Mr. Speaker, Canada has been declared the second wealthiest nation on earth and yet far too many of Canada's children live in poverty. There has been a steady and alarming increase in child poverty in Canada over the last decade and a half.
According to the Canadian Institute of Child Health, the poverty rate for children rose 60 per cent between 1981 and 1991. The most recent Statistics Canada figure indicates that 1.447 million children in Canada under 18, some 21 per cent, now live in poor homes.
The majority of low income children live in two parent families at 54 per cent, but a rising proportion live in one parent families. Almost two-thirds of single parent families headed by women live below the low income cutoff line. It is estimated that over half of native grow up in poverty.
The effects of poverty on children are many. Poor children are more likely to get sick, suffer injuries and are twice as likely to die from injuries in comparison to better off children. Their academic performance suffers, as poor children demonstrate behavioural problems, reduced attention spans, poor attendance and low self-esteem. Weak academic performance is often simply due to hunger. Due to their parents' inability to afford the associated costs, poor children cannot participate in simple things like recreational and extra curricular activities that children in better off homes can take for granted.
They miss out on the camaraderie in sharing healthy activities and the pleasure in self-discipline and attendant self-confidence which are so necessary to later life successes. Poor parents simply do not have the room in their household budgets to afford some of the extras that make such a difference in young lives. Their children are often left to their own devices in the home or on the street.
Disadvantaged children grow up to be disadvantaged adults. It is impossible to measure the social costs in unfulfilled lives but it has been estimated that between 1990 and 2010, high school dropouts will cost Canada approximately $33 billion. This figure includes lost tax revenue, lost income, lost unemployment insurance contributions, increase UI benefits and increased social assistance benefits.
Our social security is strongly linked to nationhood. It is through our values reflected in our social programs that Canadians from coast to coast often define themselves. Canada has always been a society committed to social equity. We have always tried to reduce the disparities between regions, between men and women, the young and old, and among the social classes.
Poverty is growing. As poverty increases, so does economic insecurity. Economic insecurities threaten families and communities. When a society becomes polarized economically, great social costs must be paid. We pay for more crime prevention, attending to different acts of violence and loss in human capacity. All of this can lead to slower economic growth. Poverty is a real threat to Canada.
I have an article written by Michael Valpy dated Thursday, November 2, 1995. In it he quotes Edward Newall, chief executive officer of Nova Corporation in an address to the Business Council on National Issues. In his speech, Mr. Newall refers to two issues that must be moved to the front burner, issues that will be positive if we succeed and hugely negative if we fail.
One of the issues he addressed was poverty in Canada and our lack of a national game plan to cope with it:
"I think this is-(a) time bomb that is just waiting to off because we are failing profoundly to deal with the issue. Almost as bad, most of the leaders of our country are not even seized with this issue. We don't understand it. We don't devote any effort to dealing with it.
"The fact that poverty is a major problem in the country is not subject to debate-it is a fact.
"In 1993, when our economy once again outperformed most of the developed world, Statistics Canada reported that an additional 348,000 Canadians had income which put them below the poverty line. More than three million Canadians are on welfare or social assistance. By some definitions, more than 20 per cent of our citizens are below the poverty line.
"Poverty is the overwhelming issue for Canada's single parent families. It contributes to the almost unbelievable high dropout rates from high schools in Canada-To what extent is this massive problem of poverty creating conditions
which will seriously undermine the quality of life for all-We do not want our future to resemble what we now witness in most U.S. cities.
"Make no mistake, real poverty is our largest-unresolved problem in Canada-Let there be no misunderstanding. We business leaders will be judged to have failed in meeting our responsibility to Canadian society if we do not have Canada address the issue effectively".
With great respect to the House, as members of Parliament we too will fail Canadians if we do not effectively act on this issue.
On November 24, 1989 the House passed a unanimous motion to eliminate child poverty by the year 2000. However, between 1989 and 1993, the number of children in low income houses grew by almost a half a million. Children are a gift to us for the future. All of us must take the responsibility to ensure that we live up to our declaration to eradicate child poverty.
The problems of poverty are complex; the solutions are multi-faceted. My reason for speaking on this crucial issue in my prebudget speech is to ask the government, when preparing the 1996 budget, to remember that the House has pledged to eradicate child poverty and that government spending priorities should be set to work toward this end.
There are many powerful lobbies, interests and misconceptions that can work to thwart attempts to act on eradicating child poverty.
We also hear from politicians on both sides of the House who say they must do as their voters wish. As members of Parliament they represent voters. We must always remember that even though children do not vote we represent them. As members of Parliament we must act in ways that honour and respect the needs of children.
