The Toronto Star has an excellent analysis of what's needed to MAKE POVERTY HISTORY in Canada.

AUGUST 4 2009

Nation looks to premiers to lead fight against poverty

MATHIEU BELANGER/THE CANADIAN PRESS

When Canada's premiers met in summer 2008 at the Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City the 2009 recession was still just a distant cloud on the horizon.

Laurel Rothman, Trish Hennessy

Canada has been plunged into a worldwide recession that is harsher than any economic downturn since the Great Depression. Now, more than ever, citizens are counting on their governments for vision, compassion and leadership.

This week's premiers' talks create a vital opening to start now on an economic recovery plan that reduces poverty, prevents more Canadians from falling into poverty, and puts all of Canada's provincial economies back on a steady footing.

by:  Gerry Barr, Chair, Make Poverty History
         and Dennis Howlett, Co-ordinator, Make Poverty History

How do we persuade Stephen Harper to do the right thing?

On Wednesday our Prime Minister joins seven other leaders of the world’s richest nations at the G8 in L’Aquila, Italy.   It seems eerily fitting that they will gather at the scene of a devastating earthquake in April.   The lives of millions of the world’s poorest have been devastated as well, by a tsunami of economic forces not of their making.   We have all been affected by this very man-made crisis, but the poor bear the brunt.    Rising food and fuel costs, cataclysmic climate change and the global downturn have meant 100 million more have swollen the ranks of those who go to bed hungry to a record one billion.  And we may be about to add to their misery.

The Canadian Make Poverty History campaign launched its campaign leading up to the next G8 Summit with a presentation of a New Year’s Card to the Japanese Embassy in Ottawa. The G8 Summit will take place in Hokkaido, Japan on July 7 – 9, 2008. The New Year’s Card presentation is part of a global action at Japanese embassies around the world coordinated by the Global Call to Action Against Poverty.

On October 16th and 17th 2007, more than 76,000 Canadians took part in more than 500 Stand Up events across the country. They were part of a mobilization against poverty that had more than 43 million participants worldwide.

Spurious aid announcement disguises overall failure

The eight richest and most powerful leaders of the world blew it last week. Despite the headline-grabbing numbers they spun to fight HIV/AIDS and other diseases, the G8 did nothing to get back on track to meet their promises on aid to Africa or HIV/AIDS. What’s more, they took a step backwards on trade.

Phil Fontaine, David Suzuki and Gerry Barr held a media conference on Parliament Hill today to call on Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Senate leaders to do all they can to ensure that three crucial Bills are considered before the Senate breaks for the summer.

Make Poverty History supporters staged events across Canada as part of a G8 send off for Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The message to the Prime Minister and other leaders attending the G8 meetings in Germany is that the world can't wait any longer for action to end poverty.

Events were held in Calgary, Regina, Halifax, Fort McMurray, Welland, Barrie, Antigonish, Cobourg, Kingston and Ottawa These events were part of a global day of action in the lead-up to the G-8 meeting with major mobilizations in London, Tokyo and other G8 countries.

Photo: Hundreds of Make Poverty History supporters formed a giant human 0.7% sign on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on May 11, 2007 to send a message to Prime Minister Stephen Harper to make good on Canada's commitment to the 0.7% foreign aid target.

There is little or nothing in the 2007 Federal Budget that will help to make poverty history.

Several measures that appear to address poverty, on closer examination turn out to be inferior versions of previous Liberal initiatives or actually deliver more benefit to rich families and less or nothing to poor children who need assistance the most.

Mark your calendars and start planning local initiatives early.
More information will be available as the dates approach, so stay tuned.