Open Letter to the Elected Leaders of the Parliament of Canada

February 8, 2010

Re: Poverty Elimination in Canada

Dear Prime Minister Stephen Harper
        Michael Ignatieff, Leader of the Official Opposition
        Gilles Duceppe, Leader of the Bloc Québécois
        Jack Layton, Leader of the New Democratic Party

Prior to the prorogation of the 2nd Session of the 40th Parliament of Canada, momentum was building on both sides of the House of Commons to place the elimination of poverty in Canada as a top priority for both the Parliament and Government of Canada.

This priority commitment was firmly established with the unanimous passing of the November 24th, 2009 motion entrusting the Government of Canada to develop an immediate plan to eliminate poverty in Canada for all. Further, the priority status of addressing poverty in Canada was reflected in the agenda of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills Development, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA), and in particular their study of the federal contribution to reducing poverty in Canada. The importance of investments to support vulnerable Canadians and improve quality of life was also outlined in the Government Response to the Fourth Report of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry entitled "Beyond Freefall: Halting Rural Poverty," also issued in November 2009.

The Dignity for All campaign, a pan-Canadian initiative to combat the structural causes of poverty in Canada, congratulates the Parliament and Government of Canada in making poverty elimination in Canada a national priority. We are, however, concerned that momentum on this critical issue may be lost.

Dignity for All is therefore calling on the Parliament and Government of Canada to commit to the uninterrupted resumption of the agenda of the HUMA committee as set out in the 2nd Session of the 40th Parliament of Canada.

To this end, the Dignity for All campaign asks for your personal commitment, prior to the opening of a new session of Parliament, to revive the work and agenda of the HUMA committee of the 2nd Session of the 40th Parliament of Canada.

We have every expectation that HUMA will further the commendable work and recommendations of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, Subcommittee on Cities. Their December 2009 report, In from the Margins: A Call to Action on Poverty, Housing and Homelessness, states as a guiding principle – and its first recommendation – “that the federal government adopt a core poverty eradication goal that all programmes dealing with poverty and homelessness are to lift people out of poverty.”

In the brief period since the Dignity for All campaign was launched, we have received the endorsement of over 280 groups and 4800 individual Canadians – including 44 parliamentarians. On behalf of these committed organizations and individuals, we look forward to receiving your commitment and expect that the next session of the Parliament of Canada will build on the momentum and committed work of HUMA to develop a national plan to eliminate poverty in Canada.

Yours sincerely,
On behalf of the Dignity for All campaign

Rob Rainer                              Joe Gunn
Executive Director                    Executive Director
Canada Without Poverty        Citizens for Public Justice

cc. HUMA Committee Members
      (2nd Session of the 40th Parliament of Canada)
      House Leaders
      Clerk of HUMA