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WHITBY, Ont. Local resident Rebecca Harrison’s desire to see an end to poverty has launched a petition campaign to urge local MPP and federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty to include a national poverty plan in his next budget.
Harrison and other activists will meet at the Whitby GO station at 2 p.m. on Saturday, January 17 and march to the Whitby Public Library Courtyard, 405 Dundas Street West, for a rally in support of the petition.
Speakers will include Sid Ryan, president of CUPE Ontario, and Laurel Rothman, Campaign 2000 national coordinator. Flaherty has been invited to attend the rally and accept the petitions, Harrison said.
I was 6 years old when Canada’s Parliament pledged to eliminate child poverty by the year 2000, said Harrison, a constituent in Flaherty’s riding of Whitby-Oshawa. I am now 25 years old and I have spent nearly 19 years waiting in hopeful anticipation for my government to show that they were committed to protecting the rights of our most vulnerable.
The petition campaign has received the support of individuals and organizations, including:
Ed Broadbent, former NDP MP for Whitby-Oshawa and Ottawa Centre
Elizabeth May,Leader of the Green Party of Canada
Make Poverty History
Campaign 2000
Ontario Coalition for Social Justice
National Anti-Poverty Organization
Kairos of Durham Region
Ontario Association of Food Banks
CAW
Durham Region Labour Council
Further information and updates on supporting organizations and speakers is available at www.povertyplan.ca.
For more information, contact Rebecca Harrison (905) 999-5479
