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Abbott Breaks from Lib Pack, Pledges Child Poverty Consult

Baby deaths report shakes up leadership race after scant focus on BC's impoverished.

By Andrew MacLeod, 28 Jan 2011, TheTyee.ca

Liberal candidate George Abbott

Liberal leadership candidate George Abbott: set 'achievable legislated targets' on poverty.

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A report on British Columbia child deaths released Jan. 27 found that poverty was a major factor. But until George Abbott suggested a public consultation process aimed at reducing child poverty, there was little in the campaign to become B.C.'s next premier that suggested the candidates were prepared to address the depths of the problem.

Several of the candidates to lead the BC Liberal Party had been talking about how to support families, but the suggestions were things like lowering taxes, raising the minimum wage, spending more on playgrounds and giving everyone an extra day off.

None were likely to address the kind of poverty described in Fragile Lives, Fragmented Systems from Child and Youth Representative Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond. "The lack of a coordinated and responsive government approach to poverty is ... a significant concern in this review," said the report, which looked at the short lives of 21 infants who died before their second birthdays.

"As a group, these infants lived in serious poverty as well as inadequate housing," the report said. "These cases starkly show the inability of families to improve their life circumstances across generations, with devastating results. The families in this review, particularly the Aboriginal families, were often stuck in chronic, deep poverty."

The report noted that B.C. continues to have the worst after-tax child poverty rate in Canada and that Turpel-Lafond has been advocating for a "comprehensive provincial poverty reduction plan."

"We need to have a real dialogue that looks to the needs of children in deep poverty as well as children of the 'working poor' who are often overlooked," Abbott is quoted in a release put out today by his campaign. The public consultation Abbot proposes would be intended to lead to the crafting of legislation setting defined, measurable targets for making progress against poverty in B.C., and holding government responsible for meeting those goals.

BC lacks plan

Child poverty has been a weak spot for the B.C. Liberal government and a frequent topic of NDP opposition questions.

The rate spiked starting in 2003, two years after the Liberals first came to power under Premier Gordon Campbell, according to the most recent report from First Call: B.C. Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition.

"Poverty rates usually move up and down with the health of the national economy, but British Columbia's child poverty rates have been out of whack in recent years," the report found. "While the national child poverty rate was on a strong downward trend because of year after year of economic growth, the B.C. child poverty rate climbed to a record high 24.6 percent in 2003 and fell down near the national rate only in 2008."

Six of Canada's 10 provinces have committed to poverty reduction plans, it said, but not British Columbia.

Before Abbott stepped into the breach, those looking for a Liberal leadership candidate to improve that record would have been mostly disappointed.

The leader in public opinion polls, Christy Clark, a former minister of children and family development for the province, launched her campaign saying it was about putting families first. Her campaign team failed to respond to a request for an interview for this story.

Of the 13 "key issues" listed in the policy section of her website, none address poverty directly, though she says supporting families means building a "secure and strong" economy. "Christy Clark will fight to grow B.C.'s economy by creating the jobs that families need to support themselves, now and in the future," it says.

She also suggests creating a "family day" statutory holiday in February.

Abbott proposes consultation

George Abbott, whose Campbell cabinet experience included several years as health minister and a more recent posting as aboriginal relations and reconciliation minister, defended the government's record.

"I think we have undertaken many steps to try to improve the situation in relation to those who are economically disadvantaged in our province," he said in a Jan. 19 interview.

There is, however, more to do, he said.

"I would say the minimum wage adjustment will be an important step," he said. "After a decade of static minimum wage, a wage increase is due." That wage has been frozen at $8 an hour since 2001 and is now the lowest in Canada. The ministry of labour is consulting with stakeholders about raising it.

An emphasis on creating and providing affordable housing needs to continue, he said, as well as a focus on education, especially for Aboriginal People. The province also needs to build more economic opportunities on the land base for first nations and others, he said, adding that he would continue looking at agreements to share mining revenues.

