New Democrats press government to “poverty- proof” communities

OTTAWA – The 2008 Hunger Count reports almost 15 per cent of the 704, 000 people using food banks in Canada are working individuals and families, the highest level ever. In light of this news, New Democrats are pressing the federal government to “poverty-proof” our communities.

”The vulnerable have not been helped by the Conservatives and now working Canadians are telling the government they are wrong to think that just any job will lift someone out of poverty,” said New Democrat Poverty Critic Tony Martin (Sault Ste. Marie).

“We need to poverty-proof our communities starting with major reforms to Employment Insurance so more people are covered for longer periods. Canadians who are losing well-paying jobs and finding part-time, temporary work are in for a shock at how little the EI system they have paid into will help them. Besides a stimulus package, the economy needs stability, a safety net to catch those who fall through the cracks.”

Food Banks Canada called on the government to implement a national poverty reduction strategy, increase the Child Tax Benefit to $5,000 per child and expand the Working Income Tax Benefit to include all households with earned incomes below poverty levels. The 2008 Hunger Count completed in March before the economic downturn reported 704,415 people - 37 per cent of them children - were assisted by a community food bank.

“Invest in child care now – Canada can’t work without it,” said New Democrat Children critic Olivia Chow (Trinity-Spadina).

New Democrat Post-Secondary Education Critic Megan Leslie (Halifax) pointed out that in the case of students there is a direct correlation between tuition costs and food bank need. “How do we expect students to learn, and our country to be competitive in the knowledge economy, when our students are trying to figure out where their next meal will come from?" she asked.