Poverty Elimination - Why in the World Not?
By Joe Gunn | Wednesday, September 15th, 2010
Over the last eighteen months, CPJ has been championing the Dignity for All campaign to commit the federal government to develop and implement a poverty elimination strategy for Canada. Indeed, the campaign has already been supported by 70 politicians from all parties, and momentum is building to make this issue very prominent in the autumn Parliamentary Session.
Notably, on June 16th, just as the House of Commons was rising for the summer, MP Tony Martin introduced Bill C-545, An Act to Eliminate Poverty in Canada with the strong support of politicians from each of the opposition parties. This Bill provides for a comprehensive poverty elimination strategy and would establish an independent Poverty Elimination Commissioner to monitor and hold the government accountable. Three provinces already have anti-poverty laws and six have poverty reduction strategies – a number of which include calls for federal collaboration. So why should the federal government refrain from a coordinated response with other levels of government?
The Government of Canada needs to keep its promises! On November 24, 2009 a unanimous motion was passed in the House of Commons “… that the Government of Canada … develop an immediate plan to eliminate poverty in Canada for all.” Action is still desperately needed. At the same time, follow-through is required on the international front.
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
The Millennium Declaration of 2000, which effectively outlines an international poverty elimination strategy, was signed by 189 countries, including Canada’s then-Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.
The Declaration commits signatory states to eight goals, related to ending hunger, providing universal access to education, gender equality, child health, maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS, and guaranteeing environmental sustainability – all to be achieved through means of a global partnership. Agreed to a decade ago, the eight Millennium Development Goals are to be fulfilled by 2015.
For some, the MDGs aim too low. The actual targets relating to poverty are only to halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than one dollar a day (the UN measure of extreme poverty) and halve the proportion of people who suffer from hunger. According to a UN study on progress towards the MDGs, released in June 2010, there is still hope that the first MDG (related to poverty reduction) can be reached, but extraordinary measures are needed. This would mean that the overall poverty rate would fall to 15 per cent by 2015, which translates to around 920 million people still living under the international poverty line. This is indeed half of the number from 1990. But it is staggering and unacceptable.
While progress has indeed been made, it has not been nearly enough to meet all these targets in all regions of the Global South. We need to keep in mind that 50,000 people continue to die each day as a result of poverty, that a woman dies every minute in pregnancy and childbirth, and that some 72 million children, mostly girls, still do not get a chance to go to school. The global recession in 2008-09, the rising calamities caused by global warming and rising food prices, are all realities that have served to slow advances. Because the structures of the global economy have not changed, progress towards the realization of the MDGs in the poorest parts of the world, like Sub-Saharan Africa, has lagged behind.
Any further steps forward clearly require more and better aid. The Canadian government’s decision to freeze Official Development Assistance (ODA) in the 2010 federal budget clearly indicates that this is not a priority for our government. This needs to change.
Can global poverty elimination be realized?
From September 20-22, 2010 the United Nations will host the largest gathering of heads of state since the Millennium Summit in 2000, to review progress on the MDGs. The international community will receive progress reports on each of the MDGs, and be expected to develop and confirm new strategies to ensure the targets are met.
The good news is that Prime Minister Stephen Harper will attend the meeting. However, genuine commitments and corresponding action are a greater challenge. As we have learned in the past, this will not happen on its own. There needs to be substantial pressure from peoples’ movements, faith communities and other organizations around the world to make up momentum in this last third of the MDG schedule. The period from 2010 until 2015 will make – or break – this global commitment to public justice.
During the September 17-19 weekend, people around the world will be involved in symbolic actions to show their governments that they expect that the Millennium Development Goals be met and even exceeded. Activities to commemorate this tenth anniversary will include “Stand Up” actions where churches and communities will make noise and communicate their demand for action. Across the globe in 2009, 173 million people participated, setting a new Guinness World Record.