Then, today, a day after Turpel-Lafond's report was released, Abbott proposed a public consultation on reducing child poverty. The discussion would include people from non-profits, business, immigrant services and First Nations.

They would look at how best to measure child poverty, which groups are most affected and how to set policy to respond. They would also propose "achievable legislated targets for reduction over the next five and 10 years."

"The participants themselves would be tasked to define the problem and design a set of solutions together through ongoing dialogue, and also submit to taking action as partners to support the solution in recognition that no single group alone can solve the problem," Abbott's announcement said.

"We need to look at the impact and effectiveness of all our current policy responses such as federal and provincial transfer programs to low-income families, the way we use our tax system to support these families, and whether the combination of these measures may be resulting in unnecessary 'claw backs' of programs for some families," the announcement quoted Abbott.

Abbott's plan for families on his campaign website also suggests a tax credit program for home renovations, a tax credit program for children's extracurricular activities like the federal government already has, fighting organized crime to make neighbourhood's safer and expanding grants for school playgrounds.

Let 'em eat shortbread

Kevin Falcon's campaign failed to respond to a request for an interview. The policy section of his website suggests he would support education and low taxes. "To ensure our kids grow up to enjoy every opportunity that we have, and more, we need to continue to provide an economic framework that encourages investment and job creation," it said.

For struggling families, there would be a minimum wage hike, but with this caveat: "It needs to be done in a consultative way to ensure we stage any increases to help our small businesses adapt. It is important that we ensure we don't harm the very people we're trying to assist by discouraging hiring opportunities."

Mike de Jong's website appears to be silent on poverty and families, though he does demonstrate how to bake shortbread cookies.

Parksville Mayor Ed Mayne said in an interview he supports raising the minimum wage to $10 or even $11 an hour. A former Tim Horton's vice president, a franchise of the donut shop is the family business. "I think everyone deserves to make a decent living."

But Mayne also thinks child protection, welfare and social benefit programs need to be better funded, he said. "We have some very far ends of the extremes her in this province," he said. "If there's one case of poverty, then you've failed miserably, haven't you?"

That B.C. has the highest rate of child poverty in Canada is an embarrassment, he said. "Those things bother me a lot," he said. "We've got a lot of things we can be proud of, but it bothers me."

BC Liberal Party members will vote for a new leader on Feb. 26. [Tyee]

Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee's Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. You can reach him here.

24 Comments:

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  • DSchreck

    1 year ago

    Nothing can be found on the

    Nothing can be found on the government's website in response to the Representative's report. Minister Polak, on CBC radio last night, said a poverty reduction plan wouldn't necessarily be useful. She showed no compasion for the 21 deaths and no understanding of the role poverty played.

  • RickW

    1 year ago

    Liveral leadership candidates have among them......

    ....promised just about everything there is to promise.

    Hmmmm....Campbell at one time or another promised just about everything there was to promise.

    'Nuff said.

  • cboo44

    1 year ago

    The Taxpayer already "gives"

    ENOUGH ! Now the bureaucrats, native chiefs, councilors and all the "consultants" in the "native industry" can get their noses out of the public trough long enough to spare some REAL support for families and parenting programs.

  • notamused

    1 year ago

    Could do worse

    Abbott continues to distinguish himself as the best candidate for the leadership of the New Democrats.

  • DPL

    1 year ago

    I was under the impression

    I was under the impression that those Cabinet meetings actually discussed and decided a course of action. Seems the people trying to replace Gordo slept through all the meetings where kids in care, poverty, were being discussed. Or maybe they were not being discussed. Thank goodness that Mary -Ellen is working hard to protect the kids, because folks like George certainly are not doing the job and of course Polak as minister is a lost cause.

  • Jerry Munro

    1 year ago

    Rightwing humour...

    Yeah, okay. I trust this guy. I'll vote for him. 8-D LOL.

    "Abbott continues to distinguish himself as the best candidate for the leadership of the New Democrats." notamused.

    8-D LOL. Good one. The NDP will never know the difference. He could be Carole... or Moe... or whomever.

