Feb 17, 2009

Why do BC kids need Finance Minister’s charitable donation to buy them shoes?

By

Minister Hansen donated money for shoes for poor children. Then he delivered a budget that doesn’t help parents who receive income assistance or who are working for the $8.00 per hour minimum wage to buy shoes for their own children. An act of charity that will help several children today compared to a missed opportunity to lift thousands of BC children out of poverty for years to come.

Government can do more through public policy than any individual or single organization can do with their charitable acts.
A universal publicly funded child care system for BC, like they have in Quebec, would help thousands of parents join and stay in the work force, ensure thousands of children have access to quality care and learning environments and help break the cycle of poverty for many.
An increase in welfare rates and policy changes to allow mothers to keep support payments and earnings would mean fewer families needing to go to food banks and seek donated shoes for their children.

A policy to make sure all government contractors pay a living wage to their employees would mean hundreds of parents could afford to afford have just one job, rather than running between 2 and even 3 jobs, and never having time to see their children.

Families want the dignity to buy their own shoes. They should be able to. Income inequality is growing and charity isn’t the answer.

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