In Ottawa on September 18th, CPJ staff and volunteer members will run 5 kilometers with a Dignity for All banner at the “OutRun Poverty” event, organized by Make Poverty History and the Micah Challenge. We will encourage all other participants to endorse Dignity for All and to get more information from our table.
Public justice calls us to work to eliminate poverty. Period. Having committed to action, it is now time for the Government of Canada to follow-through.
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Joe,
Thanks for this article! Though ISARC works for poverty elimination in Ontario, our constituency of all faiths is deeply concerned about poverty from the local to the international levels. All are humans; all need the necessities of life; there is enough in our world as we share.
Shalom,
Brice Balmer
Brice Balmer on Monday, September 27th, 2010
October,12,2010
TO MY GOVERNMENT WHO CAN CHANGE THE LIVE'S OF DISABLE PEOPLE:
OUR Government’ as to start helping the one million Ontarians that live in poverty .We have been waiting to hear the “good news” that will make our lives easier and to give us hope, whether we are in receipt of social assistance, disability benefits or low wages. The news media reports that your Government plans to provide meaningful assistance to address the problem of poverty. .
What about PROTECTING THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
The Government of canada as a duty to change there polocies and initiatives,on poverty,discriminating on our rights to have the same incomes as working people,and to be treated just like everyone else in canada,regarless if that person can work are not.Having are live's reduced to needing help,is hard in itself,When its because you where disable is eaven harder to accept the life changing affect it as on you and your family.To be reduced to having your whole life in the hands of higher people,It make you feel eaven more worst and useless.MY choices are not my own.I have to comply with all rules,of ODSP are i get punish.financially.
The current legal and legislative of the government of canada,doesn't protect the equality of poverty and people with disabilities.My Canadian charter of rights and freedoms in 1982 quarantees that.I have the rights to EQUAL PROTECTION and EQUAL BENEFITS without discrimination base on my mental or physical disability.are because i can't work like other canadians.
The Canadian human rights act is suppost to protect me and not let my ODSP PROGRAM AND ITS RULES CAUSE ME ANY UNDUE HARDSHIP. Until you and other members of your Government work your policies at the ground floor level like , we can only see the situation getting worse.
MY COMPLAINTS are that the LAWS are suppose to protect me and my rights to be treate like other working canadians and to not have my human rights violated are disciminated because I,am disable and i can,t work.mentally are phisically.The ODSP PROGRAM AS CAUSE ME UNDUE HARDSHIP IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS:
1 . I'm a disable person who can't work.I shouldn't be punish are be discriminated against because of that,and kept in poverty that cause me undue hardship.and my family.
2 MY INCOME SUPPORT,should be the same as a working person.I didn't ask to be disable.the choice to work is out of my hands.the rest of my life should be my choice.but because i can't work i,'am being discriminated and punish.I have the right to have the same lifestyle as other working family.But as the ODSP program stands.I have no rights because i can't work so equality is out the window because i'am kept in poverty and stripped of my dignaty.and it robs my family of a normal life like other canadian families that can work by there choice .I have no choices.
MY Income was reduced from 1730 to 1245 because
1- I took my 19 years old son off my odsp so 285
plus they put my own son as a boarder and took 100 dollars more off
then another 100 dollars for a 18 year old that is in school,as no money,pays me nothing and shares the same room as my son.so why should he pay for the same room that they are making my son pay for.when that room was already mine in the first place.
where is my right to be like other working families that this doesn't happen to...just because i,am disable and need income assistant.it gives them the right to be in charge of my life.
If i was a worker,I would not be discriminated,and stripped of my human rights.It would not cause me and my family undue hardship and have privacy like other canadian families,that don't have all this restrictions to have and INCOME.I'm being made to feel less of a member of canada because of my disabilitie and that I'am not able to work.I'am a burden to to tax payer's with no rights to my own life,without a decent income like other workers.
I do not deserve to live in poverty and be dictated on every aspect of my life.I didn't choose to be a none worker,Its something i have to live with.
I should have a income that would give me peace of mindNo rules telling me how,who,where,what,when about me are my family.
