"People think of Canada as a rich and beautiful country," said Jean Swanson, one of the events' organizers. "But we want the world to know that our neighbourhood has the same HIV rate as Botswana. Our province has the highest child poverty rate in Canada (21%), and thousands of homeless people have to search through garbage for food and things to sell."
"We also want them to know," said Alan James, another organizer, "that all of this poverty and homelessness is completely unnecessary. Our province had a surplus of $4 billion last year, and the federal government had a surplus of $14 billion."
The event began with a torch parade from the office of the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users. Inside the community centre, a giant End Poverty Torch made by Downtown Eastside artists was unveiled. A banner with the five Olympic rings portrayed as handcuffs, read, "End poverty. It's not a game." Volunteers from the Carnegie Action Project sang an end poverty anthem to the tune of "Oh Canada," the official national anthem.
Events included the long jump over a bed-bug-infested mattress, the welfare (social assistance) hurdles, the poverty line high jump, and curling for housing rights (with jello).
To meet commitments made before winning the Olympic bid, Swanson said the government should build 3200 units of new affordable housing, increase social assistance rates by 50 per cent, and end arbitrary barriers that are keeping people in dire need from accessing assistance.
Groups sponsoring the event include Raise the Rates, the Carnegie Community Action Project, British Columbia Persons with AIDs Society,and the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users.
Organizers vowed to hold a second and third Poverty Olympics unless governments act to end homelessness and reduce poverty before the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Consider coming to City Hall to speak at the Public Hearing on this topic
Dec 12 and Dec 13 at 7:30 pm in Council Chambers with Carnegie Action
and their allies to challenge this plan.
The Yukon's business community gave a thumbs-up Thursday to the territorial
government's proposed changes to its social assistance program, although
some say more can be done to help assistance recipients stay in the workforce...Health
and Social Services Minister Brad Cathers said he is proposing to raise
social assistance rates by about 20 per cent...The government
has to meet with federal authorities and First Nations before the changes
can be implemented.
At 20.9 per cent, B.C.’s proportion of children living below the poverty line continues to drop from its 2002 peak but is still substantially higher than the 16.8 per cent national average, according to 2005 Statistics Canada data analyzed by First Call: B.C. Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition.
“Other provinces have already announced poverty reduction strategies,” First Call’s Michael Goldberg said in a press release. “It is time for B.C., the province with the worst child poverty rates, to wake up to reality and start taking its responsibilities seriously.”
More >>
November 23, 2007
Manitoba workers to get wage raise
from CanWest News Service
Minimum-wage earners in Manitoba will get 50 cents more an hour starting next April, the provincial government announced yesterday. Labour Minister Nancy Allan said the province's minimum wage will go up to $8.50 an hour on April 1, putting Manitoba among the top three highest minimum wages in Canada.
Ontario will have a minimum wage of $8.75 on March 31, while Saskatchewan will go to $8.60 on May 1. The 50-cent hike is the largest annual increase to the minimum wage in Manitoba since the NDP began increasing it incrementally in 1999.
November 13, 2007
The minimum wage in New Brunswick will take a sizable jump early in the new year.
from The Canadian Press
The province's independent Minimum Wage Board has approved a 50-cent increase that will raise the minimum wage to $7.75 per hour, effective March 31, 2008, the third rate change since last October.
Labour Minister Ed Doherty says he will ask the board for a rate increase at least once a year.
November 8, 2007
Northwest Territories Improve Income Assistance
from First Call BC
As of September 1st, the Government of the Northwest Territories has made sweeping changes to the income assistance program, including
changing their philosophy from one of “last resort” to “providing
adequate financial assistance in combination with supports and services to help
people achieve self-reliance.” Substantive changes include:
- A food rate based on Canada’s Nutritious Food
Basket to meet national guidelines for healthy eating;
A clothing rate adjusted for cost of living by
community;
- New benefits for seniors and persons with
disabilities;
- A $150 increase in the single shelter rate;
- A new unearned exemption of $1,200 a year;
- An increase in the earnings exemption.
This government publicly recognized that
the benefits they were providing were inadequate and required a simpler access
process, and that they needed to support the choices and needs of individuals
and families. They serve as an example for British Columbia to follow.
Read
more about the changes to income assistance in the Northwest Territories. Canadian Social Research
Links has listed a number of related publications from the NWT.
October 20, 2007
Why poverty threatens us all
by David Olive, Toronto Star
The gap between rich in poor in this country has reached Third World levels. Will it take widespread unrest to convince people they have a stake in this?
