Dignity for All celebrates tremendous success in first year!

It is has been a year now since Citizens for Public Justice and Canada Without Poverty launched Dignity for All: The Campaign for a Poverty-Free Canada. The response has been overwhelming. We have received the support of 315 organizations from across the country and over 5000 individual Canadians (including 50 parliamentarians!). We have been called on regularly by members of parliament, church groups, and colleague organizations to offer insight, analysis and recommendations for action to address the social and economic complexities of poverty in Canada. We've succeeded at raising the profile of inequality and social exclusion and we've informed the move towards much-needed change.

There have been many encouraging moments, but one campaign event stands out.

"The Dish on Dignity: A Discussion about Eradicating Poverty in Canada" brought together 140 low-income citizens, politicians, and social justice representatives for an evening of conversation on February 1, 2010. The hall at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Ottawa, was packed to capacity and the discussion lively, as people living in poverty met directly with the 27 Members of Parliament, Senators, and federal candidates. Guest speakers* set the tone, but the main focus was on building understanding through dialogue. Lowincome citizens had the rare opportunity to share their stories and raise pointed questions.

Isolation, insecurity, and the inadequacy of support featured prominently in the discussion.

"I have a child at home, EI has run out, and welfare is too low to put food on the table," said E. Her anxiety was echoed by others, including J., "After my accident, I faced many barriers: forms to complete, wait times… I had to go to a shelter with my son before I could get subsidized housing. The money I received wasn't sufficient. The bureaucracy made it a challenge to succeed. There was no desire to help, even after I had gone through all the hoops."

F. spoke to the stark reality that many Canadians choose not to think about, "I went from a yearly salary of $52,000 to welfare; from have to have-not. It was a degrading process. I got sick – heart problems and diabetes – and was made to feel it was my own fault. Truth is, it can happen to anyone." And E. underscored the pervasiveness of poverty's reach, "The stigma of poverty is present in the small things, like the different colour of government cheques. I feel ashamed when I have to cash my welfare cheque at the bank."

But it wasn't all lament. This was an informed group actively engaged in improving their circumstances and working hard to inform the response of others. There were many calls for parliamentarians to take leadership and to move beyond the game of political hotpotato that has characterized the federalprovincial dynamic around poverty. Citizens and civil society representatives emphasized the issue of political will, and the need for a comprehensive federal plan.

There was a welcome openness among the politicians present. Now, that openness needs to translate into action. Going forward, the Dignity for All campaign will continue to build the dialogue, make proposals, and press for sustained action to address the structural causes of poverty in Canada. We're building a movement and we want you to be a part of it. Stay informed, spread the word, and let our elected officials know that you care about the poor and marginalized. Together, we can eliminate poverty in Canada!

* Citizens for Public Justice and Canada Without Poverty appreciate the contribution made by guest speakers Alex Neve (Amnesty International Canada), Joan Jessome (Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union), members of the House of Commons' Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills Development, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities-HUMA, past- Chair Dean Allison (Con), Mike Savage (Lib), Yves Lessard (Bloc), Tony Martin (NDP), and Green Party candidate, Rebecca Harrison.