I should have the same rights as a working person.
should not be discriminated because I'am not a working person.
MY child support should all come back to me and my child..we deserve that money for our future .it belongs to us not the government.she deserve a good education and i deserve something for my future.They would have to support me anyways.just like others.If we where lucky enough to have that amount of support.it should be are right to have it.
3 Living Expenses. I would love to work,But my life path was not met to be that way.that choice was taken away from me. and now all i think about is ,paying rent,am i going to have enough,for food and not healthy food ,thats out the door.and how can my family get ahead if .they take away all are incomes.I need to be treated more fairly.my life should not be poor because i'am disable.
I'am considered a burden to the tax payer,s and society.
4 MY personal life as to be reported,who live's with me.who as to pay me.how much do they make.I should have my own income base on what i deserve just like other working person.My family should be left alone.it should be seperated from me.Its me that is unable to function in society.NOT MY FAMILY I should not be discriminated because of my disability and my family should be left out of that.
My child support is being taken from my child and me. so the government can pay my income support,when they have to support me anyways.Its being discriminating towards me because I'am not a working person AND DISABLE My child and me could of have that 450 child support for the last 5 years and not suffer any poverty and undue hardship and put some for her education in a saving funds are something and for me i could of had some for my old age in a rsp fund are something.But again that human right was taken aways from me because i can't work.so I'am being treated differently then other canadians because i'am a person with a disability and my family as to suffer some undue hardship also.
IF does things i listed are change i beleive.That my health,stress,lack of food.never having enough.feeling like a looser because i can't work and be like others hurts alot.its very hard to accept and live with.
When your own government rips all your human rights,it leaves you feeling like you are a burden to society,it decrated and it humiliating.and it affect your health and so much more.
I have every right to be treated like other working people.I didn't ask to be disable.
Give me my basic human rights back.I deserve that much.
.
CLOSING: Changing the system that affects,people who never ask to be supported by the people and government,should not be treated that way. How would you feel if you got disable are someone you love.They have to rely on a program like ODSP OR OW, and you get stripped of your ,money,privacy,income loss,poverty,never enough food,sufering with pain on top of worrieing about your future and your kids future when there's nothing you can do.you can't save money at all.not whit this ODSP program,you thing about paying rent and getting food let alone trying to save.there is never enough for that.You would be so depressed at being on this program,that you would wonder why am i being stripped of my dignaty,my rights to live like other working people.I sure didn't see my life like this are ask to be like that.THat choice was taken away,I f i could mentally and physically work i sure would ,but that is something i had to accept and live with.I don't need a program making me feel worst as a human being.Please give me my human rights back and don't discriminated against me because i'am disable and not able to work like other canadian people and family.MY family and me deserve the same consideration like them.
Thank you ,sincerly yours.
sylvie gravel,box 307,p0j 1h0
Englehart,ont........705-544-2124
sylvie on Wednesday, October 13th, 2010
I think that the biggest involvement that WE can MAKE as a developed country to the UNDERDEVELOPED country is BIRTH CONTROL Organizations like ODA are concerned about POVERTY ...but poverty /homelessness is a result of OVERPOPULATION...this is something every country has to EDUCATE
POVERTY will never be solved until PEOPLE are educated on BIRTH CONTROL....and a lot of countries who may belong to ODA...may not necessarily believe that EDUCATION on birth control is the answer...NO MATTER WHAT RELIGIOUS/POLITICAL VIEWS...and what about the ones (countries) being educated on these issues and are not FOLLOWING THROUGH??????
Pat Smith on Thursday, April 7th, 2011
sweetie......we understand......but its not all about you....go spend some time in a CANADIAN SHELTER...specifically Ontario...and you might start to appreciate WHAT CANADA HAS TO OFFER ITS CITIZENS.....GOOD LUCK....GOD BLESS YOU SWEETIE ....I can't walk in your shoes obviously.....but I was always told....there is someone always worse off than yourself (me) in this world
Pat Smith on Thursday, April 7th, 2011
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