More >>
October 17, 2007
Women: The Missing Piece of the Poverty Puzzle
by Anita Petry
UNITED NATIONS - Women are seen as the key for ending global poverty and the issue of gender equality is receiving special attention at events marking the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on Wednesday.
More >>
October 16, 2007
Carnegie Action Calls
for Foreign Aid to Help Homeless.
Carnegie Community Action Project (CCAP) met with Miloon Kothari, Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing and appealed to the United Nations to intervene on behalf of homeless people in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver.
More >>
October 12, 2007
No New Homes in Premier's Homelessness Plan.
Coleman challenges cities to "step up."
More >>
October 5, 2007
RTR presented their 5 demands
to the BC Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services
More >>
October 4, 2007
Minimum wage to be increased in Saskatchewan
The SK government announced today that their minimum wage will move to
$9.25/hr by May 1, 2009, in three stages between now and then. Further
increases to reach the Low-Income Cut-off by 2010 and indexing to
inflation are part of the announcement.
More >>
September 28, 2007
Minimum wage must go to $10 say Municipal leaders
by Christina Montgomery, The Province
Municipal leaders from across B.C. yesterday voted firmly in favour of
boosting the minimum wage from $8 to $10 an hour.
More >>
Aug 21, 2007
We Should Index the Minimum Wage
"In 70 years, the working poor's purchasing power essentially
hasn't gone up."
More >>
Aug 17, 2007
(posted)Two recent CCPA
articles
The
Clock is Ticking on Homelessness and the Olympics
How big is Taylor's heart? Share that $4.1 billion surplus with
poor kids
July 24, 2007
(posted) Poverty Reduction Strategy
for Ontario
The Ontario Campaign 2000,
a campaign to reduce child poverty has released a report called: A
Poverty Reduction Strategy for Ontario that calls on
all Ontario political parties to committ to poverty reduction.
July 23, 2007 Political
Will Needed
Vancouver Sun editorial reviews the accomplishments and the challenges
that remain in improving the lives of people in the Downtown Eastside.
More>>
July 23, 2007 Vancouver's Olympic Challenge
Washington Post article on the pressure Vancouver faces to fulfill
the social pledges that helped it win the 2010 Winter Games.
More>>
June 20, 2007 Raise
the Rates Community Workshop
Raise the Rates held a workshop on June 5th to hear from members
of different communities about the poverty issues they are facing.
There were over 40 people in attendance and this video shows a
portion of the discussion.
June 20, 2007
(posted) Social Housing Video
This video highlighting the importance of good social housing
was made by Homeless Nation in collaboration with the Carnegie
Community Action Project.
June 20, 2007 (posted) We Allowed Rich to Win the Class War
Probably the most overlooked story of the past two decades is
the fact that there was a class war and the rich won. By getting
governments to cut taxes and slash social benefits, our financial élite
has greatly enriched itself and worsened the fate of the poor.
More>>
May 24, 2007 Raise Welfare Rates and
Minimum Wage
Stuart Murray, a researcher with the CCPA, argues that, in the
context of MLA pay hikes of 29%, we should
take a closer look at other groups that really need an increase
in pay.
More>>
May 22, 2007
(posted) Afraid to Raise Minimum
Wage?
David Schreck challenges those who believe that raising the minimum
wage hurts the economy, and urges us to pressure the provincial
government to raise and index the minimum wage.
More>>
May 22, 2007
(posted) NDP Calls for Minimum
Wage Increase
On April 12, the NDP issued a news release calling for the minimum
wage to be increased to $10 an hour.
More>>
April 26, 2007 NDP Statement on Poverty in
BC
New Democrat Official Opposition Critic for Employment and
Income Assistance Jagrup Brar made a strong statement in the
Legislature
today about the alarming rise in poverty in B.C. under Gordon
Campbell’s
government.
Full Statement>>
April 20, 2007 Homeless Needs Survey - Complete Research Report
Issued
The purpose of the Homeless Needs Survey (held February 5-9) was
to gain a deeper understanding of what people who are homeless
or unstably housed feel they need in order to find and maintain housing.
More>>
April 19, 2007 Vancouver Refuses
to Help Thousands of Low–Paid Workers
In a close six to five vote on April 17, the NPA majority on Vancouver
City Council refused to lend support to efforts to boost BC’s
minimum wage and win a raise for thousands of low-paid workers.
More>>
March 2007 How Disability Benefits are Failing
British Columbians
This report from
the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities shows how the individual
needs of people with disabilities in BC
are not being met by the current provincial disability benefits
system.
