Media release: Poverty Reduction Missing from Budget

Toronto, 26 Feb 08

The federal budget passed up the chance to offer the almost 800,000 children living in poverty in Canada a shot at a better life, says Campaign 2000, the national coalition of over 120 partners working to end child and family poverty in Canada.

“It’s another missed opportunity,” said Ann Decter, National Coordinator of Campaign 2000. “There are provinces on the move on poverty reduction. They’ll be much more successful when our federal government also steps up to the plate with a comprehensive Poverty Reduction Strategy. The time was right for a bold move.”Campaign 2000 repeated its call for a comprehensive national Poverty Reduction Strategy with clear targets and timetables. Both Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador have adopted Poverty Reduction Strategies, and Nova Scotia and Ontario are developing them. Federal opposition parties have also shown support for reducing poverty. Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion has promised a strategy to cut child poverty by 50% in five years, and the NDP has a Confronting Poverty platform.

“Support for poverty reduction is growing across the country,” said Marie Clarke Walker of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Premiers of different political stripes are committing to comprehensive, long-term plans.”

Ms. Decter pointed to polling that shows 85% of Canadians believe that if the government takes concrete action, poverty in Canada could be drastically reduced, and that 88% believe increasing the minimum wage is part of the answer.

“Canadians know we can do better, they want Canada to do better. We continue to call on the federal government to reduce family poverty by increasing the Canada Child Tax Benefit, increasing federal work tax credits, investing broadly in child care and affordable housing and supporting a comprehensive targeted plan to address Aboriginal poverty,” said Sid Frankel of the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg.

Taking serious aim at reducing Aboriginal poverty requires honouring the Kelowna Accord and making direct investment to the 117 Aboriginal Friendship Centres across the country that serve the increasingly urban Aboriginal population which is also the fastest growing population in Canada.

“A GST reduction doesn’t offer much to a single mother spending almost all of her income on rent and food,” said Ms. Decter. “On the other hand, increasing the Canada Child Tax Benefit would help lift her out of poverty.” In November 2007, Campaign 2000 called on the federal government to increase the Canada Child Benefit to $5,100 per year, rather than dropping the GST to 5% on January 1, 2008.

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Contacts:
Ann Decter, National Coordinator, Campaign 2000, Cell: 416-706-4686
Sid Frankel, Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, 204-474-9706
Marie Clarke Walker, Executive Vice-President, Canadian Labour Congress, 613-852-1252