A report that was released today illuminates the current child poverty situation in Canada. Child poverty right now is at the same level it was in 1989, which was also the year parliament pledged that child poverty would be eliminated by 2000. In 2006 a report from the Community Foundation of Canada, was released stating that 1.6 million children, or 23% of Canadian children are living in poverty. "That level of child poverty has virtually not changed in about 20 years, we just have not been able to move the needle on child poverty," CFC president Monica Patten said in a press release. Among the 15 communities profiled the report found that Toronto and Vancouver had highest rates of child poverty, while Oakville (ON), and Calgary had the lowest. The report graded each community on each community's' quality of life, but more specifically in the gap between rich and poor, health, housing and the environment. The study also showed that The median income of non-immigrant Canadian families increased by more than 5 per cent from 2000 to 2005 while immigrant families' incomes fell by one per cent. Recent immigrants' (those in Canada less than five years) incomes fell more than three per cent. In 2007, only 22 per cent of Canadians hadn't finished high school, down from almost 38 per cent in 1990. The obesity rate in Canada has swollen to 16 per cent in 2007 from 12 per cent in 1996.
I think that this report is actually quite shocking, as it would be thought that child poverty was almost completely gone, considering that many of us do not see it in our day to day lives. I also think that is very shocking that a large percent of the child poverty is actually in Toronto. I think that more needs to be done by the government to help abolish poverty, although only so much can be done at once. It will take tens of years to get to the point where we should be at in terms of the rates of child poverty. However, it was promised in 1989 and should once again be brought a major topic.
No comments:
Post a Comment