Issues

• Child Poverty
• Federal Budget
• Guaranteed Adequate Income
• Health and Poverty
• Housing and Homelessness
• Human Rights
• Minimum Wage/Living Wage
• Panhandling
• Poverty in Canada
• Poverty Measures
• Poverty Reduction Strategies
• Race and Poverty
• Social Assistance
• Social Transfer
• Women and Poverty
• Work and Unemployment
• Youth Poverty

Child Poverty

Decision Time for Canada: Let’s Make Poverty History , the 2005 Report Card on Child Poverty in Canada

Highlights of the 2005 Report Card from Campaign 2000 are:

• Poor families are very poor. A lone parent and child in a large city need $24,475 annually to meet basic needs. They receive on average $14,875.
• Poor children rely on food banks. 41% used food banks last year.
• A job is no ticket out of poverty. 48% of all poor children live in families with parents who are employed year round.
• Aboriginal, immigrant, visible minority and disabled children are most likely to be poor. 49% of children in recent immigrant families; 40% of off reserve Aboriginal children; 33% of visible minority children; and 28% of children with disabilities live in poverty compared to the national rate of 18%.
• The gap has widened between the richest and poorest families. The richest 10% of families with children now earn $13 for every $1 earned by the poorest 10%.
• Government policies matter: British Columbia has the highest incidence of child poverty at 23.9%. Quebec’s investments in families have seen its rate steadily decline since 1996.
• Canada’s a child poverty laggard. TheUnited Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) ranks Canada a dismal 19 th out of the 26 OECD countries.

The report challenges governments to create an Action Plan for Children covering five areas: the labour market with improved minimum wages, EI coverage and integration programs for immigrants; improving income security by consolidating and increasing the child benefit to $4,900/child; expand quality child care; new affordable housing starts and a designated federal transfer for social services and welfare restoring entitlement protections. More...

We Can Make Child Poverty History in Canada
By Dennis Howlett, February 20, 2005

On November 24, 1989, Canada’s House of Commons unanimously passed a resolution stating that: “This House seeks to achieve the goal of eliminating poverty among Canadian children by the year 2000.”

More than fifteen years later, and five years after the deadline of 2000, what has happened? More...

Stop the Clawback of the National Child Benefit Supplement

NAPO is supporting the Hands Off! campaign that aims to stop the clawback of the National Child Benefit Supplement (which is part of the Canada Child Tax Benefit) from families on social assistance which is the practice in all provinces and territories except New Bruswick and Manitoba. More...

UNICEF Report on Child Poverty Slams Canada

A new report on child poverty in rich countries shows how far Canada has to go to effectively address child and family poverty.

Here are a few facts from UNICEF's Child Poverty in Rich Countries 2005:

• Canada ranks 19 th out of 26 countries in its child poverty rate of 14.9%.
• Denmark and Finland have child poverty rates of 2.4% and 2.8% respectively.
• The United States comes in at second last with a rate of 21.9%. Only Mexico has a higher percentage of children living in poverty (27.7%).
• Higher government spending on family and social benefits is clearly associated with lower poverty rates.
• No OECD country devoting 10 percent or more of GDP to social transfers (such as unemployment insurance, social assistance) has a child poverty rate higher than 10%. No country devoting less than 5% of GDP to these transfers has a child poverty rate of less than 15%.
• Many OECD countries including Canada have the potential to reduce child poverty without significant increases in spending. Child poverty rates partially depend on how funds are allocated.

Stop the NWT Clawback of the National Child Tax Benefit Supplement

A coalition of concerned groups coming together under the banner of Alternatives North are calling on the Government of the North West Territories to discontinue its practice of clawing back the National Child Benefit Supplement from families on Income Support. They presented CHARLES DENT, MINISTER OF EDUCATION CULTURE & EMPLOYMENT with a comprehensive brief on the negative impact of the clawback and why they should stop this now. More...

Poverty in Canada

THE FACE OF POVERTY IN CANADA: AN OVERVIEW

by the National Anti-Poverty Organization, 2003

The Good News:

· poverty rate for lone parent families is below 50% for the first time in 20 years (due in part to higher incomes and increased government transfers)

· poverty rate for seniors has dropped from 20% to 17% (due to recent full CPP benefit payments from the government to eligible seniors)

· poverty rate for seniors living alone has dropped from 65% in 1980 to 40% in 2000

The Bad News: The last decade has seen one of Canada's strongest economic performances. However, all Canadians have not shared this economic prosperity.

· deep and persistent poverty continues in Canada

· the national pre-tax poverty rate has increased over the last 13 years

· rate and depth of poverty has deepened for many groups

· young families are more likely to be poor

· vulnerability of children and lone-parent families remains high

· the poverty gap for working-age households is increasing

More...

Social Inclusion and Poverty

Presentation by Dennis Howlett, NAPO Executive Director to Laidlaw Foundation Conference on Social Inclusion, April 2005

More...

