Media Advisory - Campaign 2000 to Release 2013 Report Card on Child Poverty in Canada

TORONTO, Nov. 22, 2013 /CNW/ - Campaign 2000 will release its annual Report Card on Child and Family Poverty on Tuesday, November 26^th in Ottawa.  This year marks 24 years since unanimous House of Commons' resolution to end child poverty in Canada by 2000 and four years after the entire House of Commons voted "to develop an immediate plan to end poverty for all in Canada."

The 2013 report, entitled Canada's REAL Economic Action Plan Begins with Poverty Eradication highlights the compelling reasons why the federal government needs to take leadership, presents the latest statistics on child and family poverty, and makes recommendations for all political parties. It will be released November 26th, 10:00 a.m. in the Charles Lynch Press Conference Room (130S) on Parliament Hill.   Federal party leaders have been invited to respond to the report card.

Campaign 2000 is a cross-Canada public education movement to build awareness and support for the 1989 all-party House of Commons' resolution to end child poverty in Canada by the year 2000. Campaign 2000 began in 1991 out of concern about the lack of government progress in addressing child poverty. Campaign 2000's non-partisan coalition consists of more than 120 partner organizations from across the country working at the local, provincial and/or national level to address the realities of poverty. The coalition is united by our dedication to ending child and family poverty in Canada.  We propose viable policy solutions to reduce and eradicate child poverty in our annual report cards on child poverty which have been released annually since 1992.

Speakers at the press conference:

• Laurel Rothman - National Coordinator, Campaign 2000;
• Dianne Woloschuk - President, Canadian Teachers' Federation
• Nathaniel - a young man who has experienced poverty

The report will be available at www.campaign2000.ca on November 26.  Provincial report cards on child poverty are also being released on November 26th in British Columbia, Alberta (Calgary and Edmonton), Saskatchewan, Ontario, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. 

Campaign 2000 is a non-partisan, cross-Canada network of 120 national, provincial and community partner organizations committed to working to end child poverty in Canada.  www.campaign2000.ca 

SOURCE: Campaign 2000

Laurel Rothman - National Coordinator, Campaign 2000, 416-595-9230 Ext. 228 or 416-575-9230 (cell)
Liyu Guo - Program Assistant, Campaign 2000, 416-595-9230, ext. 244 or 416-624-1885 (cell)

Provincial Report Card contacts: -
B.C. - First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition - Adrienne Montani 604-873-8437
Alberta - John Kolkman, Edmonton Social Planning Council 780-423-2031 x350; Bill Moore-Kilgannon, Public Interest Alberta 780-420-0471
Saskatchewan - Fiona Douglas, University of Regina 306-585-4036
Ontario - Anita Khanna, Ontario Campaign 2000 [phone] ext. 241 or 416 783-3439 (cell)
New Brunswick - Randy Hatfield, Human Development Council 506-636-8540 or 506 - 645-1145 (cell)
Nova Scotia - Lesley Frank, 902-585-1431 or 902-698-3653 (cell)