Help Make Poverty History in BC

Make Poverty History have shown their support for our open letter campaign by putting their time and energy into sending out a letter to all their members urging them to send a message to Premier Campbell - thanks to them over 1500 messages have been sent out.

Dear Make Poverty History supporter:

The Make Poverty History campaign platform includes the goal to end child poverty in Canada. Specifically it calls for more money for low-income families, affordable housing and the creation of decent jobs, with a higher minimum wage and universal, affordable early learning and child care.

British Columbia has the highest rate of child poverty in Canada. One in four BC children is growing up poor. Homelessness has doubled between 2002 and 2005. The $8 an hour minimum wage leaves even an individual working full time well below the poverty line. Someone working at the starting wage of $6 an hour earns only about 60% of the poverty line.

Despite having surpluses, the provincial government has frozen or cut welfare rates (with the exception of one modest increase to disability rates). Despite the rising cost of living, there have been no increases to the minimum wage in 6 years. And the provincial government has made welfare much harder to get by reducing face-to-face services and introducing arbitrary barriers.

Help send a message to Premier Gordon Campbell asking him to act now to increase income assistance and minimum wage rates, and remove barriers to welfare that deny help to people in dire need. Click here (www.makepovertyhistory.ca/e/bc/) to send a message to Premier Campbell (with a copy to the Opposition Leader, Carole James).

For more information on these issues check the web site of the Raise the Rates campaign at: http://www.raisetherates.org

Thank you for your help in sending a message to Premier Campbell to make poverty history.

Dennis Howlett
Coordinator
Make Poverty History

P.S. Be sure to forward this message to your friends and colleagues. It is available online at http://www.makepovertyhistory.ca/e/take-action/e-alerts/2007-02-16.html