Federal Budget

Towards a National Poverty Elimination Strategy
NAPO Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance Pre-Budget Hearings 2005 - Sept. 12, 2005

The causes of poverty are many and interconnected but they have remained relatively the same for the last decade: a labour market that does not provide a sufficient number of jobs with stable, living wages; an increase in precarious and non-standard employment; an eroding income security system that fails to provide adequate financial support for those in need, and insufficient social housing as well as accessible and affordable child care. Although progress has been made in some areas there has not been a significant reduction in the number of people living in poverty or the depth of poverty over the last decade. NAPO believes the Federal government must develop a cross-departmental and coordinated national poverty elimination strategy with clearly defined goals and indicators to address the multiple issues defining poverty today. With projected surpluses of $9.5 billion in 2005-06 and $11.3 billion in 2006/07 a poverty reduction plan is more than affordable. More...

Tax cuts "for the poor" could end up going mostly to the rich November 17, 2004

NAPO Discussion Paper: Federal relief for low income people by Andrew Mitchell and Richard Shillington - November 2004

Government can't afford not to do something about poverty February 2004

by Dennis Howlett, NAPO Executive Director
As a society we pay a high price for poverty, not just in the additional costs poverty generates for our health care and prison system but also in the opportunities denied poor people, especially children, youth, women, immigrants and aboriginal people to participate fully in making their contribution to society. more...

Alternative Federal Budget 2005

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives released the Alternative Federal Budget 2005: It's Time on February 17, 2005. NAPO contributed to the development of the Alternative Federal Budget and it includes a very good section on Poverty. All Alternative Federal Budget materials are available on the CCPA web site at: http://www.policyalternatives.ca

NAPO Briefs on Federal Budget

NAPO Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance, Pre-Budget Consultations, Sept. 2005: Towards a National Poverty Eradication Strategy

NAPO Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance, Pre-Budget Consultations, Nov. 2004:

NAPO Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance Pre-Budget Consultations October 27-28, 2003: Sharing the Wealth: Economic Prosperity and Rebuilding Canada's Social Safety Net.

Guaranteed Adequate Income

Guaranteed Adequate Income: An Overview

by Sandra Bender, NAPO Research Coordinator September 2003

Health and Poverty

Don't we count as people?

NAPO Board member Debbie Frost was part of a team that produced a report on Women, Poverty and Health. This report, titled "Don't We Count as People? Saskatchewan Social Welfare Policy And Women's Health", is based on a participatory action research project conducted by a team of advocates from Equal Justice for All, a grassroots, anti-poverty organization located in Saskatoon. This project was part of a larger initiative sponsored by the Prairie Women's Health Centre of Excellence to examine social assistance policies in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, their impact on women's health, and women's access to justice as recipients of social assistance. For full report go to: http://www.pwhce.ca/dontWeCount.htm

The Social Determinants of Health

Summaries of a series of research papers and presentations at a "Social Determinants of Health Across the Life-Span" conference held in December 2002 at York University are available at the Health Canada web site. They include an overview paper that ties all of the issues together under a population health approach. and papers on: income inequality, social inclusion and exclusion, employment and job security, working conditions, contribution of the social economy, early childhood education and care, food security, housing, and education. More...

Improving the Health of Canadians, 2004

Improving the Health of Canadians focuses on why some Canadians are healthy and others are not; and underscores some of the choices communities face in creating more equal opportunities for good health. It is the first in a biennial report series produced by the Canadian Population Health Initiative. The 2004 Report explores in-depth four key issues: income, early childhood development, Aboriginal Peoples' health and obesity. More...

Health Covenant Petition

The Ecumenical Health Care Network has posted an on-line petition calling on the Federal Minister of Health "to establish a public participation process leading to the establishment of a Health Care Covenant for All People in Canada" This was a central recommendation in the Romanow Report. More...

HIV and Poverty in Canada

OTTAWA, October 17, 2005 - Today, the Canadian AIDS Society (CAS) stands in solidarity with organizations around the globe, to fight poverty. “We need to be clear - HIV/AIDS is not just a health issue,” said Paul Lapierre, executive director of CAS. “If we want to stop new infections, if we want to increase the health and quality of life for those who live with the illness, then we need address the social and economic factors that are driving the epidemic in Canada.” One issue that CAS has taken on is poverty. As part of this global fight, CAS is launching the HIV and Poverty in Canada web site. Community organizations, media and policy makers can access fact sheets, tool kits, and other resources to help them understand how poverty and HIV are connected, and how they can integrate this issue into their work.

In response to the increase in new infections, CAS is raising awareness about the role that poverty plays in HIV transmission. “HIV prevention isn’t just about handing out condoms, it’s about making sure that people have a roof over their head and food on their table,” said Gail Flintoft, chair of the board of directors. “It’s hard to think about your sexual health or to seek support for a substance problem if you’re worried about finding your next meal or trying to pay your rent.”