Mar 26, 2007 Set Minimum Wages Above Poverty Line
Not a single
province in Canada pays a minimum wage that lifts working Canadians
out of poverty, concludes a study by the Canadian
Centre for Policy Alternatives.
More>>
March, 2007 Inner-City Inclusive Housing Report
A number
of organizations and
agencies came together to develop this report with the common purpose
of creating lasting housing benefits associated with the 2010 Olympic
Games. Among the outcomes are recommendations to increase welfare
rates and remove the arbitrary barriers.
Full Report>>
Mar 23, 2007 Nanaimo City Council Passed Minimum
Wage Motion
The Nanaimo City Council passed motions intructing the mayor to
write to the premier to ask that the minimum wage be increased
to $10 per hour and that the $6/hr wage be eliminated on the basis
that it increases poverty.
<<Minutes coming soon>>
Mar 23, 2007 (posted) North Vancouver City Council Passed Minimum
Wage Motion
In their February 12 meeting North Vancouver City Council passed
a motion to pressure the provincial government to raise the minimum
wage to $10/hour.
More>>
Mar 21, 2007 Ontario Liberals Hint at Minimum
Wage Hike
Tomorrow's budget may include a plan to increase the
minimum wage to $10.25 for Ontario's working poor by 2010.
More>>
Mar 5, 2007 Upcoming Event on Minimum Wage
The Hospital Employees Union is hosting an exciting event on
the evening of April 1st – one that they hope will
be the first step toward building a broad-based campaign
for improving
the wages
and benefits of low-waged workers.
More>>
Feb 20, 2007 Welfare Rate Increase
In today's budget, the BC Liberals announced an increase
in welfare rates. Thank you for your help in making this happen!
More>>
Feb 12, 2007 Open Letter to Premier Gordon Campbell
Raise the Rates published a letter to Campbell in the
Province newspaper today, signed by a number of influential supporters.
More>>
Make Poverty History support>>
Feb 2, 2007 Minimum Wage Laws
CBC article on The State of Pay in
Canada: "...minimum wage employment
is still the reality for many in this country. In
2007, for someone working full-time, that means an annual income
of less
than $16,000. Some try to support a family on that."
Dec 8, 2006 Ms. Broccoli
At CBC Food Bank Day
Over the holiday season, the public is always very generous
in giving to food banks. But Ms. Broccoli urges
people to go one step further this year and write to Premier Campbell
to ensure that people in poverty have enough food to eat all year
round.
More>>
Nov 28, 2006 More Supporters Join Raise the Rates
The BC Teachers' Federation and the BC Coalition of People with
Disabilities have joined the campaign.
Nov 28, 2006 Annual Dietician's Report Recently Released
Dietitians of Canada, BC Region in partnership with the Community
Nutritionists Council of BC produced this 2006 report to demonstrate
that some groups within our population are denied the right to
safe and nutritious food due to limited financial resources.
More>>
Nov 28, 2006 Report
on Social Sustainability in Vancouver
This report, commissioned by the Vancouver Foundation, United
Way, and the City of Vancouver, and published in September, highlights
the widening gap between the rich and poor, as well as the
lack
of affordable
housing.
More>>
Nov 25, 2006 St. Mary's Anglican Church Supports Campaign
In their quarterly newsletter, a concerned member of this church
urges others to write to their MLA in support of raising welfare
rates.
Full Article>>
Nov 25, 2006 Upcoming Event on Raising Minimum Wage
Vancouver and District Labour Council Youth Committee invites
everyone to an open meeting:
Sunday, November 26, 12:30pm
Boardroom 2
Maritime Labour Centre
111 Victoria Drive
Nov 23, 2006 NDP Wanted Debate on Welfare
The NDP supports the report released recently by the Dieticians of
Canada, which shows that the working poor and income assistance
recipients don't have enough money to eat healthily, but their
request for an emergency debate was denied.
More>>
Nov 22, 2006 Policy Shouldn't
Create Poverty
An article in the Terrace Standard supports welfare increase.
More>>
Nov 20, 2006 Burnaby City Council Joins Municipal Campaign
Burnaby councillors have voted to endorse all four of the Raise
the Rates
demands, thanks to pressure from Alan James and Jean Swanson.
More>>
Nov 16, 2006 Ontario Increase Welfare Rates by Only 2%
The Ontario government is increasing the maximum monthly social
assistance rates by 2% for recipients of benefits under the Ontario
Disability Support Program (ODSP) and Ontario Works (OW).
