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The rise in poverty in 1996 came as no surprise to anti-poverty groups. Government policy that has abandoned the poor continues to widen the gap between have and have-not.

According to Statistics Canada, 5.3 million Canadians, 17.9% of the population, lived below the Low Income Cut-Off lines (LICOs), and 32.9% of poor families fell more than $10,000 below the LlCOs. Higher unemployment and another $3.3 billion in cuts to Federal transfer payments have led to a poverty crisis. Amidst a culture of welfare bashing, Provincial and Territorial governments have used decreasing transfers as an excuse to gut social assistance benefits.

What economists are calling an economic recovery, has done well for corporations like the banks; their profits have tripled since the nineties began. The poorest fifth of Canadians however, now earn only 3.1% of all income, while the richest fifth receive 47.3%.

What happened to a fair distribution of wealth? reasonable social assistance? a decent minimum wage?

On December 10, International Human Rights Day, Progressive Conservative senators E. Cohen and P. Kinsella launched a private members bill calling for social condition to be included as one of the specific grounds of discrimination in the Canadian Human Rights Act. Though present in some provinces, Canadians living in poverty have no universal protection against discrimination due to poverty. Working closely with NAPO, the Charter Committee on Poverty Issues, and law professor Martha Jackman, the senators hope to enlist the aid of members of parliament in passing the bill for 1998, the fiftieth anniversary of the declaration.

The Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI) is an international economic pact between 29 countries, which threatens to drastically limit how national governments can regulate their economies. As drafted, the agreement will likely interfere with Canada's right to protect jobs, keep ownership of resources, guard social programs, and preserve the environment. The Council of Canadians has brought together a coalition of labour, environmental, and other activist groups as a united front of opposition to the present agreement and its behind-closed-door drafting. The groups are calling for an informed, public debate around the deal, and assurances of our democratic right to build an equitable, sustainable society. For more information, contact the Council of Canadians at (613) 233-2773 or 1-800-387-7177. The full document can be viewed at their web site: www.web.net/coc.

In 1976, Canada signed the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights with the agreement of all provinces. In doing so, they supported the right of every Canadian to an adequate standard of living for him(or her)self and his(her) family, including adequate food, clothing, and housing, and the continuous improvement of living conditions.

Until recently, the Canada Assistance Plan had guaranteed these principles, but that protection no longer exists. Clearly, governments throughout Canada have been in breach of this contract, lowering social assistance benefits to levels below basic needs, and completely denying benefits to many more. Implicit in the agreement, is a commitment to social and economic policy that works to enrich the lives of all Canadians, not concentrate our immense wealth in the hands of fewer and fewer. In 1993, the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights reviewed Canada's recent record and criticized the lack of progress in eliminating poverty, continued hunger and homelessness, and inadequate social assistance. The next review begins in 1998, and the committee has asked NAPO, among other groups, to provide our perspective and analysis on the state of economic, social, and cultural rights in Canada.

In November, the board of directors at NAPO stood by postal workers in denouncing back-to-work legislation to be passed by the Federal government. The board unanimously agreed to write a letter to the federal government to express their "outrage"at the "attack against workers' fundamental rights to have a negotiated collective agreement". Despite protest, postal workers were forced back to work at noon on December 4, 1997.

An estimated 117 activists were taken into custody by riot police following a mass anti-hunger action at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal on December 3,1997..

Organized by the Committee des SansEmplois de Montreal-Centre (Central Montreal Unemployed Committee), a low income citizens working group, demonstrators took food-filled platters from a lunch buffet and passed them out among supporters. Most participants were charged with conspiracy, theft under $5000, and mischief under $5000. "For the most part, the media did its job of denaturing or ignoring the issues and reducing the event to a spectacular piece of fringe lunacy" wrote Bernard Cooper, one Montreal activist.

The Edmonton Social Planning Council, in December 1996, released a six city comparison of absolute poverty showing Edmonton to have the highest rate. The report defines absolute poverty as living on less than half the Low Income Cut-off Line (LICO).

