By Terence Ho | Foundation of HKPLTW
Terence is a Research Coordinator for the Foundation of HKPLTW with interests in history & traditions, social organization & inter-group relations, culture & religion, and economics & politics of Canadian Indigenous People and Visible Minorities. Follow him on Twitter: @hkpltw
Poverty can affect the strength and resiliency of our communities. Economic growth can slow and even decline when the middle-class struggles, income inequality rises, and poverty persists.
Having considered this article series and the questions posed within it, our NGO (HKPLTW) invites you to participate in the discussion of the development of a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy that will guide its actions in the future of Canada.
Poverty places a heavy burden on people and their families. Our article shows how combined federal and provincial policies prevent economic growth from benefiting all but upper-income people. This article examines the unequal development of earnings across the country.
Many indicators demonstrate how well Canada is doing socially and economically. In 2015, Canada was 9th in the world regarding human development based on solid achievement in life expectancy, educational attainment and income per capita. Despite these positive signs, more than 3 million Canadians live in poverty. This means that 1.9 million families struggle to make ends meet. Many of these individuals have poorer health outcomes, lack access to healthy food, and do not live in safe, adequate and affordable housing.
Poverty places a heavy burden on individuals. Canadians living in poverty are forced to make difficult choices, often deciding between paying for necessities such as rent and utilities or buying healthy food, clothing and medication. Deprivation can also cause people to make dangerous choices, like staying with an abusive partner rather than risking their children living in poverty.
Poverty is complex. It impacts people in different ways and to different degrees. For some, poverty is temporary and associated with a short-term life event such as a job loss. For others, it can last a long time due to the multiple barriers they face. Governments can make a difference. However, poverty is a complex problem that requires involvement from a wide range of partners. In 2022, we believe that Social Development and Poverty Reduction need to focus on reducing poverty, creating opportunity and increasing inclusion. It is to provide leadership and quality services to those in need strategically. Also, it must work to advocate for the charitable and non-profit sector and ensures that it is engaged and supported through the COVID pandemic and into recovery.
Such a service plan align with the five foundational principles of core values: 1) Putting people first; 2) Working toward lasting and meaningful reconciliation; 3) Supporting equity and anti-racism; 4) Ensuring a better future through fighting climate change and meeting our greenhouse gas reduction targets; 5) Supporting a robust and sustainable economy that works for everyone. First, the objective is shown in implementing a cross-government poverty reduction strategy, which aims to reduce the poverty rate. It focuses on matters relating to poverty, review existing support program to improve access and delivery. Implement initiatives to increase food security for people in need and create a multi-sectoral Period Poverty Task Force to develop a comprehensive long-term response to period poverty. Second, participations on an equal basis. It continues to work with people with disabilities and their families, community stakeholders, public organizations and the business community to develop solutions and strategies that improve the lives of people with disabilities and engage stakeholders and the public to identify barriers and solutions to improving employment outcomes for people with disabilities.
In conclusion, poverty goes beyond inadequate income. It is about food insecurity, social exclusion, inadequate housing, and the lack of access to transportation and services, among other hardships. Those who live in poverty are people from all walks of life. They are children and families, seniors, First Nation people, people with disabilities and immigrants. They may be people we do not suspect live in need. All in all, we believe that the multidimensional nature of poverty means governments need to respond to both its causes and its consequences by taking action to address the various deprivations that people’s experience when living in poverty—especially in regard to income, housing, employment and health, among others.
Work Cited
British Columbia, British Columbia Government EBook Collection, and British Columbia. Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. Together BC: British Columbia’s Poverty Reduction Strategy. British Columbia, Victoria, B.C., 2019.
Canada, Statistics. Labour Force Survey, 2016. Abacus Data Network, 2016.
Dabla-Norris, Era, and IMF E-Library. Causes and Consequences of Income Inequality: A Global Perspective. International Monetary Fund, 2015.
United Nations Development Program (UNDP), United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Human Development Report 2015: Work for Human Development. United Nations, 2016.
This is an opinion article; the views expressed by me. Follow Me on Twitter: @hkpltw And @Terry_Terence97
Foundation of HKPLTW (Canada) 