The Making Poverty History Coalition calls for a comprehensive plan with targets to reduce poverty in Manitoba
Earlier today, the Making Poverty History Coalition of Manitoba held a press conference at the Millenium Library to call for a comprehensive plan to reduce poverty in Manitoba. Such a plan is now in place in Quebec and in Newfoundland and is under development in Ontario and Nova Scotia. Manitoba Liberals have been calling for such a plan for some time, and have indeed introduced legislation (Bill 226) to require the province to have such a plan, and to have the target of reducing poverty by 50% in four years.
When I questioned Gary Doer in the Legislature today about his support for Bill 226 and whether his government would put in place such a plan, he dodged and weaved instead of answering the question.
Liberals support the efforts of the coalition, just as the coalition is supporting the type of plan the Liberals have proposed in Bill 226. As Liberals we will keep the pressure up on the NDP until they either support Bill 226 or produce similar legislation on their own.
Wednesday, I made the following member's statement
Make Poverty History Manitoba Coalition
Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): Mr. Speaker, for nine long years the NDP government has failed to bring in a comprehensive poverty-reduction plan and social-inclusion plan for Manitoba. Today, the Make Poverty History Manitoba coalition held a press conference and said as follows: "The need for a comprehensive plan to prevent and reduce poverty is urgently needed in Manitoba. Several other provinces–this is a reference to Québec, Newfoundland, Ontario and Nova Scotia–have already developed or are developing action plans, and the same initiative is clearly required here. Manitoba is falling behind."
Liberals have introduced Bill 226, The Social Inclusion and Anti-poverty Act, a bill which is badly needed, requiring a plan for Manitoba. This plan would include all Manitobans, include Aboriginal people as well as all others, and needs to develop the appropriate benchmarks. We have set one target and that is to reduce the level of poverty by one-half in four years. We believe that that is a realistic target which is needed.
As the coalition pointed out, Manitoba has the third-highest child poverty rate in Canada and, though there has been some improvement since the Doer government was elected in 1999, 31,000 Manitoba children are still living in poverty, not including those living in First Nations communities, and we must include them.
To date, the Province has favoured a piecemeal approach of measures that, although appreciated, falls far short of dealing with the scope of this issue. The findings of the community consultation process the coalition has undertaken since 2006 clearly show that minor changes to existing policy are not enough and the Province must undertake comprehensive and systemic action to reduce poverty in Manitoba.
Liberals agree with the coalition and strongly support the coalition and indeed, as I have indicated, have already tabled a bill which would provide for such a comprehensive anti-poverty and social-inclusion plan for Manitoba.
Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): Mr. Speaker, for nine long years the NDP government has failed to bring in a comprehensive poverty-reduction plan and social-inclusion plan for Manitoba. Today, the Make Poverty History Manitoba coalition held a press conference and said as follows: "The need for a comprehensive plan to prevent and reduce poverty is urgently needed in Manitoba. Several other provinces–this is a reference to Québec, Newfoundland, Ontario and Nova Scotia–have already developed or are developing action plans, and the same initiative is clearly required here. Manitoba is falling behind."
Liberals have introduced Bill 226, The Social Inclusion and Anti-poverty Act, a bill which is badly needed, requiring a plan for Manitoba. This plan would include all Manitobans, include Aboriginal people as well as all others, and needs to develop the appropriate benchmarks. We have set one target and that is to reduce the level of poverty by one-half in four years. We believe that that is a realistic target which is needed.
As the coalition pointed out, Manitoba has the third-highest child poverty rate in Canada and, though there has been some improvement since the Doer government was elected in 1999, 31,000 Manitoba children are still living in poverty, not including those living in First Nations communities, and we must include them.
To date, the Province has favoured a piecemeal approach of measures that, although appreciated, falls far short of dealing with the scope of this issue. The findings of the community consultation process the coalition has undertaken since 2006 clearly show that minor changes to existing policy are not enough and the Province must undertake comprehensive and systemic action to reduce poverty in Manitoba.
Liberals agree with the coalition and strongly support the coalition and indeed, as I have indicated, have already tabled a bill which would provide for such a comprehensive anti-poverty and social-inclusion plan for Manitoba.
posted by Jon Gerrard @ 10.9.08
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