Child Poverty in Canada: Why are 10 percent of kids poor?

The Canadian government passed a resolution in 1989 to end child poverty by the year 2000. It's 2010, and 1 in 10 kids in this country still lives in poverty. Why are so many kids still poor in such a rich nation? What effect does poverty have on children and their families? What will it take to bring these families up over the poverty line? Panelists include Peter Clutterbuck, Theresa Schrader, Brigitte Kitchen, and Nance Ackerman.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• poor
• poverty
• government
• resolution
• child
• family
• welfare
• employment
• parent
• Canada
• policy
• opportunity
• education
• political
• will
• care
• life
• living
• rate
• statistics

[InvisibleDiary]

It's 25% in the USA, so Canada, I envy you. I, as an American, envy you. You won't hear that often.

[nycolombian91]

only 1 in 10 kids are poor in canada!?!?!? thats nothing wow impressive

[icarus313]

@bryanncampbellca

I take great comfort in knowing that the sort of people who would oppose changing society to address the critical issues of poverty in Canada are so devoid of argument, so barren of thought, that the only recourse they have to express their emotionally-charged disapproval is to resort to the time-honoured hyperbole of "COMMUNIST!". I see you're still mentally living in the 1960s. If you really wanted to date yourself, you could have said "PINKO!" but thanks anyway.

[bryanncampbellca]

TVO=Communist TV

[yendorification]

Shukria123: Canada has the 4th highest standard of living the in the world, GDP means nothing, it's how you distribute wealth in a country that matters---Americas average living standard is far lower than canadas

[phalanx1000]

I come from poverty too and managed to get to graduate school. One thing that comes to mind is how even if you want to go to university, you end up facing some very high student loans. In cities like Toronto or even Edmonton the cost of living is insane, so living on your own amplifies your basic expenses. So the poor kids end up facing a debt sentence, so even after graduation, assuming they find suitable employment, they're still financially compromised.

[Shukria123]

Canada is a poor country: in terms of per capita GDP, we're not even one of the world's top ten countries.