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Current Issues
The Council of the Federation “will continue to promote . . . reducing poverty”
Premier Selinger on the left receives the Winnipeg statement from Wayne Helgason, E.D. of Social Planning Council of Winnipeg
The August 4th Roundtable on Poverty Eradication, sponsored by Campaign 2000 and the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg in collaboration with the Council of Canadians with Disabilities and Canadian Council on Social Development ratified the Winnipeg Statement:
The Provincial and Territorial Road to Poverty Reduction, which Premier Greg Selinger, Chair of the Council of the Federation, received on Aug. 5.
The Winnipeg Roundtable participants included representatives from business, labour, faith groups, and civil society groups. Members of Parliament from the Liberal, NDP and Bloc Québécois took up an all-party invitation to attend.
The Winnipeg Statement is a comprehensive strategy for poverty eradication and calls for government leaders to demonstrate commitment and to work together to eradicate poverty in Canada during the next decade. Read more about the event
Campaign 2000 urges you to put the heat on your MP this summer!
Learn about C2000 Summer MP lobby and if you want to join a lobby team in your riding contact us at 416 595 9230 x 244 or liyugu@familyservicetoronto.org
Make an appointment with your MP!
This summer Campaign 2000 is coordinating a cross-Canada lobby of MPs of all political parties to raise the profile of poverty reduction and eradication on the federal radar screen. As partners and supporters of Campaign 2000, we need each of you to remind your MP that on November 24, 2009, 20 years after the 1989 resolution, the House of Commons unanimously resolved to “develop an immediate plan to eliminate poverty in Canada for all.”
Why Now?
In the past several years, poverty reduction has risen on the public agenda as six provinces and one territory have, or are developing a plan. The federal role must be enhanced if substantial progress is to be made on reducing and eventually eradicating poverty Recently, NDP MP Tony Martin (Sault St. Marie) introduced his private member’s bill, Bill C-545 An Act to Eliminate Poverty in Canada which received first reading on June 16. Martin’s leadership with support from Liberal MP Mike Savage (Dartmouth-Cole Harbour) and Bloc Québeçois MP Yves Lessard (Chambly-Borduas) is particularly encouraging to those of us in communities across the country who work tirelessly, day in and day out to raise awareness about poverty and propose doable solutions.
The excellent 2009 Senate report, “In from the Margins: A Call for Action on Poverty, Housing and Homelessness” makes strong recommendations that support Campaign 2000’s directions and the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities is expected to report on its study of the federal role in poverty reduction in September.
At the same time, over 3 million Canadians are low income, including more than 600,000 children - almost 1 in 10 – still live in poverty in Canada (2008 LICO after-tax). That figure does not reflect the impact of the economic disruption.
What Is Our Message?
Canada can do much better and the federal government must resume its leadership. We are urging MPs in all parties to
SUPPORT Bill C-545, An Act to Eliminate Poverty in Canada;
VOTE for Bill C-304, An Act to ensure secure, adequate, accessible and affordable housing for Canadians; and
ENSURE that his/her party has a plan to reduce and eventually eradicate poverty in its election platform.
Post-MP Visit Evaluation Form (to be sent back either by fax or online to the attention of Liyu Guo, fax at: 416-595-0242);
Campaign 2000 Staff, Students, and our cross-Canada Steering Committee—ready to pitch in (feel free to contact us if you have further questions or need more info at: liyugu@familyservicetoronto.org).
Join us in urging our Canadian and other world leaders: It’s time to take action to end poverty for all!
ADD YOUR VOICE at the G8 & G20 SUMMITS! Click on this link: http://atthetable2010.org/ and SIGN ON to the Declarationfor global action to:
Fight poverty and inequality
Tackle climate change
Rethink the global economy
Campaign 2000 joins our partner Make Poverty History and many other organizations/groups in urging the Canadian government to come up with a national plan for poverty reduction with set targets and clear timetables.
Campaign 2000 Responds to the March 2010 Federal Budget
--Women and children still last: No thank you, Mr. Flaherty!
The March 4th, 2010 federal budget doesn’t even remotely make a dent in Canada’s abysmal rate of child and family poverty. The Throne Speech claims that “Canada is the best place in the world to raise a family.” Sorry, Mr. Prime Minister, Canada is nowhere near the podium! says Campaign 2000, the national coalition of over 120 partners working to end child and family poverty in Canada. There is no new support for our most vulnerable families – especially the 637,000 low income children and their mothers – who feel the double burden of job loss at the workplace and at home. Read it in full in English and French here.
Canada’s New Senate Report Keeps Poverty High on the Political Agenda
The Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology released its landmark report on poverty, housing and homelessness in Canada, In From the Margins: A Call to Action on Poverty, Housing and Homelessness, on Tuesday, Dec. 8th, 2009.
Among its 74 recommendations, the Committee proposes:
That the federal government adopt as a core social policy poverty eradication goal that all programmes dealing with poverty and homelessness are to lift Canadians out of poverty rather than make living within poverty more manageable and that the federal government work with the provinces and territories to adopt a similar goal [Recommendation 1];
That the federal government establish with the provinces a goal that individuals and families, regardless of the reasons for their need, receive incomes totaling at least after-tax LICOs [Recommendation 4];
That in recognition of both Canadian obligations under international human rights law, and their importance in claiming access to appropriate programs and services, explicitly cite international obligations ratified by Canada in any new federal legislation or legislative amendments relevant to poverty, housing and homelessness [Recommendation 31];
That the National Child Benefit be raised, incrementally and predictably, to reach $5,000 (in 2009 dollars) by 2012 [Recommendation 34];
House of Commons Unanimously Resolves to End Poverty for All
As a direct result of months and years of efforts and collaboration between MPs and Campaign 2000 partners, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA) submitted a new motion, which was unanimously passed by the House on November 24th 2009; it reads:
That, with November 24th, 2009 marking the 20th anniversary of the 1989 unanimous resolution of this House to eliminate poverty among Canadian children by the year 2000, and not having achieved that goal, be it resolved that the Government of Canada, taking into consideration the Committee’s work in this regard, and respecting provincial and territorial jurisdiction, develop an immediate plan to eliminate poverty in Canada for all.
We urge you to write to your MPs, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and all the federal opposition leaders and request their immediate action to develop a poverty reduction strategy for Canada.
On Tuesday, November 24, 2009 Campaign 2000 and its partners released the new Annual Report Card on Child and Family Poverty
On November 24, Campaign 2000 and seven of its provincial partners marked the 20th anniversary of the unanimous House of Commons’ all-party resolution to end child poverty in Canada with the release of special national and provincial report cards in various cities across the country. At the same time, there were countless special events being held in communities and provincial capitals calling for all levels of governments to take action to address this shameful situation. Find out how you can join in the efforts by visiting our Take Action page.
Click to download our new report cards and learn about the issues, find out workable solutions we are calling for and what action you can take to make a difference:
Email your MP to voice your support towards ENDING CHILD POVERTY in Canada!
November 24th will mark the 20th Anniversary of the unanimous Resolution to End Child Poverty in Canada. Unfortunately little has changed. Email your local MP to let them know that this is unacceptable and that we demand real change NOW!
Campaign 2000’s submission to Federal Pre-Budget Consultation (Aug. 2009)
Campaign 2000, a non-partisan, cross-Canada network of over 120 national, provincial, territorial and community organizations, urges that federal tax and program spending measures focus on those individuals, families and communities who are vulnerable and feel the greatest impact of this recession. Nearly two decades after the unanimous 1989 House of Commons resolution to end child poverty in Canada, 637,000 children and their families – almost 1 child out of every 10 – still live in poverty. Read our full brief by clicking here [pdf] .
Report from the June 1, 2009 Town Hall Meeting on the Federal Role in Poverty Reduction
On June 1, Campaign 2000 and the 25 in 5 Network for Poverty Reduction (Ontario) held a Town Hall Meeting to get community input on what the federal role should be in reducing poverty in Canada.
The event coincided with the Toronto hearings of the Federal Standing Committee on Human Resources, Social Development and
the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA).
This Town Hall provided an opportunity for community groups and people with lived experience of poverty to speak about issues affecting people in Ontario: employment equity, racialization of poverty, employment insurance, income supports, affordable housing, childcare, aboriginal issues, support for newcomers, support for people with disabilities, and more. Read full report [pdf] >>
Campaign 2000 urges all federal parties to work together, in collaboration with the provinces and territories to adopt a Poverty
Reduction Strategy for Canada (PRSC) that includes:
• targets and timelines;
• dedicated fiscal and human resources;
• accountability including public reporting;
• consultation with Canadians, in particular, with those who have lived experience of poverty; and
• in coordination with First Nations and other Aboriginal communities, Campaign 2000 urges the development of appropriate poverty reduction targets, timelines and indicators for Aboriginal families, irrespective of where they live.
• Release of 2008 Ontario Report Card on Child Poverty in Toronto
Campaign 2000 - Ontario (21 Nov 08) - TORONTO – Ontario Campaign 2000 just released the 2008 Report Card on Child & Family Poverty in Ontario on Friday November 21 at the Queen’s Park Media Studio in Toronto.
