Strong government support and legislative action for poverty reduction

Last week I participated in a tele-learning seminar hosted by Tamarack on the Ontario Poverty Reduction Strategy, Breaking the Cycle. This is the fourth in a nation-wide series on provincial poverty reduction strategies. Participants included Mark Cabaj from Tamarack interviewing Marian Mlakar, Director of Children and Youth at Risk Branch with the Ministry of Children and Youth Services and Catherine Laurier, Policy Officer, Cabinet Office, Government of Ontario.

Ontario’s strategy is unique in the sense that its specific goals and targets are focused on one particular area- to reduce child poverty by 25% in 5 years. As a result much of the plan’s focus is on child-tax benefits, child care, early childhood education, and training for children and youth. Education and support for children is seen as a key element to breaking the cycle of poverty.

Like many of the other provincial plans, Ontario’s Poverty Reduction Strategy started with a series of consultations across the province. Some of the concerns most commonly expressed were that the plan have strong indicators and targets, as well as legislation to ensure that future governments remain committed. Child poverty and education also was clearly expressed, as well as looking at specific categories of people who more often than others struggle with poverty, like new immigrants.

Although the plan does focus mainly on child poverty, from increasing the child-tax benefits to offering full day kindergarten in many schools and investing resources in child care programs, other actions included raising the minimum wage and increasing payments within income support systems like Ontario Works and Ontario Disability. This is a step in the right direction, but more work needs to be done on income security in Ontario. In mid-June the Social Assistance Review Advisory Council, created by the provincial government, released a report calling for a complete evaluation of all income assistance programs in Ontario, in order to further improve support.

All of this strengthens the work of poverty reduction in Ontario, but what really provides momentum, according to Mlakar and Laurier, is the backing of the provincial government. First of all, cabinet ministers from a variety of departments, including finance, health, education, housing and others are directly involved in meetings and progress reports for the poverty reduction strategy.

But even more importantly, poverty is kept on the agenda because, in preparation for the strategy, an anti-poverty Act was passed in the provincial legislature in 2009, ensuring regular evaluations and efforts will be made to reduce poverty in Ontario. The government is obligated to continue working to reduce poverty despite any changes in government.

This made me think of the movement towards anti-poverty legislation at the federal level in Canada. It is one of the main goals of the Dignity for All Campaign – to ensure that poverty stays on the agenda, despite any changes in government. An anti-poverty act would make action on poverty the law and responsibility of the federal government.

Just before the House of Commons shut down for the summer, NDP MP Tony Martin presented his Private Members Bill C-545, calling for an anti-poverty act and for federal action to eliminate poverty in Canada. The bill was seconded by Liberal MP Mike Savage and Bloc MP Yves Lessard. Through cross-party consultations and negotiations this bill is seeking to involve all Canadians in this important process. If this bill passes in Parliament, the federal government will be under obligation of the people of Canada to work towards eliminating poverty at the federal level.