Come and support Vancouver becoming a Living Wage City on July 8! And more ways to get involved!
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- Published on Thursday, 25 June 2015 07:15
- Written by editor
Summer is upon us, so we're sure that being outdoors and having picnics at the beach are on your mind, but we have news for you that is just as exciting: Vancouver is on the verge of becoming a Living Wage city!
This edition of our newsletter includes updates on:
- A rally organized by the Metro Vancouver Alliance and the Living Wage for Families campaign at Vancouver City Hall on July 8, in support of its adoption of a Living Wage policy
- First Call's Make BC’s Young Children and Families a Priority recently released report and Call to Action
- Raise the Rates' Banner campaign in neighbourhoods across BC
- A chance to Meet your MLA now that they are back in your community
- News about the links between the recent Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations and poverty
We'd also like to remind you that our Road to a Poverty-Free BC workshop series across the province is currently underway. We have already visited Richmond, Prince George, Prince Rupert, and Terrace, and we're in North Vancouver at this very moment, so make sure to like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter to stay informed about the next workshops happening in the Fraser Valley, the Okanagan and the Kootenays in the fall.
And if you're in the Vancouver area, we hope to see you at the rally on July 8!
Trish and Gil
Bring your banners, signs, and noise-makers! Join the Metro Vancouver Alliance (MVA) and the Living Wage for Families Campaign on the steps of City Hall to show support for Vancouver becoming a living wage city.
At last year's MVA’s Municipal Election Accountability Assembly, all municipal party leaders committed to developing a plan to make the City of Vancouver a Living Wage employer for all directly and indirectly employed staff. On July 8, Vancouver Mayor Robertson will honour his commitment by introducing a motion to begin the process of making Vancouver a living wage city.
We invite you to come along and bring your leaders, members, neighbours and friends to rally in support of this vital policy change.
The rally will happen on July 8, 2015 from 9-10 AM at Vancouver City Hall (453 W 12th Ave). For more information, visit the event page here.
Why a living wage? Vancouver has the second-highest child-poverty rate among Canada’s 20 largest urban centres. One third of those poor children live in families with at least one adult working full time, all year round. Every member of the community is affected by low-wage poverty.
In March, First Call published a new early childhood development call to action: Make BC's Young Children and Families a Priority: A Call to Action. The Call to Action asks for “substantial new public policy and investment to advance healthy child development and address the scale and scope of the socioeconomic realities facing the majority of families with young children today.”
We encourage you to show your support for young families by sending a letter to Premier Clark telling her that you support this call to action! If you are a parent you can sign this letter or you can sign this letter as a general member of the public.
Join Raise the Rates banner campaign and help raise awareness about the need for the provincial government to increase social assistance rates to livable levels.
There are banners hanging from homes and offices all over BC, and you could have one too! If you would like a banner to put on your house, balcony or office for 2,3 weeks, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.!
BC has one of the highest poverty rates in Canada, and is the only province without a Poverty Reduction Plan.
Thankfully, we still have an opportunity to make real change happen, as Nelson-Creston MLA Michelle Mungall has recently re-introduced Bill M218: “The Poverty Reduction and Economic Inclusion” Act, which would have the BC government commit to establishing a clear plan, with targets and timelines, to fight poverty in the province.
It's time to meet your MLA and ask them to support this Bill! This is a great time to do this, as all MLAs are back in their communities until the next session at BC's Legislature on July 13. Check out all the resources we've prepared for you at our Meet your MLA page, or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we can help you get ready!
The recently published Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada has sent shock waves across the country and the world, describing the activities of the government of Canada as "cultural genocide" against First Nations.
In response, Assembly of First Nations Grand Chief Perry Bellegarde recently said in a CBC interview: “Reconciliation can't proceed while First Nations are mired in the poverty that plagues our people…When you invest in education and proper housing that's good for everybody."
We invite you to help do our part by demanding that BC's government implements a Poverty Reduction Plan that works for everyone!
(Painting left: "Indian Residential School", by Alex Janvier, Cold Lake First Nation, Alberta)
The BC Poverty Reduction Coalition acknowledges and honours the fact that
our communities lie on unceded Indigenous lands. Copyright © 2015 BC Poverty Reduction Coalition, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you signed a BC Poverty Reduction petition, subscribed to our mailing list at bcpovertyreduction.ca, or took part in a workshop with the Coalition.
Our mailing address is:
BC Poverty Reduction Coalition1400 - 207 West Hastings StreetVancouver, British Columbia V6B 1H7 Canada
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