The percentage of Edmonton families with children living in absolute poverty rose from 3.3% in 1993 to 8.1% in 1995. 48.8% of single parent families now live more than $10,000 below the line. Alberta currently has the lowest minimum wage in Canada, a full-time income that puts one below half the LICO.

In addition, the Klein government has cut thousands of Albertans off social assistance, lowering welfare spending by $254 million between 1993 and 1995. Reduced public spending, and recent social and labour market policy continue to increase the depth of poverty in Alberta.

Their wit was so acid that it could have peeled the paint off the walls of the Star cafeteria, where I recently spoke with three smart, tough and blistering funny women from the Barrie Action Committee. "Actually", said Sherrie Tingley, with a wicked cackle, "we'd rather be known as The Raging Bitches from Barbie".

Well, okay, but this is not punk rock group. Tingley, Bette Durst and Monica Petzoldt represent a group of feminists, many of whom are single mums on welfare, or (like Petzoldt) eking out a pinched, part-time livelihood. Despite all the mean constraints of a life in poverty, these women have done more constructive community work than most upper-crust volunteers. They've lobbied the schools on issues of diversity and homophobia, fought for a local branch of Planned Parenthood and helped create a Better Start program for improved prenatal health.

The Barrie Action Committee looks at politics "through the lens of poverty," even if not all its members have marginal incomes. It first caught my attention with scorching Internat messages about what Tingle calls "child feeding programs." "The sickest thing I ever heard," wrote Tingle, "is the statement that children can't learn if they are hungry. Does that mean we only feed them when they have to go to school? Does that mean if they could learn, it would be okay? Does that mean other family members can starve, specifically their mothers?"

Pointed questions that stabbed my conscience. It's true albeit a cliche - that children can't learn if they're hungry. But only a mother who is intimately acquainted with poverty could fill in the rest of the picture so sharply. "The school breakfast program we know, in our community well, it's run by the charity ladies," Petzoldt said. "They bake muffins and hand them out. Of course, kids who arrive on a later bus don't get any, poor or not."

"These feeding programs are degrading. No parent is asked for consent and when they started up, they even kept it secret so that parents wouldn't try to 'take advantage' of it. Why don't they give the muffins to the mothers to give their kids?" Petzoldt is reminded of the programs designed to "teach single mums five ways to cook a chicken." "Just give me the goddam chicken," she snaps. "Most women on welfare are there because they lost their job or they fled a bad marriage. So: yesterday, when I had a partner, I knew how to budget and run a household. Today, I need Prozac and cooking lessons and my son needs someone to give him a muffin and a kind smile."

I was reminded of that too-familiar maxim: "Give a man a fish and you feed him for one day; teach him to fish..." blah blah blah. We need to rethink some of these sanctimonious village mottoes. The cod stocks are gone, the water's polluted, the fish plant has been mothballed - and the job skills courses have been canned anyway. The Barrie women were adamant that the newly popular focus on "child poverty, "strategic or not, is unacceptable. "Children don't exist in isolation," they said. "It's a way for the middle class to feel good without facing up to the fact that the Liberal government ended the Canada Assistance Plan, and did away with a standard of dignity for all Canadians."

- Excerpt from an article in the Toronto Star by Michelle Landsberg, September 28, 1997.

Directed by low-income activists from across Canada, NAPO provides a voice for low-income Canadians on national issues.

To provide leadership in meeting the demand of different sectors and in juggling complex issues, in a collaborative manner.

The successful candidate will be bilingual, committed to social and economic justice, and will have experience with social and economic policy, media and public speaking, lobbying preparation of briefs, community development and the management of financial and human resources. Please note that unsuccessful candidates will be considered for the position of Assistant Director.

Send resume and salary expectations by March 6, 1998 to NAPO Hiring Committee, 440 - 325 Dalhousie Street, Ontario KIN 7G2. Fax: 613- 7890141 E-mail: [email protected]. No telephone inquiries please. Only candidates who are short listed will be contacted.

