Canada deserves a National Poverty Plan!

In 1989 the government of Canada made a promise to end child poverty by the year 2000. Here we
are 2008 and poverty still affects 1 in 9 children in Canada (According to the Low Income Cut-Off).
The promise has been broken.
The truth is protection from poverty is a human right.
Now in these dreary economic times, when we have realized how fragile our own financial security
is, we need to let the government know that this is a priority.
The federal government is coming up on what might be the most important budget we have ever
known. In that budget they need to include serious measures to reduce poverty now and in the
future or all attempts to stimulate our economy will be futile.
The government response to this global economic crisis must not only aid businesses and
industry sectors, but it must also aid the people who are struggling. If there is no one to
purchase the products these industries produce and businesses sell, even the biggest
stimulus package will not repair our economy. Therefore, an effective stimulus package must
include a National Poverty Reduction Plan.
We the undersigned demand our Federal Government take immediate action within its
jurisdiction to erase poverty in Canada.
This includes but is not limited to the following:
♦ Create targets, timetables, benchmarks and an accountability mechanism to the
public
♦ Facilitate agreements with Provincial/Territorial and Regional /Municipal/ City
Governments to lay the groundwork for a permanent poverty reduction plan
♦ Strengthen Employment Insurance
♦ Increase funding to Federal Work Tax Credits,
♦ Implement further increases in funding to the Child Tax Benefit and the National
Child Benefit Supplement, ending any planned claw backs;
♦ Take immediate steps to implement a system of universally accessible early
childhood education and care services
♦ Invest in affordable housing and improve existing supply
♦ Invest in initiatives to create new jobs that offer decent salaries and benefits
♦ Review the Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement for seniors
Please sign today and visit our website www.povertyplan.ca for further information on this rally and
our upcoming rally on January 17th 2009!