Stephen Harper government lacks the political will to end child poverty in Canada

Edited by John Stokes

Over Fifteen years ago the House of Commons unanimously resolved to "seek to achieve the goal of eliminating poverty among Canadian children by the year 2000." In the midst of a growing economy more than one million children, or nearly one child in six, still live in poverty in Canada.

The solutions are well-known. The Harper government is oriented to principally serve large Billion dollar corporation associated with the U.S. Bush administration sponsored North American Competitiveness Council (NAU), and military elites who seek more Weapons of Mass Destruction. The Harper government lacks the political will to redress poverty in Canada, or child poverty in particular.

More than 1 million children, one in six kids in Canada, live in poverty. Nearly three times more aboriginal, immigrant and visible minority children are poorer than the national average.

As leader of the New Democratic party, Ed Broadbent — back in Ottawa as an NDP MP after a 15-year hiatus — moved the 1989 parliamentary motion to end child poverty. A generation of children has grown up seeing that vow unfulfilled.

Canada is one of the richest countries in the world. Yet thousands of women, children and men during any given month, cannot afford adequate food or housing. That is a scandal that challenges the core belief of Canadians in our country as a caring nation.

It is not enough to hope that economic success will trickle down to those who struggle. For many, our faith has compelled us to act ourselves and to call on our governments to act on their promises.

The Harper government delivers billions of dollars of tax cuts, most of which are targeted to primarily financially benefit the richest Canadians.

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