He has committed his life to the advancement of human rights. He's watched Canada move from a "sharing and caring" society to the "new barbarism." Now Ed Broadbent comes out swinging.
In this article based on his address to the Congress of the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences on May 29th, the former leader of the NDP summarizes the journey of generations and issues a challenge to today's leaders: stop ignoring the threat of rising inequality, tackle poverty, and show Canadians your progress.
Inequality and poverty
Families who work for low wages face impossible choices — buy clothing or heat the house, feed the children or pay the rent. The result can be spiraling debt, constant anxiety and long-term health problems. In many cases it means working long hours, often at two or three jobs, just to pay for basic necessities. Parents end up with little time to spend with their families, help their children with school-work, or participate in community activities.
There’s an old African proverb that is becoming uncomfortably apt to apply to human behaviour in Canada: “As the waterhole gets smaller, the animals get meaner.”
In other words, as the food, water, and other basic resources dwindle, so does the willingness to share. The sense of community and cooperation is replaced by an ugly survival-of-the-fittest mentality.
MONTRÉAL, 19 mai – L’écart actuel entre les revenus des riches et les revenus des autres Québécois.e.s est le plus grand jamais observé depuis 30 ans et pourrait bien croître à cause de la récession, selon une étude publiée aujourd’hui.
Cette étude, co-publiée par l’Institut de recherche et d’informations socio-économiques (IRIS) et le Centre canadien de politiques alternatives (CCPA), trace le portrait des inégalités entre les familles du Québec ayant des enfants de moins de 18 ans.
MONTREAL – A groundbreaking new report shows the earnings gap between the rich and the rest of Quebeckers is at a 30-year high and poised to worsen due to recession.
The report, co-published by Institut de recherche et d’informations socio-economiques (IRIS) and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), looks at income inequality among Quebec families raising children under the age of 18.
It finds income inequality got worse between 1976 and 2006 – in fact, 70% of Quebec families are earning a smaller share of the income pie than a generation ago.
The tidal wave of patriotism unleashed by our country’s performance in the Olympics is subsiding, but in most Canadians the euphoria lingers. Memories of our athletes’ feats at Vancouver and Whistler will be a wellspring of national pride for some time.
(Vancouver) $18.17 is the 2010 family living wage, according to a report released today that calculates an hourly wage based on the real costs of raising a family in Vancouver.
Working for a Living Wage 2010: Making Paid Work Meet Basic Family Needs in Metro Vancouver updates the first Metro Vancouver calculation published in 2008, and was released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition, and the Metro Vancouver Living Wage for Families Campaign.
Please note: The updated 2019 Living Wage report is now available.