  • shepsil

    1 year ago

    10 years of destroying our communities

    Actions speak louder than words. The BC Liberals cannot be trusted. These men and women who call themselves leaders are monsters, just like the man who lead them all these years.

  • samuidave (not verified)

    1 year ago

    We Must Presume ...

    that every Party member understands the ramifications of being aligned with the Party, warts and all. Especially the warts.

    Once one accepts 'Party' as one's vehicle to gain the seat as representative and thus power, one cannot later say he was not an intrinsic part of its behaviour.

    It's absolute bullshit to say you weren't really part of the Party cancer, after the fact.

    How many ways must it be said, "live by the sword...", "there is no 'I' in Team", "Leave with the girl you brought to the dance" etc.

    Its childish and pathetic for the ethical concerns to surface well after the fact, while the Party member stood by, mutely, pretending silence on command did anyone but the Party any good. He traded his trust as a representative of those who elected him for the hope of fulfilling his own ambition -- that is, if he took representing others seriously.

    And it happens routinely and systemicly for all Party represetatives.

  • samuidave (not verified)

    1 year ago

    oops, netbook typer

    systemically / representatives

  • sicntired

    1 year ago

    Liberals and child poverty

    It would make a truthful campaign slogan;Liberals,the party that has continued it's excellence in child poverty.Anyone who would believe any Liberal,especially Cristy Clarke who was there right in the beginning and wrote a lot of the policy that destroyed our education system under "Gordo's"tenure,would have to be either willingly blind(Pamela Martin)or an uncaring corporate drudge(take your pick).How anyone could even contemplate allowing the Liberals another shot at corruption,secrecy and widening the gap between rich and poor is completely beyond me.The NDP at their very worst did a better job than the Liberals and were never as fast and loose with the rules of conflict of interest.We must have an inquiry into the sale of B.C.Rail,another broken promise and another back room scandal that is so criminal in scope that it's no wonder that MS.Clarke doesn't want the truth to come out.Can anyone imagine a rich Coleman run Liberal party?The man has ruined and corrupted every portfolio he's held.

  • Jerry Munro

    1 year ago

    Economic crime... Poverty

    For all the entire party system hyperbole about addressing "poverty", let alone just "child poverty" that I have heard over these nigh many years, especially since the 70s, through all party governments it has steadily grown and gotten worse. And that's the way it will be, we might as well face up to the fact, until we "the people" deal with the "party system" and its underpinning "class inequity system".

    Political leadership needs to be made "directly" responsible to the citizens of their communities rather than parties and their "whips". As it is, no matter which party gets into so-called "power" they invariably cave in to the real ruling class power behind the throne, and serve their "unequal share" interests and priorities. "The People's" gets flushed down the electoral system crapper, once the formal process of "getting the vote" has finally been manoeuvred around.

    And then, once the people finally catch onto you, let them pick another party in desperate hope, and you stand aside for awhile.... until it is your party's turn again. For what goes around in bullshit democracy, keeps going around.

    Real democracy and the solution to poverty, period, resides not in the game of party musical chairs, but in the economy, and who owns and controls there. It is there that the decisions are really made about who gets what share and how the contents of the collective purse is invested, and what you do with people, who wins and who loses. The politicians are only there to facilitate that... and control "the masses".

    As for the political arena, not entirely "unimportant" for sure, though essentially they are but there to administer and ensure the welfare of those who really control the economy.

    If the people want to see "equity" as will eliminate poverty within the system, and fairness etc., then "the people", know they it or not, really want to control what goes on within the economy and its enterprises. They want "economic democracy" as the underpinning element of society to give real meaning to "political democracy". Without the former, the latter is just a "popular myth" at best, and a crime more typically.

  • Skywalker

    1 year ago

    Consult?

    Maybe when they actually plan to do more than consult I'll be impressed. Has this issue not been talked about enough?

  • Jerry Munro

    1 year ago

    Enough? Indeed!

    "Has this issue not been talked about enough?"
    asks Skywalker.

