National Anti Poverty Campaigns

On Feb 15, 2006, Make Poverty History (Canada) called for the Harper government to keep Canada’s longstanding promise to provide 0.7% of GNI in foreign aid. One year ago, Conservative, Bloc and NDP leaders jointly called on Prime Minister, Paul Martin, to honour Canada’s commitments on aid spending to the world’s poor and pass legislation to focus aid spending on ending poverty.

Consequently, all parties in Parliament unanimously voted for Canada’s aid to reach 0.5% by 2010 and 0.7% by 2015. The Conservative platform promises to reach 0.42% of GNI by 2010, the current average provided by all donors. While the Conservatives’ most recent pledge would be an excellent first step, it is important to keep pressure on the Conservatives to move on that quickly and set a timetable for reaching the 0.7% promise.

In the fall of 2005, the National Anti-Poverty Organization developed the “Living Wage Pay Cheque” campaign to lobby provincial governments to raise minimum wage to $10.00/ hour. This is a campaign supported by the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE). For more information on Canadian Anti-Poverty campaigns click on the following links:

• Make Poverty History Canada
  
  
• Public Services International
  
  
• National Anti-Poverty Association
  
  
• National Union of Public and General Employees