Live blog of Dignity Campaign Launch

Well, today is the launch. This is my first attempt at a liveblog, or at least a live to blackberry blog, since I don't yet have the capability to post directly.

The room has a nice buzz, and Karri and our colleagues from Canada Without Poverty seem ready and excited.

8:45
And we're just about up. Sheila Regehr from the National Council of Welfare is making the introductions. She noted that a very similar conference was held by the NCW in the late 1960s, and out of the conference came NAPO, now Canada Without Poverty.

8:47
Marvin Fox, a Blackfoot elder and instructor, gets us started by reading our statement in Blackfoot.

Debbie Frost, a CWP board member from Saskatchewan, reads the statement in English.

8:48
Claude Champagne from Quebec has just read it in French.

And now Nicky Liao is reading the statement in Mandarin.

Its powerful to hear this statement on dignity and poverty in so many languages. Its a reminder of how we are connected across barriers by our common humanity.

8:50
Karri and Rob are introducing our two organizations and reminding us that change is possible.

8:51
And its official! The campaign is announced in English and French.

8:52
Karri and Rob are reminding us of the importance of federal action in achieving poverty elimination in Canada. We want a federal poverty elimination Act and strategy, as well as sufficient federal resources to invest in ending poverty.

8:53
Rob is noting how many organizations do important work across Canada, and how we need to work together to make the campaign a success.

8:54
Now there's a call to show support by signing the postcards and joining this pan-Canadian movement.

8:55
And we're done. There was good supportive applause from the crowd, and people got right to work signing their cards.

A good response, and I look forward to what happens next!