After five years, six policy summits and a community engagement process involving 600 partnerships, Dignity for All: A National Anti-Poverty Plan is here!
The plan calls for the Federal Government to uphold their international human rights obligations and take action to address the immediate and long-term needs of the one in seven Canadians who live in poverty.
There are six key realms identified in the plan:
- income security
- housing and homelessness
- health
- food security
- early childhood education and care, and
- jobs and employment
Within each realm, the Dignity for All Campaign has outlined recommendations to address poverty in Canada.
Why a Federal Poverty Plan?
Despite calls for a national poverty plan from the United Nations, the Senate, and a House of Commons Standing Committee, Canada has not implemented a federal poverty plan. This means that there is no strategy in place to address systemic causes of poverty in Canada.
The federal government has the research, strategies and resources to eliminate poverty in Canada. They control income security payments, tax benefits, pensions, and the vital funding for provincial/territorial health and social service programs. It is time for the federal government to fulfill their obligations under international human rights law.
As the federal government gets ready to announce a budget surplus, the time is right to move forward decisively, and introduce a comprehensive anti-poverty plan, based in human rights.
“Over the past five years, Dignity for All has received support and input from thousands of people in Canada” said Joe Gunn, Executive Director of Citizens for Public Justice. “We are very excited by the amazing reception this report has received from representatives from all parties. The collaborative process in which the National Anti-Poverty Plan for Canada was drafted has made it clear that we have the political will to take action on poverty in Canada. And now we also have a plan. The time to act is now,” said Gunn.
Over the past 5 years, Dignity for All has garnered support from 15,000 people in Canada who believe it is time for the Federal Government to step up and take responsibility for this country’s impoverished populations. It is time for Parliament to act. Our plan puts this in motion.
“It is never acceptable for a rich country to do nothing about poverty, and now is certainly not the time,” said Leilani Farha, Canada Without Poverty’s Executive Director. “The rights of 4.8 million people are being violated and yet the Federal Government hardly seems concerned. Our plan lays out the framework for a successful national anti-poverty plan.”
Click here to download the plan in English. En français.