    Yup. Plenty enough. Time for "the people" to actually begin to do something about it... themselves. (Check out Egypt right now. That's the real starting point. And then be unrelenting in the pressure of the masses. No mystery.)

  • Jerry Munro

    1 year ago

    Child Poverty = Adult Poverty

    These guys, all the party hacks, intend to do about as much about poverty as Mubarak does.... Try dealing with child poverty without dealing with "adult" poverty. Can't be done. It's one and the same problem.

    My God! These party "vanguard" types don't understand jack...

  • samuidave (not verified)

    1 year ago

    people rising up

    http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=6182

    A little primer on Jerry Munro's suggestion regarding Egypt.

  • jim1966

    1 year ago

    Poverty Is A Key Election Issue In BC

    It is,one of many issues facing the winners of both politcal parties in BC. Our system of support(s) discourage people from seeking or getting help and although having a "round table like conversation" is a good idea it's already been done and the next government of BC needs to take action. Yes plans to reduce or eliminate poverty are good election fodder but seriously folks I highly doubt that if elected another BC Liberal government would do almost nada to improve poverty in BC. Social devlopment needs an overhaul, people who rely on assistance for the basics cannot be constantly left behind due to a government's inaction or ignorance. Yes it will cost some money from BC and from the feds to reduce or eliminate poverty and yes it will take time,our social assitance ministry is long overdue for an overhaul as in it's current state it was never designed to perform in the way that people today now need, originally welfare was designed to help those for a short period of time or until they found a job and returned to the workforce. Welfare in it's current state does not meet the needs of what it was orginally created for, ie: long term disability etc. Yes increasing the minimum wage is a great idea but it won't fix the singular complaint that the system is broken and it needs fixing. An overhaul is long overdue and perhaps Mr Abbott's idea is good but an elected government needs to go a bit further both with a poverty reduction plan but with the courage to lead on this issue. Poverty affects everyone and it destroys or impairs people's lives, this is the core of this issue. I can hardly wait for more MLA's ideas or plans or visions etc to reduce or eliminate poverty.

  • Grania

    1 year ago

    Liberal Destruction

    MCFD has a goal of balancing books for this corrupt government. Poverty and child protection has NEVER been a priority with them. The Tyee needs to list the services slashed...the decimated welfare rates...the growing and useless middle and upper management positions (the salaries and bonus payments these folks have received)who sit on their backsides until called upon to provide spin to protect this totally corrupt system. Leslie du Toit has not achieved a single goal she toited upon her arrival from Africa. Where in hell is Ross Dawson and can somebody convince him to come back. Gut upper management and use those millions of dollars for good resources and crisis intervention. There has not been a functional system in this province since the Vancouver Resources Board.

  • MacKenna

    1 year ago

    I do not believe Abbott

    None of the candidates in the faux liberal party, including Abbott, are trustworthy. Every single one unreservedly backed Campbell until his demise. They'd still be supporting Campbell his career hadn't ended. Every one of them endorsed policies that literally killed children and raised homelessness and poverty in the province. The faux Liberal Party does not deserve a single vote. Not a one. I don't care what these tools promise.

  • morechatter

    1 year ago

    BC Liberals = Death to BC Kids

    Minister of Familes sees no need to make changes to the Ministry because saving children's lives is:

    1. Not as important as how much money the Liberals get to put into slush funds.

    2. Kids can get a job, maybe doing the streets, its not are problem

    3. Global Media is keeping hush, hush just like media did with Chritie Clark when she has a child die needlessly when she was on the job of making sure poors kids go without. Come now you can't tell me the intent is for these children to pretty much drop dead because you don't go for 8 years of being at the bottom of the barrel and it not be deliberate.

  • Driftwood

    1 year ago

    Nice to see the people of Cairo

    Cleaning up their streets and wanting to be in charge. I hope to Christ, for the sake of us all, that they win real democracy. Maybe we could learn a thing or two and put the ideas of liberal crackberries to rest forever.

  • Jerry Munro

    1 year ago

    Egypt Speaks to Us...

