Mapping out a poverty reduction strategy

Eighteen years ago, on November 24, 1989, the House of Commons passed a unanimous resolution calling for child poverty to be eliminated in Canada by the year 2000. At the time, the child poverty rate in Canada was 15.1%.

In 2000, Canada’s child poverty rate was 16.5%. In 2007, the child poverty rate remains 11.7% [PDF 546KB].

The same pattern holds true for poverty in general: earlier this year the National Council of Welfare commented in its report on poverty [PDF 1MB] that for nearly 25 years there has been little substantial change in poverty rates, despite good intentions and many promises.

What is going on? Why don’t promises like the one made in 1989 seem to make a difference?

Evidence from other countries that have been successful in combating poverty suggests that one approach that could make a difference in Canada is a national strategy.

So far, our good intentions have not been backed up by comprehensive, integrated plans. We have only a vague idea of where we are going, no clear idea of how to get there, and no way of knowing whether we’ve arrived or not. Contrast this with our government’s determined plan to cut the deficit in the 1990s, and it becomes clearer why the government has been more successful in tackling the deficit than tackling poverty.

The National Council of Welfare has laid out the elements of a workable plan in its report Solving Poverty: Four Cornerstones of a Workable National Strategy for Canada [PDF 1MB]. They include a national strategy with measurable targets and timelines, an action plan and budget that cut across and within governments, accountability structures, and a set of agreed upon poverty indicators to monitor progress.

A poverty reduction strategy might also provide us with new ways to rethink our approach to poverty – it is neither a tax cut approach nor a simple spending program. Instead, it is an integrated plan that involves multiple initiatives in a targeted and coherent way. Poverty reduction strategies can also emphasize those Canadians who are disadvantaged in particular ways, such as recent immigrants, aboriginals or single parents.

Examples from other countries show that within a similar strategic framework, various goals can be set and met. In the United Kingdom, former Prime Minister Tony Blair pledged in 1999 to substantially reduce child poverty. By 2004, child poverty rates had been cut by 23%. In New Zealand, the social development approach adopted in 2003 has particularly focused on the needs of Maori youth. In Ireland, levels of persistent poverty dropped from 15.1% to 5.2% between 1994 and 2001.

In Canada, two provinces have already taken the initiative to adopt a poverty reduction strategy. In 2002, Quebec lawmakers unanimously passed a bill drafted by a citizens’ coalition that seeks to give Quebec one of the lowest poverty rates among industrialized countries by 2013. Newfoundland and Labrador adopted a strategy based on public consultation in 2005.

In October, the Ontario government promised to introduce a poverty reduction strategy for Ontario within one year of its election. The next steps in developing the strategy are public consultation and selection of goals and measures to create a clear timetable. Also, the government of Nova Scotia is currently in the process of community consultations on a poverty reduction strategy.

These provincial plans are important first steps. But within Canada’s federal system, leadership from the federal government is important for developing a comprehensive and coordinated strategy to solve poverty. With national leadership, provincial and territorial governments, municipalities and communities, businesses and other organizations, and citizens can all take up their responsibilities in combating poverty.

CPJ has been calling for the federal government to commit to a national poverty reduction strategy, as are an increasing number of other organizations. For instance, Campaign 2000 [PDF 430KB], one of CPJ’s coalition partners, has called for targets of 25 in 5: reducing child poverty in Canada by 25% in 5 years.

That’s why it’s encouraging to see the recent announcement by the Liberal Party of Canada of their proposed poverty reduction strategy. The Liberal 30-50 plan would seek to lower poverty for all Canadians by 30% and child poverty rates by 50% in the next 5 years. Stéphane Dion and the Liberals are to be commended for their commitment to a poverty reduction strategy.

We encourage the other federal political parties to make a similar commitment. By making poverty reduction a collective priority, we could see real results achieved instead of more broken promises.