Poverty report: Ottawa must act
November 21, 2017
The federal government needs to step up its efforts to tackle poverty, according to this year’s national poverty report card from Campaign 2000, a non-partisan coalition of 120 groups and individuals co-ordinated by Family Service Toronto.
The new report released Nov. 21 calls for Canada’s first Poverty Reduction Strategy to outline a new social contract that responds to the needs of today’s families and lifts individuals and families out of poverty.
“Government must commit to reverse the effects of decades of austerity budgeting and finally prioritize the prevention and eradication of poverty in Canada,” says Campaign 2000 National Co-ordinator Anita Khanna in addressing the need for a national strategy.
“It’s clear that the social safety net is not adequately supporting families who face no choice but to piece together precarious work, struggle to afford quality housing and childcare and scramble to pack school lunches,” she said.
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. Nearly three decades later, the report notes there are still 1.2 million children and families in poverty.
Seven Campaign 2000 provincial partners, including Ontario, also released their annual report cards on child and family poverty on Nov. 21.
Globe and Mail: Liberal government urged to be more aggressive in tackling poverty
Toronto Star: Ontario urged to make ending child poverty an election issue