Poverty is a reality for too many people in British Columbia and across the country.
Despite the adoption of former NDP leader Ed Broadbent’s motion to end child poverty in Canada, which was unanimously supported in the House of Commons 25 years ago, this country’s child poverty rate has soared to 21 per cent.
It is absolutely shameful this is happening in one of the richest countries in the world.
Our federal and provincial politicians should have their feet put to the coals when one in five children in British Columbia and across the nation live in poverty.
Our elected political leaders (MLAs and MPs) need to explain why children and their families are going hungry and why they don’t have adequate shelter.
Our children are our future, so we should be investing in them and our governments should be leading the way.
When the First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition released a report recently, it noted little progress has been made to reduce child and family poverty in B.C.
The report noted children living in one parent, mostly single mom families, had a 50 per cent poverty rate in 2012 and were living on average $10,000 below the poverty line.
So, why is B.C. the only province without a poverty-reduction plan and accompanying legislation?
Why is the B.C. Liberal government clawing back money child support payment from single-parent families living on income assistance?
How does that break the cycle of poverty?
The province has indicated there will be $444-million budget surplus this spring.
It’s estimated the cost ending the clawback policy would be $17 million, but when it was suggested the B.C. Liberal government use some of the surplus funds to do that, Premier Christy Clark said it “can’t afford” it right now.
Locally, Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett noted resource industries fuel the economy and funding social programs beyond those industries’ revenue would be a burden on taxpayers.
She explained the poor folks don’t pay for health care and they get free subsidies on many things, and children get breakfast and lunch programs at schools (put on by parent groups).
Clearly, there needs to be a mind-set change before this government will take a serious look at poverty and establish a reduction plan.
Meanwhile, we need to dig deeper in our pockets and cupboard to help our families, friends and neighbours who are in need.
So, when we look at a group of people in our communities, on average one in five of them will be living in poverty.
That, dear reader, is our reality check.
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