[CAH] Petition in Support of a Poverty Reduction Strategy for Nova Scotia

[Darcy Harvey]

Hi Everyone:  There is a petition on the go in Nova Scotia to get a poverty
reduction strategy in place NOW RATHER THAN LATER.  Please see the attached
media release and forward as broadly as you can to any networks you have.
Poverty in Nova Scotia effects us all, Nova Scotian, Canadian or citizen of
the world alike.  Help us get as many signatures as soon as we can. We need
to show momentum right now to move forward!
 
 

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/BILL74/

 

Pauline Raven 
9864 Highway One Greenwich RR 2 
Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R2
902-542-3085 (Phone)
902-542-7494 (Fax)
902-670-2949 (Cell)
_________________________________________
 

 

      




Community Advocates Network

 

 
              

 

 

Press Release: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE APRIL 11, 2007

 

Bill 74: A Poverty Reduction Strategy for Nova Scotia

 

HALIFAX - An ever-broader coalition is building with the aim of achieving a
Poverty Reduction Strategy for Nova Scotia. Anti-poverty advocates and
individuals with direct experience from across the province are speaking
with one voice to urge leaders within the Nova Scotia Legislative Assembly
to improve the status of a Private Member's Bill introduced by Stephen
McNeil, MLA for Annapolis, on November 2, 2006.

 

Bill No. 74, An Act to Establish a Committee to Develop a Poverty Reduction
Strategy in Nova Scotia is languishing on the Order Paper.  It needs the
backing of the current government to move towards becoming law.

 

Groups and individuals want to see a common effort that will put a Poverty
Reduction Strategy in place for Nova Scotia.  They believe that the Liberal
Caucus could accomplish fast passage of a Poverty Reduction Strategy by
negotiating this within the context of their promise of support for the
government's budget.  If introduced by government it is likely that a
Poverty Reduction Strategy Bill would be guaranteed quick passage.  Both the
NDP and Liberals have spoken in strong favor of such a Bill.

 

When Second Reading Debates where held on November 15, 2006, Mr. McNeil
speaking in support of Bill No 74 called poverty the "single biggest issue
facing us today."

 

Marilyn More, MLA for Dartmouth South-Portland Valley, noted: "We're in
crisis in Nova Scotia in terms of the impact and the consequences of so many
people living on low incomes. It's affecting every other aspect of our
budget. So, if there's any challenge that we should be looking at jointly,
it is this one."

 

The vote on the budget is likely to be called in the days immediately ahead
and the current session of the Legislative Assembly is likely to close
shortly thereafter.   In an effort to demonstrate to politicians the
public's support for a Poverty Reduction Strategy in Nova Scotia an on-line
petition has been launched at this site:

 

 <http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/BILL74>
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/BILL74

 

Addressed to the Premier of Nova Scotia, the Leader of the Opposition, and
the Interim Leader of the Liberal Party of Nova Scotia the petition urges
all three leaders to work collaboratively to make a Poverty Reduction
Strategy in Nova Scotia a reality.

 

Darcy Harvey, of Community Action on Homelessness note, " Until a strategy
is in place - poverty will be here to stay - years of adjustments to various
programs and the piecemeal approach of governments to date has proven beyond
a doubt that significant poverty reduction cannot occur without a
well-developed multi-faceted strategy.

 

Rene Ross of Stepping Stone, an organization that supports individuals in
the sex trade, says: "Nova Scotia is in desperate need of a provincial
poverty reduction strategy to ensure everyone has an income that can meet
their basic needs. The growth of street-based sex work points to worst case
scenarios and underscores how critical the need for a provincial strategy to
improve economic opportunities is."  

 

- 30 - 

 

 

Media Contacts: Darcey Harvey at 420-2186 or Rene Ross at 420-0103 or
456-8945

 

 

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