Child Poverty is Election Issue
October 7, 2019
Child and family poverty has dropped significantly across Canada since 2015, but the problem persists in all 338 federal ridings as the country heads towards a federal election Oct. 21, reports Campaign 2000, a non-partisan coalition of 120 groups and individuals committed to ending child poverty and co-ordinated by Family Service Toronto.
“Child and family poverty is a reality in every single riding in the country,” says Leila Sarangi, Campaign 2000’s National Co-ordinator. “Given Canada’s wealth, no child should go to bed hungry,” she adds. “With every riding affected by poverty, every candidate of every party should be talking about how they will tackle it.”
“In Toronto, 14 of our 25 federal ridings have the highest rate of child poverty,” says Sarangi. “Modest decreases are not good enough.”
Campaign 2000 has written to all party leaders asking them to respond by Oct. 10 on how they would fight poverty in Canada. Their responses will be posted on the Campaign 2000 website before the election.
Campaign 2000 was formed in the early 1990s to urge governments to deliver on an all-party House of Commons resolution to end child poverty by year 2000.
Child poverty by federal riding: the work ahead for Canada’s next Parliament report.
Toronto Star: Oct 7, 2019 – 338 Ridings, One Issue All federal parties have stake in helping eradicate poverty, report says