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PFO Bulletin #6: Getting Poverty Eradication on the Provincial Election Agenda

Poverty Free Ontario is an initiative of the Social Planning Network of Ontario (SPNO).  The objectives of Poverty Free Ontario are:

  1. To make ending poverty a public issue in the 2011 provincial election;
  2. To urge that all political parties commit to a poverty eradication agenda if elected; and
  3. To ensure that all electoral candidates have poverty eradication as part of their platforms and campaigns.

Poverty Free Ontario is a non-partisan initiative. Although the election campaign is only a day old, none of the political parties and very few of the electoral candidates running under party banners have given any indication that a commitment to ending poverty within a reasonable timeframe and with a clear and serious plan is a priority issue in this election. None of the published party platforms give any prominence at all to poverty or its elimination.

While Poverty Free Ontario and the SPNO do not endorse or encourage that Ontarians vote for any particular party or candidates, we do urge Ontarians to question all electoral candidates on their commitment to ending poverty and to make their own individual choices about which candidates and political parties they believe will act to end poverty in this province.

That is why the Poverty Free Ontario campaign is getting its message – “Let’s Vote for a Poverty Free Ontario” – up in signs posted on the properties of supportive individuals and organizations in 16 communities across the province.  The faith community, recognizing the moral and ethical issues of letting 1,689,000 Ontarians live in poverty, is taking some leadership in getting this message in front of the public in many of these communities: www.faithtoendpoverty.ca.

Elections are critical times for citizens to exercise the democratic option of choosing who will govern them. Everyone is encouraged to participate in the democratic process of debate, discussion and voting. SPNO, a non-profit network of 20 community-based social and community development councils across Ontario, is proud to participate in this democratic process in a non-partisan way through the Poverty Free Ontario initiative.

For further information contact:

Peter Clutterbuck, SPNO Coordinator
(416) 653-7947   cell (416) 738-3228
pclutterbuck@spno.ca
Web site: www.povertyfreeontario.ca

Discussion

One Response to “PFO Bulletin #6: Getting Poverty Eradication on the Provincial Election Agenda”

  1. Hopeless Hope is when you are falsely lead to believe that you can work your way out of poverty on min wage and lead to believe that you will get housing supports or other social services.
    What party will see it end ?
    There a many in out area who are robbed of pay and put under stress needlessly. Not no mention underpaid by profitable firms.

    Know of a worker who once worked for a firm that paid the minimum wage. This owner went on to sell the business for a huge profit , this while your tax dollars where spent providing housing assistance and other social supports for the family!
    Some have suggested that increasing wages is the answer , while the answer looks good , look at the price of goods that go up or the hours of work that go down for most workers who see no change.
    So I would suggest this based on the experiences I found from those working in the area.
    We need to think about means testing business ,Perhaps a grace period for those who come and set up , but state how long and at what profit levels we will allow and provide social supports for their workers to help the business build. Voters need to be told how long they will be required to buy goods or services and yet again have to purchase though taxes related social costs for family members or children affected by the forced poverty. This is going on now ,with no costing and little easing of poverty related problems.
    We set up rules to insure tax dollars go to those in need when it comes to poverty , we need to insure that Business that are in our area do not keep those very same workers in need while they profit take at tax payers expense !
    Questions to all Candidates.
    1 Are you or your party pro helping reduce poverty ?
    2 Are you ok with forcing some irresponsible business out of tax payers pockets books by getting their workers off needless social supports. (How)
    3 or are you ok with tax payers subsiding profit take at the expense of workers and their family’s ?(dollar figure and length of time )
    4 What level of profit take is ok with your party while social costs mount for tax payers and hurt the working poor.(comments on theme )
    5 Is it ok for voters to call a business and ask that a worker be paid more in wages to a profitable firm ?
    —- or this must see video interview
    http://www.youtube.com/playlandnews#p/u/4/nXNDlt7eY0g
    What gives , people in Canada are allowed to be terrorized
    Where is the money for these folks first .

    Posted by Playlandnews | September 11, 2011, 9:10 pm

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