More>>
Nov 16, 2006 (posted) Response to Campbell's
Promise
"We recommend that the February budget not just include a raise
in shelter allowances but also funds dedicated to begin an independent,
public task force on income security in BC."
More>>
Oct 27, 2006 Campbell Announces Plans to Increase Welfare Shelter
Allowance in Upcoming Budget
Media Responses>>
Oct 24, 2006 Raise the Rates News Conference
On Thursday, October 26, Jean Swanson, Susan Shepherd, the Mayor
of Kelowna, and Helen Hughes, the Acting Mayor of Victoria, will
address the issues of homelessness and poverty in a news conference
in Victoria.
More>>
Media Responses>>
Oct 18, 2006 Check out this
Homeless Video Game
In 'Homeless: It's No Game' you have to survive 24 hours on the
street by getting food and a shower from the church, collecting bottles
to
recycle,
and selling things you find in the dumpster. It provides
an interactive introduction to the harshness of homelessness.
Oct 11, 2006 Download our
New Postcards
Our supporters at VIPIRG have made a Raise the Rates postcard
which is quick and easy to fill in and send to Claude Richmond.
Please download a bunch and pass them around.
Oct 11, 2006 CUPE Expresses Support for Raise the Rates
In an article on p.18 of the recent edition of Public Employee,
Mark Hancock, secretary-treasurer of CUPE BC, urges CUPE members
to support our campaign to reduce poverty. Click here for the newsletter.
Oct 11, 2006 Media Momentum
Grows in Support of our Demands
In the last few months, there has been a growing number of newspaper articles
in favour of improving the welfare system. For a selection, click here.
Oct 11, 2006 (posted) Video
of 'The Price is Wrong'
Take a look at an abridged version of the Raise the Rates gameshow
skit performed at this year's Art Against Brutality (courtesy of
Clayton at HomelessNation.Org).
Oct 5, 2006 (posted) Kamloops Joins Municipal Campaign
The Interior Health Authority urged Kamloops, Richmond's own constituency,
to join other municipalities and lobby Victoria for higher welfare
rates,
and
the city council voted in favour of doing that.
More>>
Oct 5, 2006 Provincial Health Officer's Report
This annual report released yesterday is strong in it's recognition
of the link between low income assistance rates, low minimum wage
levels and food insecurity.
More>>
Oct 5, 2006 (posted) HEU Pressures Government
The Hospital Employee's Union has sent a powerful letter urging
the provincial government to address the "human costs" of
the current welfare system.
More>>
Sept 27, 2006 What Are Your Priorities for Budget 2007?
Another survey, this one from the BC Liberals. Please emphasise
our 3 welfare demands, as well as more funding for social housing,
as budget priorities for next year.
More >>
Sept 27, 2006 BC Budget Must
Tackle Poverty
Amid rising public concern about poverty and homelessness, the
CCPA is urging the provincial government to adopt
a comprehensive anti-poverty
strategy in its next budget.
More>>
Sept 27, 2006 Mayor Launches Online Survey to
Tackle Public Disorder
Please fill in this survey asking the mayor to address our 4 demands.
More>>
Sept 26, 2006 Poverty Matters: Barriers Kids Face
The BCTF is sponsoring a forum on poverty and the effect it has
on kids on Oct. 4, 2006.
More>>
Aug 30, 2006 CCPA Mental Health Report Published
This report concludes that many policy changes initiated by the BC
government since 2001 have had a negative impact on people with
mental illness, including making the welfare application process
so difficult.
More>>
Aug 24, 2006 Welfare Payments Called "Morally Disgraceful"
CBC article covers a recent report issued by the National Council
on Welfare highlighting that the 1.7 million Canadians on welfare
in 2005 saw some of the lowest welfare rates since 1986.
More >>
Aug 18, 2006 Kelowna
City Council is on board
Kelowna has submitted a resolution addressing low
welfare rates to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities
upcoming convention in October.
More >>
Aug 15, 2006 Poverty Amidst Plenty
Marc Lee, Senior Economist with the Canadian Centre for Policy
Alternatives, 'reads between the poverty lines' of a recent report
on poverty put out by Human Resources and Social Development Canada.
More >>
Aug 15, 2006 (posted) Richmond admits error but presses on
Political pundit David Schreck shows that Richmond's error
in the number of children living in poverty was more than an innocent
mistake.
More >>
Aug 4, 2006 (posted) Victoria
joins municipal campaign
In their meeting on July 20, Victoria City Council passed resolutions to press
the
provincial government to end the barriers to welfare and address low welfare
rates.
