One Year Later - Recession Fallout continues.

    
    Federal Town Hall meeting - A call to action to all Federal Parties.

    DATE:  Tuesday, February 9, 2009
    TIME:  1:00 pm. (Town Hall Meeting, preceded by 12:00 Homeless Memorial,
           and 12:30 Community Lunch).
    PLACE: Church of the Holy Trinity - west of the Eaton Centre, between
           Dundas and Queen Street.
    

TORONTO , Feb. 8 /CNW/ - The Recession Relief Coalition is hosting this Federal Town Hall meeting and Derek Lee (Liberal), Tony Martin (NDP), and Rebecca Harrison (Green) will respond to questions outlining their party positions on Unemployment Insurance, Social Assistance, poverty relief, affordable housing, support for the social service sector and pension reform. Party spokespersons will also respond to questions and recommendations posed by a panel of community advocates (Avvy Go-Colour of Poverty Colour of Change Coalition, Laurell Ritchie - CAW National, Gerda Kaegi - Canadian Pensioners Concerned, Laurel Rothman - Federal Campaign 2000, Peter Clutterbuck - Social Planning Network of Ontario and Michael Shapcott - National Housing and Homelessness Network). There will also be some questions from the audience and we will have a Speakers Corner to document some individual stories.

The Recession Relief Coalition will also release its third bulletin, One Year Later- Recession Fallout Continues, detailing the devastating human impact of the Recession.

"Over the past six months, we've seen the number of people lining up for food go from 50 per day to over 100 per day", states Paddy Bowen, Executive Director of the St. Felix Centre, in Toronto . "We are now seeing many more families with children and more new Canadians then at any time in our 70 year history. St. Felix Centre is hard pressed to cope with the increased demand, as it is more difficult to find donations."

"Our research indicates that the recession is far from over, as measured by continuing economic trends such as rises in welfare rolls, high unemployment. Families and individuals are being crushed by debt and are falling into poverty and homelessness. There is no adequate social safety net in place", claims Ann Fitzpatrick from the Recession Relief Committee. "Responding to the recession and its impact on people must be a government priority".

"To have all four national opposition parties, representing the majority of Canadians, respond to the questionnaire and for three to be represented in person is an indication of the seriousness of the situation facing millions Canadians. We urge the Conservative Party, which declined to either respond to the questionnaire, or attend the Town Hall, to take notice," states John Andras , Chair of the Recession Relief Coalition.

For further information: Ann Fitzpatrick, Recession Relief Coalition, [phone]; John Andras, Recession Relief Coalition, [phone]; Paddy Bowen, St. Felix Centre, [phone]