2008:01PU CHILD AND FAMILY POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGIES
Whereas 1 in 1991, the National Council of Women of Canada (NCWC) urged the Government of Canada to reduce the number of families in poverty by providing more adequate income support and by improving opportunities for self-support; and
Whereas 2 in a 1997 Update Eliminating Child Poverty in Canada, NCWC urged the Government of Canada to raise the Child Tax Credit for low and modest income families and fully index it to inflation; and further in 1999, the National Council of Women of Canada urged the Government of Canada to undertake the Articles of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 27—acting to raise living standards of the poorest Canadian children); and
Whereas 3 in a 2000 Update Child Poverty and Benefits, NCWC urged the Government of Canada to substantially increase the amount of the Child Tax Benefit and to set terms for payment which benefit all children equally, and to request the Provincial Councils and Local Councils (where appropriate) to urge their respective provincial governments to cease the clawback of the federal Child Tax Benefit from those families receiving social assistance; and
Whereas 4 in 2006, child poverty (12.8%) was still higher than in 1989 (11.7%), the year that the House of Commons unanimously resolved “to seek to achieve the goal of eliminating child poverty among children in Canada by the year 2000,” despite continued economic growth during most of the intervening years; and
Whereas 5 there is increasing evidence that in addition to strong labour markets, a government commitment to implement a coordinated, long-term poverty reduction strategy, with targets, timelines, a dedicated budget and ongoing evaluation, is required to achieve sustained results; and
Whereas 6 poverty reduction strategies have been effective in a number of countries and implemented in two Canadian provinces; and
Whereas 7 parents/guardians not able to be in the workforce require adequate income in order to raise healthy children who will be able to acquire the necessary education to prepare them for employment; therefore be it
Resolved 1
That the National Council of Women (NCWC) adopt as policy the need for:
a. the development and implementation of a national strategy for the urgent reduction in child and family poverty;
b. cooperation among federal, provincial, territorial and local governments to further this aim;
and be it further
Resolved 2
That the National Council of Women of Canada urge the Government of Canada to develop and implement a national strategy for the urgent reduction of child and family poverty, with the following goals:
a. that full-time, full-year employment provide a level of income above the poverty line;
b. that parents/guardians who are not able to be in the workforce be assured of a basic income and child benefits above the poverty line;
and be it further
Resolved 3
That the NCWC urge the Government of Canada to develop and implement its national strategy for the urgent reduction of child poverty by ensuring that the plan has the following components:
a. Measurable targets and timelines
b. A plan of action and budget that coordinates initiatives within and across government and other partners
c. A government accountability structure for ensuring results and for consulting with Canadians, particularly low-income people, in the design, implementation and evaluation of the actions that will affect them
d. A set of agreed poverty indicators that will be used to plan, monitor change and assess progress