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Maternal feminism - This term generally refers to the notion that it is because of a woman's special roles as mother and homemaker that she has an obligation and a right to participate in the public sphere. Although they brought women into public life and social work, the early maternal feminists now tend to be viewed as being quite conservative, insofar as they supported more traditional conceptions of the family in which women were expected to stay in the home.

Means Test - A test used in selective income security programs to determine eligibility based on the income of the prospective recipient. The benefit is reduced according the income level, and there is always a level at which no benefit is granted.

Medical model - The view that behavioral and emotional problems are analogous to physical diseases.

Medical social work practice - One of the chief settings for medical social work practice is the hospital. Almost every hospital in Canada has social workers in its departments, including the emergency services, oncology, pediatrics, surgery, intensive care, rehabilitation, gerontology and orthopaedics.

Medicare - Today, Canada has a health care system that is funded by government insurance, but medical care itself is privately delivered by physicians who are self-employed or employed by physician-owned corporations. The system is an interlocking set of ten provincial and two territorial health insurance plans. Known as Medicare, the system provides access to universal, comprehensive coverage for hospital, in-patient and out-patient physician services.

Medicine Wheel - There are different medicine wheels and different interpretation of the components of the Medicine Wheel depending on the First Nation, and each will illuminate a variation on social work practice. Traditionally, many Aboriginal people have used some form of Medicine wheel to underpin their approach to healing. The four directions of the wheel can help the social worker see what aspects of the problem being presented to look at.

Membership community - A membership community is defined by a sense of belonging to a specific group; for example, the gay and lesbian community, the black community, the Native community and so on.

Mental illness - A general term referring to psychological, emotional, or behavioral disorders as well to the view that these disorders are diseases of the mind.

Minimum income - Social assistance is a minimum income program. It provide the bare minimum needed to survive.

Monetarism - An economic theory that asserts, among other things, that social spending stimulates inflation, undermines labour market flexibility and productivity, and distorts the work leisure trade-off.

Multiculturalism - In 1971, Canada became the first country to adopt multiculturalism as an official policy. The policy was aimed at a greater integration of Canadian society by providing the diverse ethnic minority groups with a sense of belonging to Canada.

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