Third Report of Canada on the International Covenant on , Economic. Social and Cultural Rights. Includes reports of . the federal, provincial and territorial governments and is , available from Francine Lambert, Human Rights Program, . Canadian Heritage, 15 Eddy Street, 7th Floor, Hull QC . K1A OM5, tel:(819)994-3458/fax:(819)994-5252. It will become available on the internet at www.pch.gc.ca/ddp-hrd.

Another Look at Welfare Reform and Welfare Incomes . 1996. The first report looks in detail at welfare policies of . governments across the country. It is organized by . province and territory and updates changes in welfare . policies to the fall of 1997. The second report provides estimates of welfare incomes for the year 1996 for various types of households in all provinces and territories. Both are available from the National Council of Welfare, 2nd Floor, 1010 Somerset Street West, Ottawa ON K1A 0J9,. tel:(613) 957-2963 / fax:(613)957-0680/ e-mail : [email protected].

Acceptable Living Level (A.L.L.). Winnipeg Harvest and . the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg brought together a group of low income persons to discuss their perspective on what would constitute an adequate, reasonable living . level. This report is tile result. It is available from tile Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, 412 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg MB R3A OA9, tel:(204)943-2561/fax:(204)942-3221.

Child Povertv in Canada: National Report Card 1997 and Mission for the Millennium: A Comprehensive Strategy for Children and Youth: Campaign 2000 Discussion Paper No.2. Both are available from Campaign 2000, c/o Family. Service Association, 355 Church Street, Toronto ON M5B 1Z8, tel:(416)595-9230, ext.244/fax:(416)595-0242/e-mail: [email protected]. One copy of the report card is free, the cost of the discussion paper is $15. The report card is available on the internet at http://www.web.net/~rpopham/campaign2000.

The Progress of Canada's Children 1997 provides data on how children are faring, and also assesses the quality of community resources for children. The report is available from tile Canadian Council on Social Development, 441 MacLaren, 4th Floor, Ottawa ON K2P 2H3, tel: (613)236- 8977/fax: (613)236-2750/e-mail: [email protected] ($13). For highlights contact NAPO.

Welfare Warfare describes the new welfare law in Ontario. It is published by Caledon Institute of Social Policy and sold by Renouf Publishing, tel: (613)745-2665/fax: (613)745-7660. The report will be available to regular members and low income groups in Ontario through NAPO.

HungerCount 1997: A Report on Emergency Food
Assistance in Canada is based on a survey of food banks across Canada conducted by and available from the Canadian Association of Food Banks, 530 Lakeshore Boulevard West, Toronto ON M5V 1A5, tel:(416)203- 9241/fax:(416)203-9244.

The latest NAPO publication: Government Expenditure Cuts and Other Changes to Health Care and Post-Secondarv Education: Impacts on Low-Income Canadians by Ken Wyman is now available.

NAPO is a non-profit organization established in 1971 to represent the interests of low-income Canadians. It advocates on their behalf at the national level and supports similar provincial/territorial and local groups.

Membership: Any Canadian who is poor or has been poor can become a regular member of NAPO for a suggested annual fee of $2 (or whatever one can afford). Others who aren't poor can become associate members for an annual fee of $50. Membership is also open to non-profit groups (on a sliding scale basis related to an organization's budget). Annual membership fees include a subscription to NAPO NEWS. To become a member or for more information write to: Christine Valois, NAPO, 316-256 King Edward Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario KIN 7M1. Phone (613) 789-0096 Fax: (613) 789-0141. E-mail: [email protected]. Charitable BN 130916638RR0001

THE NATIONAL ANTI-POVERTY ORGANIZATION
A Voice of Canada's Poor

NAPO News No. 62 - FEBRUARY 1998

THE NATIONAL ANTI-POVERTY ORGANIZATION A Voice of Canada's Poor

NAPO News No. 62 - FEBRUARY 1998

THE NATIONAL ANTI-POVERTY ORGANIZATION
A Voice of Canada's Poor