Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would like to welcome you all to Saint John.
We are not going to make a difference in poverty if people who have lived experience are not included in the process and in decision-making at every step of the way and at every level. Our lens is that privilege, money, and power exclude, and what we are really talking about is that we cannot make change and see a difference if those with lived experience are not engaged from the beginning. If we are not at the table, then we cannot help.
What I know from the work I do as a community organizer within one of the priority neighbourhoods is that when people are engaged it influences change in their lives. I've witnessed things changing within neighbourhoods because people can see what they can have an impact on. This, I believe, is true engagement in a meaningful way.
What we know from people with lived experiences is that there are two barriers within our system.
Number one is the time of the month for the child tax credit. The recommendation is that it be changed to the 15th of the month. This comes to you on behalf of those voices living this experience.
Second, for those who have gone through the criminal justice system, the changes since the Harper government have had a significant impact on those of us who have a criminal record. These barriers include: access to employment; access to post-secondary education; and even volunteering at your child's school. The recommendation would be to go back to the pardon process, which the Liberals supported prior to the Harper government, .
If you want tangible results and you want neighbourhoods revitalized, you need to allocate financial resources to the work of poverty reduction in Saint John. Through investing in neighbourhoods, engaging in meaningful ways, and building on innovative projects, programs, services, and best practice models that currently exist in Saint John, I believe this will elevate the level of our ability to implement what we know works, do pilot projects, showcase collective impact, measure outcomes, and have a social return on investment. Also, we will learn from each other, and that includes success and the ability to say that we need to make change, ultimately making a difference and improving people's lives with the hope of ending generational poverty.
This is the value of having someone with lived experience presenting here today.
My name is Penni Eisenhauer, and thank you for listening to me.
Merci.