For the sixth year in a row British Columbia has the highest rate of child poverty in Canada, but children and family development minister Mary Polak said she's pleased the situation is improving.
“We're encouraged that even this report shows that by all measures British Columbia has the lowest child poverty rate that we've seen in almost 20 years,” she said. “I wouldn't want to be the best in Canada and yet see the rates of child poverty in British Columbia increasing.”
There was a 25,000 drop in the number of children living in poverty between 2006 and 2007 in B.C., she said. “I would argue to you that the place we hold in relation to the other provinces isn't necessarily as relevant as where we are with respect to our numbers in British Columbia.”
B.C. had the highest child poverty rate of any province in 2007 using any of three common measures, said First Call B.C.'s 2009 Child Poverty Report Card released today. The rate was 18.8 percent using the low income cutoff before tax.
Until 2000 the rate in B.C. and Canada moved up and down together depending on the strength of the economy, the report said. “The big change took place in the current decade, when the national rate continued to decline as the economy continued growing, and the BC rate shot up dramatically. In the absence of corrective action through government policy, rates are likely to go up again in 2008 and 2009 as a result of the current recession.”
Improving the B.C.'s performance requires a broad approach, Polak said. “We have to pay attention to education and literacy,” she said. “We have to pay attention to affordable housing. We have to pay attention to training and employment opportunities. There's a whole basket of services that we need to bring together across government.”
The government should be ashamed to have the highest rate of child poverty in the country for the sixth year in a row, said New Democratic Party leader Carole James. “This government is doing nothing. In fact they're making the situation continue to be bad for children and families.”
To fight child poverty the government needs to support families by raising the minimum wage, investing in childcare and providing more affordable housing. “Those three things alone could bring down the child poverty rate if the government wanted to act and they've refused.”
Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.
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verso
2 years ago
...
“We're encouraged that even this report shows that by all measures British Columbia has the lowest child poverty rate that we've seen in almost 20 years,” she said. “I wouldn't want to be the best in Canada and yet see the rates of child poverty in British Columbia increasing.”
Blah, blah, blah, blah... more of the same from another Campbell lap dog.
IMO, of all the things Campbell has or hasn't done to this province, his record on child poverty is the most appalling followed by a shameful minimum wage policy.
Surely the two are connected –– raise the minimum wage as a start to address our abysmal record on child poverty.
Polakite
2 years ago
It's time for a poverty reduction strategy
Enuf said.
Include in it things that encourage economic growth - raising tide lifs all boats, min wage increases that aren't hurtful to business so they'll have to be slow, Dump Du Troit and Restart EIBI.
That's just getting warmed up. More tonight after I transcribe some audio of our favourite MCFD Minister.
Skywalker
2 years ago
Speaking of blah, blah and more audio.
I listened to Minister Polak on the CBC at noon today. It was twenty minutes of her parroting the liberal message in response to every caller who wanted some answers. The host let her "rag the puck" but cut short any caller who got close to the bone before the caller could respond. This followed with the rest of the hour used up with the more important topics of the Olympics and wine making. Yep it is all about the important things.
Frank
2 years ago
Minister Polak
"“I would argue to you that the place we hold in relation to the other provinces isn't necessarily as relevant as where we are with respect to our numbers in British Columbia.”"
Actually it is Minister. No provincial government can control the Feds or the world economy so it IS fair to compare provinces with each other to see if a change in one province (positive or negative) is caused by external factors.
In the 1990's the Federal Liberals were chopping provincial transfers and social programs to the bone in order to wipe out the deficit. In the last decade the Feds have been literally throwing money at BC.
Yet, the plight of the poor has gotten worse on your watch.
SharingIsGood
2 years ago
meaningless stats by MLA Pollack
According to the article, The Minister told us:
"There was a 25,000 drop in the number of children living in poverty between 2006 and 2007 in B.C., she said. “I would argue to you that the place we hold in relation to the other provinces isn't necessarily as relevant as where we are with respect to our numbers in British Columbia.” "
Interesting she might say that because there have been substantial drops in the number of children in BC over the last 10 years. A drop in the number of children living in poverty for one year seems to have gone down with a drop in the number of children. Wait until the numbers come out for 2008 and 2009. We will, once again, have had a declining number of children with an increasing number in poverty - the rule, not the exception, of this golden decade.
What a bunch of baloney this government throws out for us to eat - and they try to pass it off as round steak!
http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/data/pop/pop/dynamic/ProvPop/Query.asp?category=Prov&type=1&topic=Estimates&agegrouptype=Standard&subtype=®ion=10&year=2008&agegroup=5-year&gender=t&output=browser&rowsperpage=all
matken
2 years ago
Funding Strategy
Just stamp the back of each kid's hand with 5 interlocking rings (non-toxic, washable ink) and tell Gordon Campbell these BC children might be future Olympians. Watch as he goes into a meditative trance and starts chanting "Whatever they want, whatever they want."
lynn
2 years ago
Private profiteering at the expense of children
"The big change took place in the current decade, when the national rate continued to decline as the economy continued growing, and the BC rate shot up dramatically."
Exactly.
hmmmmm.....wonder why the BC rate shot up so dramatically?
It sure tells you who benefited from the BC Liberal's Golden Debacle.....
And it wasn't children.
lynn
2 years ago
What Mary. Polak doesn't tell you:
"Interesting she might say that because there have been substantial drops in the number of children in BC over the last 10 years. A drop in the number of children living in poverty for one year seems to have gone down with a drop in the number of children. Wait until the numbers come out for 2008 and 2009. We will, once again, have had a declining number of children with an increasing number in poverty - the rule, not the exception, of this golden decade."
Thanks for posting that that revealing piece of info, Sharing is Good.
Polakite
2 years ago
Hmmm...
Perhaps the MCFD Minister's fan was right she'd Polak child poverty.
Good job. I'm sure child poverty will go down with just as much pyro as the BCNDP did. I just hope she's right that child poverty will go down under her leadership.
Now what about autism? What about EIBI? Hmmm...
Frank
2 years ago
Polakite
"I just hope she's right that child poverty will go down under her leadership."
Its been 9 years, but keep voting for the same people and expect to get different results anyway.
crankypants
2 years ago
Yeah right!
Since when did education and literacy have any bearing on child poverty? Even the poorest of the poor are by law mandated to attend school or an accepted alternative and by such should become both literate and educated. Living in poverty means that these children have less than adequate amounts of nutricious food, questionable access to decent clothing and substandard shelter.
For Minister Polak to marginalize the plight of these children is pathetic. The Liberal party can spin this situation as much as they want but the bottom line is that they have failed the less fortunate at every turn. I can assure you that the legacy they leave will be one of the saddest chapters ever recorded in BC's history. They deserve nothing less!
crankypants
2 years ago
Polakite
Quit beating around the bush. Just approach her and and tell her you will be her slave for life and spare us the garbage you continue to spew. She may be an attractive lady but there has never been a correlation between looks and brains.
In other words, let the brain between your ears do the thinking rather than the head between your legs.
Over and out.
SharingIsGood
2 years ago
you are welcome, lynn
Your thank yous are high praise indeed.
salty dog
2 years ago
@ Crankypants
Well said......Don`t feed the troll with OCDisorder
It`s enough to make me gag,why Sean Holman puts up with his comments...
Cheers
Polakite
2 years ago
Three times
I've sent Crankypants to the offensive comment bin.
What the heck is it with Tyee? They'll jump down me, but not the far lefters?