In this third edition, which has been completely revised and updated, Andrew Armitage examines the development of Canada's extensive welfare state, the various ideological views of social policy, and the overwhelming contributions of liberal thought to social welfare in Canada.

Professor Armitage emphasizes that the peoples and governments of Canada need to face up to the future because "all the fundamentals and ... the programs are immersed in change." This does not mean, however, that the welfare state should or will be dismantled, as those on the political left fear and as those on the right propose.

Rather, programs developed fifty years ago under very different circumstances must be re-examined and adapted to meet the changes within our society and the limitations imposed by a changing economic order.

Social Welfare in Canada Revisited looks at the scope and objectives of redistribution, the role of communities, the forms of service delivery, and the impact of power, politics, and organizations on social welfare. The central theme is that the changing Canadian society needs a social vision that is just and tolerant toward the weak, the poor, the disadvantaged, and those who have been marginalized.

First and foremost, Social Welfare in Canada Revisited is a polemic for a liberal, middle way towards maintaining a humane society.