    "Maybe we could learn a thing or two and put the ideas of liberal crackberries to rest forever." Driftwood.

    An interview with an Egyptian student on RealNews revealed to me, unknow near entirely in this part of the worl, that there have been 800 major labour strikes in Egypt over 2009-2010. All were subject to brutal repressions. It is this recent history, and the growing organization of the young and students, that is the fertile soil out of which, ignited by the events in Tunisia, the current Egyptian Revolution arose.

    This repression of the working class and student movements, this young student said, could not have occurred without the aid of the US to the Mubarak regime. It all just suddenly got to a place he said, lit by the events in Tunisia, where people spontaneously decided that they were not going to allow this 1.5 billion annually in aid, nearly all military and police riot equipment, to stand in the way of them doing what had to be done any longer.

    Which is not unlike a place, outside of all the Party and official opposition bullshit and everyone from Harper on down pandering to the US Empire, where we Canadians collectively have to get to... with this current period of especially economic repression that has been going on. When, and once we finally get there, and finally put ourselves in motion not unlike the masses of Egypt, this repressive Neocon and World Bank, US Empire, globalization driven period will be gone, period.

    It is only the continued dilly-dallying of, and continued waste of time relying on the trade union movement and official "(non) opposition" parties, and a rigged (non) democratic process, instead of getting on with it ourselves, that allows this growing poverty, unemployment and economic insecurity to continue.

    It is time we all bailed out of this bullshit "democracy" charade, and set real democracy into motion. When things get to a place where the economic and political order that is as constipated as we have it, no less than the Egyptians, the only real dose of ExLax it will take to get things moving again is... a good hefty dose of the working masses in motion, to scare the shit out of the system.

    Then... a good wipe and flush. n:-)

    Blockage gone!!

  • morechatter

    1 year ago

    Minister Polak

    Polak took on the job knowing it would cause controversay and children would die but she didn't care,especially if it meant more money in her pockets. Children dying while she is on the job, no worry Mary says, its no big deal these children clearly don't matter. Its just the way it is as sucide is at an all time high for BC kids and you should see some of the conditions children live in. Government has worked it out so BC children would be the hardest hit for 8 consecutive years without a break. So it is understandble that Mary Polak would refuse to accept the idea of further money for these kids, it might save a life. I wonder if Mary gets any perks when kids end up dead?

  • lynn

    1 year ago

    How to sustain poverty

    Jerry Munro: "Child Poverty = Adult Poverty

    These guys, all the party hacks, intend to do about as much about poverty as Mubarak does.... Try dealing with child poverty without dealing with "adult" poverty. Can't be done. It's one and the same problem."

    Jerry highlights the inescapable heart of the problem. One that Mr. Abbott would prefer to ignore - and distract with 'ideas/solutions' LOL like child poverty round tables, public consultations ( Ha!, now he wants to consult with the public.....yeah, sure we 'believe' you, George....).

    It's a simple formula, Mr. Abbott:

    When the policies you create impoverish families, then child poverty increases.

  • realisticman

    1 year ago

    If you're interested in the children...

    ...you will want to read Gary Mason's article. It describes how the situation has developed and maybe why.

    " ...About five years ago, the province, under pressure from aboriginal leaders, decided that, all things being equal, it was best to put aboriginal children taken from their parents into the care of relatives or someone else in their community.

    While Ms. Turpel-Lafond supports the idea in theory, she concedes that in practice it can often do more harm than good. In some cases, the policy is proving deadly.

    “There’s no question that the lives of children are being compromised by leaving them in conditions of abject squalor, where they are not supported by any kind of prevention plan and are not safe,” Ms. Turpel-Lafond said in an interview.

    Which is a braver statement than you know. It’s impolitic, you see, to suggest that the current policy might not always be in the best interests of aboriginal children. And that, in fact, they are often being moved to situations as bad, or worse, than the ones from which they’ve been rescued. ..."

    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/gary_mason/bc-failing-its-aboriginal-children/article1889613/

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