Once someone is infected with the HIV, they are at risk of the downward drift into poverty. The cost of HIV treatment, side effects and basic over-the-counter medications results in thousands of dollars in expenses per month. When these expenses are combined with the cost of full-time childcare, and only a minimum-wage job to cover the costs, it is impossible to make ends meet. Many healthy individuals are forced onto social assistance programs just so they can qualify for the provincial pharmacare program. For those whose poor health forces them out of work, living on an income from CPP disability and/or provincial support programs means depending on food banks and community supports in order to simply survive. More...

HIV and Poverty in Canada web site

Homelessness

VOICES: Women, Poverty and Homelessness in Canada

This new NAPO report on women who are homeless is based on interviews with 46 women who self-identified as homeless in Halifax, Ottawa, and Vancouver and features their voices and perspectives on homelessness. Researched by Marie-José Dancoste, written by Rusty Neal and edited by Sandra Bender, this 46 page report also makes recommendations for action by federal and provincial governments. More...

Living on the Edge: Women and Homelessness in Canada

Traditionally, homelessness has been constructed and viewed as a male experience. Generally, women are not as prevalent as men among shelter users and hence make up only a small percentage of research samples. Women's homelessness is often "invisible" as women rely on their domestic and sexual roles as a strategy to avoid shelters, such as taking up temporary residences in short-term sexual relationships. Recent reports suggest, however, that the visible face of homelessness in Canada is changing: Youth, families, and women are the fastest growing groups in the visibly homeless and at-risk population. More...

Panhandling

NAPO Fact Sheet on Panhandling
Poor Bashing on the Streets of Canada: Anti-Panhandling By-Laws

A 2 page fact sheet on panhandling and anti-panhandling by-laws. More...

Short-Changed on Human Rights:
A NAPO Position Paper on Anti-panhandling By-laws

Panhandling is defined as the act of stopping people on the street to ask for food or money. Over the past several years, cities across Canada have witnessed an increase in the number of people panhandling. This is generating much public debate about the causes of panhandling and what to do about it. One popular response among municipal governments is to introduce anti-panhandling legislation, which restricts where, when and how one person can ask another for assistance. The appearance of anti-panhandling by-laws is an issue of great concern for NAPO. This paper, issued by NAPO in 1999, presents an overview of the issues and presents NAPO's position on panhandling by-laws. More...

Poverty Measures

Market Basket Measure Presentation

Presentation on the new Market Basket Measure for measuring poverty by Linda Lalonde of NAPO to the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills Development, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities Development Human Resources on May 27, 2003. View video clip.

NAPO Overview of Market Basket Measure

In 2003, the Federal Government released information on poverty based on the Market Basket Measure (MBM). The first year for which data based on the MBM has been calculated is 2000. The Market Basket Measure is a research tool that attempts to measure the amount of income needed by a given household to meet its "basic needs" based on a market basket of items (goods and services) such as food, clothing and transportation. Although there is no official poverty line, there are two other statistics most commonly used by anti-poverty groups:

· Low Income Cutoffs (LICOs - before and after tax): the income level where a household will spend on food, clothing and shelter a portion of its pre-tax income 20% higher than the average family.

· Low Income Measure (LIM): equal to half of the median pre-tax income adjusted for family size.

The MBM did not create a huge drop in poverty rates as many people expected, although rates did drop significantly in some areas such as Quebec. Overall the MBM raises the national incidence of poverty in the ten provinces from the after-tax LICO of 10.9% to 13.1 percent, though it shows different results for different groups. More...

Poverty Reduction Strategies

NAPO is calling for the development of a poverty eradication strategy for Canada that would seek to reduce and eventually eradicate poverty in Canada. A strategy would require clearly defined goals, target dates and indicators for measuring progress and coordinated federal, provincial and territorial policy initiatives.

For more details on NAPO's call for a Poverty Elimination Strategy see NAPO's Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance, Pre-Budget Hearings 2005.

The government of Newfoundland in its throne speech committed to developing and implementing a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy in collaboration with stakholders both inside and outside government. They have produced a workbook titled Reducing Poverty in Newfoundland and Labrador, Working Towards a Solution which was used as a tool for extensive public consultations throughout the province. A report on these consultations is expected shortly and will be posted to the Ministry of Human Resources, Labour and Employment web site under the heading Special Initiatives.

Other countries have had success in reducing poverty through implementing poverty reduction strategies. For an excellent overview of the poverty reduction strategy implemented by the British government see notes from presentation on UK Social Policy Since 1997 by Gavin Kelly, Senior Policy Advisor to the UK Prime Minister.

Information on Ireland's Strategic Plan 2005-2007: Working for a Poverty-free Ireland is available from the Combat Poverty agency web site.

