Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise today to present a petition signed by 130 citizens of Truro, Nova Scotia. It is sponsored by the United Church of Canada, the St. Andrews United Church in Truro and Maggie's Place, also located in Truro.
They call on the government to address the issue of child poverty and, in particular, they have several issues they want to make the House aware of. One is the fact that one in five children now lives in poverty in Canada. They also want to remind the House that in 1989 the House of Commons unanimously resolved to end child poverty in Canada by the year 2000, but since then child poverty has actually increased by more than 60%.
The petitioners call on parliament to use the federal budget of 2000 to introduce a multi-year plan to improve the well-being of Canada's children. They urge parliament to fulfil the promise of 1989 in the House of Commons resolution to end child poverty by the year 2000.