Join the Summer MP Lobby Campaign

Post date: 9 July, 2010

Campaign 2000 just launched the MP Lobby campaign across Canada and invites all those advocating for a better life for all Canadians and "End Poverty Now" advocates to join in.

The campaign aims to remind MPs of all political parties of their Nov. 24, 1989 and 2009 resolutions:“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.”

The lobby will help inform the Members of Parliament and encourage them to support Campaign 2000 messages in the next budget and the next election. The main objectives are:

To get each political party to commit to support Bill C 545 which obligates the federal government develop and implement a strategy to eradicate poverty in Canada and Bill C-304 An Act to ensure secure, adequate, accessible and affordable housing for Canadians
To get a ‘down payment’ on poverty eradication in the 2010 federal budget
To ensure that poverty reduction is part of the election platform of each political party in the next election expected within 6 – 12 months.

The key messages:

Child and family poverty persists in Canada despite an unprecedented period of growth since 1998.
Almost 1 in 10 (606,000) children live in poverty (2008 LICO After-Tax).
Poverty impacts everyone, not just those living in it.
It is estimated that poverty costs Canadians between 24.4 – 30.5 billion dollars in terms of health care, crime, intergenerational poverty and lost productivity.

In order to fulfil its international commitments and its resolutions in the House of Commons, the federal government must:

Create an effective child benefit system that provides enough support to keep working parents out of poverty, and that is not clawed back from social assistance recipients. First step is to increase the child benefit to $5,400 to assist parents with the cost of raising a child.

Raise minimum wages, increase the availability of good jobs at living wages, facilitate inclusion of immigrants, and provide better protection through Employment Insurance.

Re-assert federal leadership including significant federal funding to provinces and territories for a publicly-managed universal early childhood education and child care system.

Pass Bill C-304, the Secure, Adequate, Accessible and Affordable Housing Act. This Act would compel the Minister responsible for National Mortgage and Housing Corporations to engage with provincial, territorial, municipal governments and the non-profit and private sectors to create a national housing strategy that reflects the needs of local communities. Also Support Bill C-545 An Act to Eliminate Poverty in Canada which obligates the federal government to eliminate poverty and promote social inclusion by establishing and implementing a strategy for poverty elimination in consultation with the provincial, territorial, municipal and Aboriginal governments and with civil society organizations;

Improve access to post-secondary education by increasing the student financial aid package, allocating a higher proportion of aid to needs-based grants and work with the provinces and territories to reduce financial barriers.

For more information go to http://www.campaign2000.ca/takeAction/lobby.html

To join a lobby team in your riding call Liyu Guo at 416 595 9230 ext. 244 or e-mail liyugu@familyservicetoronto.org

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