More >>
Find out how to get
your city council to pass a similar motion
Aug 3, 2006 Richmond Responds
to Campaign
In the Province today, Income Assistance Minister Claude Richmond
says that he may raise welfare rates next year.
More + Our Response >>
Aug 1, 2006 Political pundit
David Schreck highlights Richmond's misinformation
"If Richmond is off by a factor of 750% on the number of children
living in poverty, it is no wonder that he isn't helping poor children..."
More >>
Aug 1, 2006 Campaign spreads
further around the province
So far, we've sent the posters and leaflets out to 27 places around BC, most
recently Sechelt, Salmon Arm, Penticton, Port Alberni, Vernon, Prince George,
Williams
Lake, Duncan,
Fort
St.
James, Campbell
River, Quesnel, Merritt, Revelstoke, and Nelson.
Thank
you
to these communities for their support - if you would like to add your community
to
the list, please contact us
to have resources mailed to you or download them
here.
Aug 1, 2006 (posted) Vancouver and District Labour Council joins
campaign
On July 18, the Vancouver and District Labour Council adopted a resolution
to increase welfare rates and end barriers to welfare.
More >>
July 27, 2006 Homeless increase as welfare declines
Born in Victoria,
Jeff Munro lost his job as a landscaper after he fell on his head
in an accident two years ago. He depends on social assistance to
cover
his living expenses.
"But you've got to fight for it all the time," he said. "It's
an ongoing hassle because they're always changing the rules."
More >>
July 27, 2006 New poster design and leaflet
Download our new earnings exemption poster and more colourful leaflet.
July 7, 2006 Campaign
spreads around the province
We have sent posters and leaflets out to Haida Gwaii, Port Hardy,
Cranbrook, Victoria, Dawson Creek, Prince Rupert, Terrace, Ft. St. John, Kelowna, Surrey, Maple Ridge, and lots
of places in Vancouver.
Contact us to have resources
mailed to you or download them.
July 7, 2006 District of
Maple Ridge joins municipal campaign
Maple Ridge Council passes a resolution to urge the provincial
government to raise welfare rates.
More >>
Find out how to get your city council to pass a similar motion
July 4, 2006 (posted) Review of Canada
by UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
The recommendations specifically mention cuts to civil legal aid (they refer
to British Columbia in particular), insufficiency of minimum wage and welfare
to maintain an adequate standard of living across the country, and problems
with workfare programs. They highlight the fact that poverty rates remain very
high among disadvantaged and marginalized individuals and groups such as Aboriginal
peoples, African-Canadians, immigrants, persons with disabilities, youth, women
and single mothers.
More >>
July 4, 2006 (posted) The Ombudsman’s
report into systemic unfairness at the Ministry of Employment and Income
Assistance (MEIA)
In early 2005, 15 anti-poverty groups from across BC complained to the Ombudsman
about systemic unfairness at the MEIA because of widespread concerns about
unfair practices experienced by poor people who need assistance. The Ombudsman’s
investigation has led to significant legislative and policy change at the Ministry.
2
page fact sheet from BCPIAC
Ombudsman's
full report
June 12, 2006 Bucking the National
Trend: BC's welfare cuts and poverty among lone mothers
Until 2001, the poverty rate in BC had dropped faster and further than the
national rate. Unfortunately, things shifted in 2001 when the poverty rate
for BC's lone mothers began to climb back up. With one-half (49%) of lone mothers
in poverty in BC today, BC's poverty rate is higher than the national average
by a wide margin.
More >>
June 1,2006 NDP launches campaign
to end poverty in Canada
OTTAWA – The NDP today launched a national “End Poverty in Canada” campaign
vowing to engage Canadians and their politicians to deciding what the fairest
way forward is for all Canadians.
More >>
May 30, 2006 Call to action to end
women's poverty
A coalition of women's advocates and anti-violence & income security groups
have come together to create an avalanche of support to demand real change.
Protests will be held on June 7th, 2006.
More >>
April 24, 2006 BC Canadian Centre for Policy
Alternatives (CCPA) calls on province to raise welfare rates
“In 2002, the province made a series of arbitrary cuts to welfare
benefits as part of its budget reduction plan. The cuts took more than
$92 million directly out of the poorest British Columbians’ pockets
in the two years after they were made,” says Seth Klein, the CCPA’s
BC Director.
More >>
March 28, 2006 Shoe-in at the Carnegie
Centre
There was a huge turnout for this community event protesting the
provincial government's budget.
More >>
