Thank you, Mr. Chair and members of the standing committee.
On behalf of the Canadian Jewish Congress, or CJC, I'd like to say how pleased I am to have been invited to speak before the committee.
As the primary advocacy agency for Jewish communities across the country, CJC would like to thank the Parliament of Canada and recognize your work as individual parliamentarians in showing leadership in recognizing the scourge of poverty for what it is, as well as for undertaking to address it in very real terms.
The Jewish community's approach to fighting poverty in Canada is informed by both our Canadian and our Jewish values, as well as our experience as a community afflicted by poverty. Our broad yet distinctly Jewish perspective informs an approach founded not in charity but in respect for universal human rights and human dignity. Such an approach implicitly accepts that there are basic rights that must be underwritten in a civilized community. These rights are articulated in international covenants such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but they also flow from the moral foundations of the world's great religions, making intervention by faith groups entirely appropriate.
Over many decades, CJC and the Jewish federations that represent local communities across the country have fought to turn the dream of a poverty-free Canada into a reality. Our work has helped Jewish and other minority communities realize their right to live as full citizens of our country. This work has strengthened our cities, our provinces and territories, and our country. As the late Louis Lenkinski, a Canadian labour and volunteer leader in the Jewish community, observed, there cannot be justice for the Jews until there is justice for everybody.
In the Jewish tradition, we speak of two equally important concepts. One is tikkun olam, the ethical commandment that Jews accept responsibility for making the world a better place. It is coupled with the Talmudic observation that it is not up to humanity to complete the work of the world, but neither are we free to desist from it. The path is clear, and both the challenges and the opportunities are great.
The Jewish community has a successful track record of developing and providing programs and services to address poverty. We have learned that each community has unique needs, and that a one-size-fits-all approach has little probability of success. The lessons learned over time bring us to the realization that a multi-dimensional approach, integrated among a number of agencies and backed by community leadership, can be most effective at reducing the scope of poverty within the community.
To that end, Jewish federations across the country have created community-based responses to addressing poverty. The mission of Canadian Jewish federations is to preserve and strengthen the quality of Jewish life in Canada, Israel, and around the world through philanthropic, volunteer, and professional leadership. Our written submission provides some examples of our recent advocacy and ongoing program initiatives in the country, so I won't go into further detail here. Instead, I'd like to put a real face on poverty in our community. I think it's important to do so because, as Jim Torczyner, professor at McGill University, writes, “The Jewish poor are a minority among Jews because they are poor, and a minority among the poor because they are Jews. They lack representation in both communities.” This is also true because, in general, Jews have been depicted in western civilization as financially successful and self-reliant, with a strong tradition of philanthropy and social service networks. These perceptions arise from Jewish philosophy, which places great emphasis on education and looking after the poor. However, in spite of these perceptions and the outreach efforts of social agencies and activists, poverty continues to afflict our community.
I'd like to read you three case studies that were provided to me by the United Jewish Appeal Federation of Greater Toronto.
First, there's Ari. He's 62 years old and he registered with Jewish Vocational Services, or JVS, in the fall of 2008. Ari and his wife once had a successful business with over 10 locations in North America. However, a combination of factors conspired to reduce the business to imminent bankruptcy. When he came to JVS, Ari presented as physically frail, desperate, and fearful of losing his last remaining tangible assets. In order to make ends meet, he took a physically and emotionally draining survival job, which took a heavy toll on his health and self-esteem. With the support of JVS, Ari has found secure, well-paid employment in retail management, and he's back on his feet.
Then there are Irina and Alex. They're in their late thirties. Irina is a psychiatrist from Argentina. Her husband is an agricultural engineer. They have two daughters and a son. As is the case with 650 Jewish newcomer families every year, they arrived in Toronto to make a better life. They had no friends when they moved here, limited English, and no income. The family was very disconnected and lonely. They received financial assistance from the Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Toronto for rent and food, as well as a subsidy for Jewish school. With the community's help, they're back on their feet. Irina currently has a fellowship in child psychiatry, and Alex is working in his field.
Rebecca is 23 years old and a university student. She was earning straight As until her father lost his job and virtually all of his assets as a result of the economic downturn. When her father threatened her life, Rebecca went to Jewish Family and Child Services. Her dad is so depressed and desperate and emotionally and verbally abusive that Rebecca doesn't know when he'll snap. She is giving him part of her OSAP money to keep him afloat. Now she is barely making Cs. The pressure is becoming too great; she is currently receiving counselling from Jewish Family and Child Services, and the agency is also in the process of reaching out to her father to provide support services for mental health and physical assessment.
I'd like to conclude by emphasizing that poverty is a complex issue that crosses ethno-cultural and religious boundaries and requires multi-dimensional solutions. No one-size-fits-all solution will be viable. However, with provincial poverty reduction strategies now in place in Ontario, Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador, the federal government has a critical role to play in creating an overarching national strategy to eradicate poverty.
Again, on behalf of the Canadian Jewish Congress, I'd like to thank the chair, vice-chairs, and members of this important committee for providing us with an opportunity to contribute towards the development of a national strategy to eradicate poverty in Canada.