CPJ applauds Parliamentary motion on poverty

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Ottawa, ON: Lauding Parliament’s unanimous support of a joint motion urging world leaders to make the fight against poverty a priority, Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ) reiterated its call for an action plan to reduce poverty in Canada.

The motion calls on the government to ensure that the upcoming G8 and G20 meetings focus on poverty, emphasizing that “income security initiatives and social infrastructure investments protect human dignity, the common good, equality of opportunity and economic prosperity.”

Introduced by NDP MP Tony Martin and Conservative Senator Hugh Segal, the motion was passed unanimously in both the House of Commons and the Senate.

Speaking in support of the motion, CPJ policy analyst Chandra Pasma commented, “This motion signals that our representatives on Parliament Hill are starting to take the public justice issue of poverty seriously.”

The cross-party motion was announced by Martin and Segal at a press conference, where they were joined by Liberal MP Mike Savage and Bloc Québécois MP Josée Beaudin voicing their support. “The depth of poverty in Canada requires this kind of collaborative effort,” said Pasma. “Cooperation, such as this motion, is a good start. We hope that this effort will continue, leading to an actual strategy to address poverty in Canada.”

The full text of the motion, as adopted by the House of Commons, is as follows:

That this chamber encourages the government to do everything possible to ensure that the G8 and G20 meetings scheduled for April 2 in London, address especially the court challenge of redressing, among all member states, the increased and enduring poverty and its social and economic effects on individuals and nations, recognizing that critical income security initiatives and social infrastructure investments protect human dignity, the common good, equality of opportunity and economic prosperity, and the Senate be invited to join with this chamber in this encouragement.

Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ) is a national organization that promotes public justice in Canada by shaping key policy debates through research and analysis, publishing and public dialogue. CPJ encourages citizens, leaders in society and governments to support policies and practices that reflect God’s call for love, justice and stewardship. www.cpj.ca

For more information, contact:

Chandra Pasma
Policy analyst
1-800-667-8046 ext. 223