Why the U.S. and Canada Have Different Rates of BirthIt is intriguing that the U.S. and Canada, so similar in many ways, differ so much in regard to their respective birth rates. Some reasons for the difference include the fact that marriage happens earlier and is more common in the U.S. than here. There is also evidence that Canadians have more difficulty entering the job market, and may, as a result, postpone starting a family. Another key factor may be that there has been traditionally a higher birth rate among Hispanics and blacks. Another factor is that young Canadian women are using the pill more widely than are American women, perhaps due to our medical health system and its universal access, which makes birth control readily available. Further, religion plays a role in family size. Proportionately, twice as many Americans as Canadians regularly attend church. About 40% of Americans report weekly worship, and many religious groups, such as Roman Catholic, Mormon and Evangelical Protestant, encourage and welcome the birth of children.Also, Canadians pay nearly double the taxes that Americans pay. Canadian couples as a result have little discretionary income left to raise a family. The U.S. Government, on the other hand, offers very generous tax benefits to families. Every person in a U.S. household, regardless of age, receives a $2,600 tax exemption. When calculating tax, families in the U.S. with children under 16, with an annual income below $100,000, receive a $600-per-child reduction of their taxes.In short, if Canadians have fewer children, it is partly because the Canadian government encourages this by a tax system that provides tax advantages to parents in the workplace but not to a parent at home. Also, the government seems to have little concern about the financial sacrifices made by parents raising children, as reflected in its decision to continually decrease reductions allowable for wives and childrenIf it's at all concerned about Canada's future, our government should re-examine its priorities and begin to provide policies that are family-friendly.http://www.realwomenca.com/archives/newsletter/2003_nov_dec/article_6.html