Envisioning Canada Without Poverty

For over twenty years now, consecutive governments have promised action on poverty, yet poverty rates remain substantially unchanged. What seems to be lacking is visionary leadership: a vision of how things could be different, and a significant commitment to achieving that vision.

We have only a vague idea of where we want to go, no clear idea of how to get there, and no way of knowing whether we’ve arrived or not.

Leadership that embraces public justice needs to make solving poverty a priority. Poverty undermines the dignity of people, which is their right as human beings, created in God’s image. It also reduces their ability to carry out their God-given responsibilities as full, contributing members of our society. But solving poverty takes more than political will; it requires listening to the voices of people living in poverty and embracing a vision for a world in which all citizens can access the resources necessary for a sustainable livelihood and all citizens have the opportunity to contribute equally.

What is a poverty reduction strategy?
Vision is at the heart of a poverty reduction strategy. In a report last year, the National Council of Welfare outlined the four pillars that are shared between effective anti-poverty strategies. They include a vision with specific targets and timelines, a cross-government action plan and budget, mechanisms of accountability and poverty indicators to monitor progress.

A poverty reduction strategy would 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. By developing strategies in consultation with citizens, decision makers can identify needs that are related to poverty but not necessarily focused on income, and respond with a wide assortment of measures that will directly impact quality of life. Poverty reduction strategies can also emphasize those Canadians who are disadvantaged in particular ways, such as newcomers, Aboriginal peoples, 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 Ireland, levels of persistent poverty dropped from 15.1% to 5.2% between 1994 and 2001. Nordic countries like Finland, Denmark and Sweden have tied strong social development to economic vitality, creating internationally competitive economies by significantly reducing inequality.

Poverty reduction strategies in Canada
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. Shorter-term targets and policy initiatives have been identified in widespread consultation with citizens to put the plan in action.

Newfoundland and Labrador adopted a strategy based on public consultations in 2005 that has made poverty reduction a priority for all government departments in that province, rather than seeing the needs of the poor lost between competing departmental priorities.

Both Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec are developing local poverty measures according to their particular provincial experiences, and both have committed to on-going monitoring and reporting of progress using these poverty indicators.

Ontario and Nova Scotia are also in the process of instituting poverty reduction strategies, engaging in public consultations to develop a provincial vision. So if four of Canada’s provinces have already taken a leadership role in solving poverty in their province, why does Canada need a national poverty reduction strategy?

National poverty reduction strategy
Addressing poverty in Canada requires the involvement of every level of government, contributions from citizens, businesses and other organizations. Poverty is an issue that affects us all. But within Canada’s federal system, leadership from the federal government is important for developing a comprehensive and coordinated strategy to solve poverty. The federal government has certain tools that it can use to tackle poverty, including tax credits and government transfers like the Work Income Tax Benefit and the Canada Child Tax Benefits. It also has responsibility for policies and programs that impact poverty, like EI and federal income taxes.

The federal government also has a leadership role to play. The federal government must lead by example, identifying poverty as a significant problem, consulting those with experiences of poverty, and enabling citizens, communities and others to become active in the fight against poverty.

Leadership requires a vision of how things could be different. It includes accountability for actions and responses. It inspires others to follow and commit to the same goal. It pays special attention to the marginalized, and listens to the voiceless. The federal government should show leadership by adopting a poverty reduction strategy.

During this election campaign, ask your candidates about their vision for a Canada without poverty. Challenge them to embrace visionary leadership. Share with them the importance of seeking justice for the marginalized and dignity for the impoverished. Follow up with your newly elected Member of Parliament. By making poverty reduction a collective priority, together we can make our vision a reality.

Questions for candidates

• Will your party commit to adopting a poverty reduction strategy?
• What actions will your party take to ensure a living wage for all workers in Canada?
• What will your party do to ensure that every Canadian has access to affordable housing?

Links for further information

• www.canadawithoutpoverty.ca – CPJ’s Envisioning Canada Without Poverty campaign
• www.cpj.ca – See CPJ’s Economy of Care section
• www.ncwcnbes.net – National Council of Welfare – in particular, Solving Poverty
• www.campaign2000.ca – Campaign 2000 website
• www.kairoscanada.org – Kairos website – in particular, see the anti-poverty section
• www.napo-onap.ca – The National Anti-Poverty Organization website