Campaign Against Child Poverty WHO WE ARE:

CACP: a national, non-partisan coalition of faith groups, social-justice groups, charities, child-welfare organizations and others concerned about unacceptably high levels of child and family poverty in Canada and about hazards to the future health and educational, social, developmental and employment success of children who live in poor families.

Campaign Against Child Poverty: Who We Are Partner organizations: Anglican Diocese of Toronto, B’nai

Brith Canada, Campaign 2000, Canadian Association of Food Banks, Canadian Association of Social Workers, Canadian Catholic Religious Conference of Ontario, Canadian Council for Reform Judaism, Canadian Feed the Children, the Catholic Children’s Aid Society, Citizens for Public Justice, Family Service Association of Greater Toronto, Hindu Dharma Mission (Canada), the Hope for Children Foundation, Jewish Family and Child Services, MAZON Canada, Pickering Islamic Centre, The United Church of Canada, United Way of Greater Toronto, the Urban Alliance on Race Relations, and others.

Campaign Against Child Poverty

We’re UNITED for a change!

Our faiths tell us:

it’s time to deliver on the promise.

It’s time to end child poverty.

Campaign Against Child Poverty: Affiliated with no political party. One special interest: reduce the numbers of

poor children in Canada. Funded by private citizens across Canada,

by foundations, faith communities and NGO’s, all of whom share a vision of a poverty-free country.

November 24, 1989An all-party, unanimous resolution is

passed by the House of Commons: “This House …seek(s) to achieve the

goal of eliminating poverty among Canadian children by the year 2000”.

17 years later….

“Our child poverty record…. …leaves much to be desired. The children

who fall behind today are the chronically unemployed of tomorrow, an underclass that will not be brought back easily or cheaply into the Canadian mainstream down the road….”

(‘Chantal Hebert In Ottawa’, Toronto Star, October 15, 2004)

Why we are together: (data from Campaign 2000’s ‘Report Card’, 2005)

Data from Statistics Canada indicate that almost 1 in 6, or 15.6% of children in Canada, live below the poverty line.

In 1989, when the House of Commons unanimously resolved to eliminate child poverty in Canada, the rate was 15.2%. Child poverty grew during the recession of the early 1990s, then began to decline at the end of the decade. However, Canada’s child poverty rate has not dropped below 14.9% in the past thirty years. In contrast, Northern European countries have been able to reduce their rate to about 5%.  

Why we are together: (data from Campaign 2000’s ‘Report Card’, 2005)

Poor families continue to struggle in the midst of growing prosperity. In 2001, two-parent families would have needed to earn, on average, an additional $10,200 just to reach the poverty line. More than 50% of all low-income children live with parents who are in the workforce.

40 % of food bank users are children, although only 26 % of Canada’s population are children. The fastest growing population requiring emergency shelter in Canada is families with children.

Web-site: www.childpoverty.com

Action you can take:

The Campaign Against Child Poverty has placed twelve public education messages like these in major Canadian newspapers over the past few years. 

Where it began: Toronto Star,

April, 1998

Toronto Star andThe Globe & Mail

May/June, 1999

The Globe and Mail,

May, 2001

Toronto Star, Nov. 2002

Toronto Star,

Sept. 2003

June, 2004,with a federalelection pending:

Toronto Star

May, 2006

And October, 2006 With the teachers of

Ontario:

WHAT WE DO: Public Education (1)

We educate the public about child and family poverty. We believe that informed discussion of the facts and implications of child poverty in Canada will help all levels of government meet stated commitments to end child poverty

Our national public-education program is based in part on a long-term media campaign to make the facts public and to demonstrate both to government and to the public the widespread support for public-policy positions that help!

What We Do: Public Education (2) Newspaper messages have been sponsored by

individuals, by CEO’s of major corporations, by Companions of the Order of Canada, by leaders of faith communities, by major Canadian newspapers.

Such a public education program demonstrates to governments and media the strong base of public support for action to end child poverty.

What Else Do We Do? Professional Advice

Through professional consultants in partner organizations, we respond to requests of various levels of government and their ministries for expert advice on all aspects of child and family poverty. In the past several years we have met with federal Ministers of Health, Finance, and Human Resources, provincial Ministers, MP’s, and senior civil servants in relevant ministries to help them implement helpful policies in a practical and timely fashion, consistent with our policy benchmarks.

What YOU can do….. Write, call, e-mail, or meet with your MP / MPP to ask what progress

governments are making in fulfilling commitments with respect to child poverty. If you are a faith leader or educator, you may find useful material in the multi-faith resource kit: “Keeping Our Promise to Children”.

The musical recording “The Promise” may be of interest to schools and places of worship.

Contribute to public understanding of child poverty by raising the issue at public meetings, in community groups, with friends & colleagues.

Volunteer at your local food bank, community centre, help line, etc. To make a tax deductible contribution, please make out your cheque to:“FSAT./Campaign Against Child Poverty” and mail it to:

Campaign Against Child Poverty 355 Church St, Toronto, ON M5B 1Z8

THE PROMISE (1)

All I need are the shoes on my feet,

the clothes on my back,enough food to eat,a safe place to live,to grow strong and free,and I’ll make my way, I promise.

THE PROMISE (2)When a child is born into this world,

it’s a time of hope for all that life may hold;

you want to protect, keeping safe from harm,

and nurture their dreams,

be shelter from the storm.

This is our time, this is our place;

we’re reaching for a guiding hand,

we need you more each day…

THE PROMISE (3)Canada, there’s so much at stake;for the future, please help keep the promise.But, there are too many children in our world, with sadness in their hearts from dreams unspoken,and empty words will never feed the ones whose trust has been betrayed,whose promise has been broken ....

THE PROMISE (4)

This is our time, this is our place; we’re reaching for a guiding hand, we need you more each day.Canada, there’s so much at stake;for the future,please help keep the promise.

THE PROMISE (5)All I need are the shoes on my feet, the clothes on my back, enough food to eat, a safe place to live, to grow strong and free,and I’ll make my way, I promise.

(Written for the Campaign Against Child Poverty - Nov. 99; lyrics by Robert Armes; recorded by the Canadian Children’s Opera Chorus)