News: Poverty in Canada

Despite very significant investments in social, economic, and environmental measures, Budget 2021 does not go the distance in bringing about a just recovery.

“Our system works well for the people it was designed for, but it’s not doing anything to improve the conditions for people who were already marginalized,” says Natalie Appleyard.

While the many “green” aspects of the budget are being applauded by organizations such as the faith-based Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ), an Ottawa-based spokesperson for CPJ said the government could and should have gone further down that road.

Budget 2021 offers some significant supports to bring Canada through the remainder of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet it represents a lost opportunity to invest in the transformative change necessary to address the climate emergency and preserve the livability of the planet.

Statistics Canada is developing the Northern Market Basket Measure (MBM-N) to measure poverty in the Yukon and Northwest Territories. The MBM-N needs to work with First Nations, Inuit, and Metis people. No decisions should be made for us without us at the table.

What should the Trudeau Liberals be doing in the upcoming budget to help vulnerable Canadians and businesses who are still just barely getting by?

Basic income is a powerful policy tool in changing not only people’s incomes, but our whole economic system. Advocates of basic income agree that adequate income must be provided in tandem with other rights-based policies and programs to ensure people get the supports that meet their needs.

Natalie Appleyard spoke to Global National about the idea to exempt anyone below the low-income threshold from having to repay the CERB.

By Natalie Appleyard

The burdens and barriers facing millions experiencing poverty and adversity in Canada are not merely matters of charity. They are a matter of justice.

The most successful consultations are based on an understanding that lived-experience perspectives are critical to include.