Race and Poverty

Fighting Poverty, Fighting Racism

Presentation to National Anti-Racism Council of Canada Conference, Nov. 2005 by Dennis Howlett, NAPO Executive Director

Social Assistance

Time for Governments to Raise Social Assistance Rates and End Punitive Regulations July 9, 2004

It's time governments across the country raised welfare rates so people can get out and stay out of poverty, says the National Anti-Poverty Organization in response to the release of the National Council of Welfare Report entitled Welfare Incomes 2003. This recently released report showed that welfare rates continue to be well below what is required to obtain even basic necessities like food and shelter. More...

Get National Council of Welfare Welfare Incomes 2003 Report.

Social Transfer

NAPO Position Paper on Social Transfer

NAPO is developing a campaign on the Social Transfer in cooperation with partner groups with the following objectives:

1. Enforceable standards referencing international human rights instruments

We need enforceable standards to protect social assistance recipients from draconian provincial government policies such as workfare, two year limits and inadequate levels of assistance.

2. Establishment of a Canada Social Council and a Social Rights Tribunal

A Canada Health Council has been set up based on the recommendations of the Romanow Commission to be an independent body to monitor the health care system and make recommendations for government action. We should push for a similar, independent Canada Social Council that would monitor and evaluate social programs across the country and make recommendations for government action.

3. Public Hearings to ensure national debate and public input

The Romanow Commission on the Future of Health Care was very successful in generating a broad public debate on health care and provided extensive opportunities for public input. This could be done through a Romanow II or a special parliamentary committee that would hold public hearings across the country. The objective of these hearings should be to develop a plan to eliminate poverty in Canada. Consideration should be given to proposals such as the Guaranteed Adequate Income plan.

4. Increased and stable federal funding

Federal funding to provinces for social programs should be separated out from funding for post-secondary education and made equal to the federal transfer for health. Predictability and stability of federal funding needs to be guaranteed and there must be a way to ensure that funds transferred for social programs are used for social programs.

For details see NAPO Position Paper on Social Transfer.

The New Canada Social Transfer Impetus for a Renewed Era of Innovative Social Policy in Canada?

Notes for Remarks by the Honourable Roy J. Romanow, P.C. at a luncheon sponsored by the Canadian Council on Social Development on October 14, 2004.

Women and Poverty

World March of Women - Women's Global Charter for Humanity

The Women’s Global Charter for Humanity is a proposal to build a world where exploitation, oppression, intolerance and exclusion no longer exist and where integrity, diversity and the rights and freedoms of all are respected. More...

Women and Poverty - CRIAW Fact Sheet

This fact sheet was produced by the Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women (CRIAW) in 2005.

Work and Unemployment

The Redistributive Impact of Employment Insurance - by Richard Shillington in Go Figure newsletter, Nov. 2005

NAPO Fact Sheet: Workers and Poverty

Is Work Working?

The Law Commission of Canada has produced an excellent discussion paper titled "Is Work Working?" The Law Commission of Canada undertook its examination of Canada's labour and employment laws in response to concerns that Canada's labour and employment laws and social policy, may not be keeping pace with the changes taking place in the world of work. For example:

· Over a third of the Canadian workforce engages in non-standard work, that is, work that deviates from the standard full-time, permanent employment contract with a single employer. Yet, eligibility for most labour- and employment-related rights, benefits and protections is still based almost exclusively on the standard employment relationship.

· Existing laws and policies may not be achieving a fair distribution of the costs and rewards of participation in the labour force. For example, in 2000, almost two million adult Canadian workers earned less than $10/hour. Many of these workers and their families are impoverished despite having a full-time, full-year job. About 670,000 workers, most of whom are women, are attempting to sole-support their families on less than $10/hour.¹ Many have great difficulty moving out of low-paid work.

· The existing regulatory framework may not adequately ensure that workers have a voice in their workplaces. Unionization is declining and alternative forms of employee representation have not expanded to improve workplace democracy.

· Resources dedicated to enforcing existing laws and regulations, and the methods and practices of enforcement may be insufficient to achieve the intended goals. For example, certain groups of workers — young workers, immigrant and refugee workers of colour, some visible minority and stigmatized workers — report that existing laws are not well-enforced, and they experience extremely poor and exploitative work conditions which they feel powerless to change.

· Existing laws and policies dealing with work are still organized around the concept that “someone” (not the worker) provides the child-, elder- and home-care for the worker. In reality, most workers struggle to meet the increasing demands of work and family/home obligations with few resources and supports to assist them. The sacrifices being made may well undermine the short- and long-term well-being of Canadian workers and society as a whole.

“Is Work Working?” aims to identify the gaps in our laws and policies that leave some workers unprotected, exposed and vulnerable.

The Law Commission invites comments and reflections on its discussion paper. They can be contacted: