Anti poverty groups pleased with new federal report on poverty

For immediate release: November 18

Winnipeg – Campaign 2000 and its partners in the anti-poverty movement praised the new report released today by the Parliamentary Committee looking at poverty in Canada.

“After three years of study this new report by the HUMA committee of Parliament reflects an emerging consensus among all the parties that poverty must be addressed as a national priority. In our communities the need is urgent – food bank numbers are rising, social assistance rolls are up and families are struggling to find jobs that pay the bills. We’re looking for the federal government to now put their money where their mouth is with a down payment on these recommendations in the next budget. With an election expected in 2011 we’ll be looking for all parties to make these commitments in their platforms,” said Laurel Rothman, National Coordinator, Campaign 2000.Entitled “Federal Poverty Reduction Plan: Working in Partnership Towards Reducing Poverty in Canada”, the HUMA report recommends the federal government commit to an action plan to reduce poverty, and that a new federal transfer program be established to support provincial and territorial poverty reduction initiatives.

“We commend members of the HUMA committee for their recommendations that address Aboriginal poverty, including lifting the 2 per cent cap on federal spending increases on reserves, providing adequate funding for First Nations child welfare agencies, and developing targets to reduce poverty for Aboriginal people in collaboration with our organizations and governments,” said Damon Johnston, Aboriginal Council of Winnipeg.

“We are pleased to see the HUMA committee adopt Campaign 2000’s recommendation that federal child benefits be increased to a maximum of $5,000 per child, and that the federal government work with the provinces and territories to create a national public child care system. These are key pathways out of poverty for families,” commented Sid Frankel, University of Manitoba and Steering Committee of Campaign 2000.

Jim Derksen of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities stated, “We applaud the recommendation of a federal basic income program for persons with disabilities – something that we’ve been advocating for many years.”

Wayne Helgason, Executive Director of the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg & Chair of the Board, Canadian Council for Social Development, said “The HUMA Committee is recommending that First Ministers begin talks to create a new federal transfer program – a federal poverty reduction fund. This was something anti-poverty groups called for this summer in our Winnipeg Statement on Poverty Reduction and we’re pleased that MPs were listening.”

Campaign 2000 partners noted this report follows the Senate report “On the Margins” released early this year with similar conclusions on the need for federal action on poverty. That report was unanimously endorsed by all Senators.

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For further information please contact:

Sid Frankel: 204-295-3749
Wayne Helgason: 204-943-2561
Jim Derksen:204-786-7937
Damon Johnson: 204-989-6380
Rhonda Powers: 204-943-2561
Laurel Rothman: 416-595-9230×228

Campaign 2000 is a cross-Canada coalition of over 120 partners committed to end child and family poverty in Canada. www.campaign2000.ca