After two years of study and until recently nearly a decade of unprecedented economic growth in Canadian cities – the Senate Sub-Committee on Cites (which I chaired) were hoping to tell Canadians that we are winning the fight against poverty in Canada. Sadly we cannot.
Despite the many thoughtful efforts by governments’, and community groups far too many Canadians continue to live below any measure of poverty, live without a home, and struggle to provide the basic necessities for their families.
The system that is supposed to help lift people out of poverty is substantially broken, entraps people in poverty and needs a complete overhaul.
This unacceptable situation led our Committee to offer some essential, broad and incremental recommendations that should be adopted by governments of all affiliations.
Underlying all of our recommendations is the simple premise: that the goal of all social policy in Canada should be to lift people out of poverty. This means ensuring that people receive an income that would keep them above the poverty line.
Eradicating poverty and homelessness is not only the humane and decent priority of a civilized democracy, but is absolutely essential to a productive and expanding economy.
We need - once and for all – to break the cycle of poverty in Canada, and to finally lift its devastating burden. The time for action is now!