1 am very grateful to Adrienne Chambon and Allan Irving for taking such a keen interest in my work. Thanks also to m]l interna1 examiner, Eniie Lightman, and my external examiner, Roy Cain, for their helpful critiques. Two studp groups played an important tole in my work over the past four years, offering me personal support and critical feedback. In the Facultp of Social Work, 1 am really grateful to people who were members of the ~orothy Livesay Collective at different times, Donna Baines, Shari Brotman, Catrina Brown, Xiao- Bei Chen, Suzanne Dudziak, Susan McGrath, Jane McMichael, Ken Moffatt, Shoshana Pollack, and Frank Wang. 1 am also vetp happy to thank the members of Matiana Valverde's study group: Aiinette ~ickford,Kelly Hannah-Eioffatt, Jaaice Hill, Lucy Luccisano, Paula Maurutto, and Jacinth Samuels. A verp special thank you to my parents, Dolores and Patrick O'Brien, who have ben verp supportive of mp studies over many many years. Thanks to my sister Jane, and my brothers, Laurence and Allister for giving me lots of encouragement. 1 could not have made it through writing the thesis and other struggles of the past four years without nty wonderful friends and the Lesbiaa and gay connnunities that sustain many of us. In particular, Eric Mykhalovskiy, Maggi Redmonds, Norah Richards, Robb Travers, and Cynthia Wright were incredibly generous with ideas and support. Thank you to: Rachel Epstein, Lois Fine, Stephen Gelb, Nicole Laviolette, Bev Lepischak, John Lorley, Linzi Manicorn, Maureen McCarthy, Ki Namaste, Dino Paoletti, Maureen Simpkins, Tori Smith, Carolpn Strange, and Aana Travers. 1 would also like to remember the support and inspiration offered to me &y the late George Smith, whose death from AIDS was such a loss to AIDS activists and lesbian and gay politics in Toronto. Lorna Weit was immenselp encouraging about my work through many pears, and 1 reallp appreciate how, in the last few months of writing, het financial generosity made it possible for me to complete this thesis. As 1 finished the thesis, 1 embarked on some exciting new adventures that helped me to petsevere thtough the last stretch. In Ireland, thanks to old and new friends, especially, Kay Ferriter, Celine Leonard, Kieran Rose, Eoin Collins and others at Nexus Research, and Kathy and Mick O'Connor. In Toronto, the last months of writing and preparation for the defense were transformed by the love and fun that Nina Mosion has brought into my life. 'Jlhank pou. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Acknowledgements Chapter 1 Introduction Social Policy and Serualitp Theoretical ~ramework The Research Process Outline of Chaptets Endnotes Chapter 2 Welfare, Seruality and Strategies for Governing Poverty 1. Dependencp as a Problem and a Solution A. The Problem of State-Induced Dependency B. Dependency as a Solution 1. Recipients in Heterosexual ~elationships 2. Teenage Welfare Recipients 11. From the Problem of Pooertp to the Problem of Dependency Governing Heterosexual Relationships Governing Youth through Dependencp on Parents Conclusion Endnotes Chapter 3 fnventing Street Pouth: From Protecting 'Easy Victims" t0 Teaching Risk Reduction 106 Development of Services for "Street Youth" 108 A New Consensus on Street Youth 125 Governing Agencies Conclusion Endnotes Chapter 4 Governing "Pamilyn and "Spousalm Relationships The Failure of Bill 167 The Success of Health Care Legislation Contradictions of the Commoa Sense Revolution Shifting Intersections Between Class and Sexualitp Conclusion Endnotes Chapter 5 Social, Medical and Moral Constructions of AIDS 196 AIDS Policies under the NDP 197 Anonpmous HIV Testing 198 Developing the Provincial Govemment's Response 199 Funding for AIDS Treatments 205 Political Discourses about AIDS 213 Contradictory Policies under the Common Sense Revolution222 Revising the Provincial AIDS Strate- 231 Conclusion 234 Endnotes 236 Chapter 6 Conclusions Endnotes Appendices 1. Information Sheet II. Consent Form III. Interview Guide Primary Sources 268 Secondary Sources 277 vii Chapter 1 Introduction The field of social policy' has been centrally concerned with state welfare programs , unemployment , housing, and other issues which are constituted as being within "the socialvw, vrpO1iticswv and "the economyw.