Make Poverty History update
Published by Patrick April 5th, 2007 in Make Poverty History Tags: Make Poverty History.via email
Dear Make Poverty History supporters:
Your support has helped us move forward on our Better Aid and Ending Child Poverty goals. But we were disappointed that the Conservative Government did not keep their promises to increase aid in the Federal Budget.
- Visit the Victoria Street Newz (one of the projects the PSAC Social Justice Fund is supporting) to see how they are helping Make Poverty History in BC.
Better Aid Bill Passes Final Vote in the House of Commons
The Better Aid Bill (Bill C-293) moved an important step closer to becoming law on March 28, when it was passed by the House of Commons 166 to 121. The Liberals, New Democrats and Bloc Québecois voted in favour of the legislation. Only one Conservative Member of Parliament, Brian Pallister, voted in favour of the motion.
The Better Aid Bill, a private member’s bill sponsored by Liberal MP John McKay, will ensure that official development assistance funds are directed to poverty reduction while respecting human rights obligations.
The Bill now needs to get Senate approval before an election call if it is to become law. This bill, when implemented, will help us achieve the “Better†part of our “More and Better Aid†goal.
- Here is some more information on the Better Aid Bill.
Federal Budget Fails to Make Poverty History
There is little or nothing in the 2007 Federal Budget, announced on March 19, that will help to make poverty history.
Several measures that appear to address poverty, on closer examination turn out to be inferior versions of previous Liberal initiatives or actually deliver more benefit to rich families and less or nothing to poor children who need assistance the most.
A case in point is the Child Tax Credit announced in this Conservative budget, which should not be confused with the Canada Child Tax Benefit that Make Poverty History has been campaigning to have increased to $5100 per child. The Conservative Child Tax Credit will do absolutely nothing for the poorest children whose families have no taxable income.
It would have been far better to apply this funding to improving the pre-existing Canada Child Tax Benefit and the National Child Benefit Supplement which provides assistance to a broad range of families but provides more benefit to those in greater need, including those with no taxable income.
The Conservative Budget also fails to deliver on commitments to the world’s poor. Prime Minister Harper had pledged to boost aid spending beyond Liberal government’s planned 8% annual increases to achieve the average aid donor country performance by 2010. While the 2007 Budget reported that $315 million would be added to Official Development Assistance for this current year, 2006/07, it promised no new funding initiatives for 2007/08.
The Canadian Council for International Co-operation calculates that Canadian ODA in 2006/07 will be $4.6 billion or 0.33% of our Gross National Income (GNI), and will remain at $4.6 billion in 2007/08 but fall to 0.32% of our GNI. This is not even half of the UN target of 0.7% to which other donors have committed.
Progress in Ontario and B.C.
Thousands of Ontario Make Poverty History supporters’ e-mail messages to Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty have helped to create the public pressure needed to get the Ontario government to take action on poverty. The Provincial Budget tabled on March 22 includes a commitment to raise the minimum wage to $10.25 by 2010 and introduced an Ontario Child Benefit for children in low-income families. This will further reduce but not completely end the claw-back of Canada Child Tax Benefit and National Child Benefit Supplement which Make Poverty History has been calling for.
Make Poverty History supporters in B.C. also sent messages to their Premier asking that he take action on poverty. The B.C. government did announce some modest increases to social assistance rates and funding for housing in their provincial budget which was released on February 20.
Vote to Make Poverty History Organizing Workshops
Make Poverty History is holding workshops across Canada in key swing ridings with the aim of organizing local groups to take action during a federal election. To check whether there is one being held near you check out the events calendar
For a brief description of the workshops check out Make Poverty History Coordinator Dennis Howlett’s blog at: Bi-weekly postings will keep you updated on the progress of the Make Poverty History campaign.
A Vote to Make Poverty History On-line Action Kit will be available on the Make Poverty History web site as soon as an election is called.