NEWS opnewseditor@gmail.com People in Canada are Getting Poorer National reports shed light on the conditions for the country’s poor majority Nicole Burton, News Editor A slew of reports on poverty have been coming out under national and international headlines for the past few weeks, revealing the increasing gap between rich and poor families in Canada. Last week was a continuation of the same, with reports released on the state of living conditions on Indigenous reserves across the provinces, on child poverty, and on poverty in rural areas of the country, like Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The public spotlight was first cast in October, with the evacuation of the entire Indigenous community of Keshetchewan due to water contamination that included both strains of the deadly E. coli bacteria and alarmingly high levels of chlorine. Now, a month later, reports have been released (as of last week), documenting that children in 2005 are twice as likely to be growing up in poverty if they are Indigenous, of a visible minority, or of a family that has immigrated to Canada from the Third World. The annual Report Card on Child Poverty was released last Thursday. Titled, “Decision Time for Canada,” it announced that poverty levels are on the rise for people of colour. While 40 percent of all off-reserve Indigenous children are living in sub-standard conditions, an additional 49 percent of children in recent immigrant families are poor. The report also pointed out that 33 percent of children from a visible minority group live in poverty, as well as 28 percent of children with disabilities. The national percentage of children living in poverty Canada-wide is 18 percent. The report, prepared by the coalition Campaign 2000, was released in Kelowna, BC, at a ministers’ summit last week amid large protests, primarily from members of the Indigenous community. Some 200 protesters gathered, drawing attention to the belief that poverty in the Indigenous community is a systemic problem connected to the Canadian government's legacy of suppression of Indigenous peoples. Well-known Indigenous leaders such as Arther Manuel attended and spoke. While the conditions for poor and working people in Canada continue to get worse, experts and specialists attempt to find the cause. “Canada’s economy is strong with the jobless rate and corporate profits at their best levels in 30 years, and healthy federal surpluses forecast for the next five,’ says Laurel Rothman, national coordinator of the Campaign 2000. So what’s the problem? According to the report, having a stable job—or job at all—does not seem to affect whether or not a family will be living in poverty. All in all, 48 percent of all poor children live in families with parents who are employed year-round. The gap between the richest and poorest families has widened, the report concludes. Interestingly enough, it also cautions the reader not to brush aside the definition of “poor,” which now, in fact, also encompasses the vast majority of “poor,” who would be defined more correctly as, “very, very poor.” The report offers an example: The fact that poor families in urban areas now stretch, on average, an annual salary of only $14,875 to cover costs totaling close to $25,000. As a solution, the report suggests a number of problem- solvers: increasing the minimum wage, establishing more affordable housing, and hiking up social services. Rothman concludes, “Growing up in poverty is linked to poor health, lower school performance, low pay, and unemployment. Increasing income disparity tears at the security and social cohesion that communities need to prosper.” In a separate report coming out this week, rural communities are experiencing high and rising levels of poverty, especially with regards to poor farming families. The Canadian Association of Food Banks’ annual HungerCount report has found that an increasing number of children, youth, and families are relying on food banks to help them cope, particularly in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Manitoba saw an 8.9 percent increase in food bank usage, and Saskatchewan saw a 6.5 percent jump, with an increase of 11,000 families using the banks in Regina alone. There was also a 7.6 percent increase in food bank usage in Nova Scotia over the past year. “We're seeing an increased demand in rural areas, and I think that’s directly a reflection of the agricultural community, not just in the Prairies but elsewhere in the country as well,” said Wayne Hellquist, association board chair from Ottawa. “Income levels for farmers and others who rely on agriculture in many cases are below the poverty line. Long commutes and difficulties in daycare arrangements are among the main challenges facing rural families, adding that extra support such as tax credits for low-income wage earners would help, according to Mark Partridge, University of Saskatchewan instructor in agricultural economics. Total food bank usage across the country has seen dramatic increases over the years. In 2005, there has been a 25 percent increase over 1997 levels, and a whopping 118 percent increase since 1989. “The best answer in terms of the short term are institutions like the food banks; but in the long term, I think more supports are needed, especially for rural families,” said Partridge. Public Debate on Toronto's Gun Violence Is “Fiddy” to blame? Nicole Burton, News Editor ge Ny According to the Ontario Premier, Dalton McGuinty, you shouldn’t put too much stock on the bet that rapper 50 Cent is responsible for Toronto’s gun violence. McGuinty made these comments in response to Liberal MP Dan McTeague, who, in a move that will make him lose support from every voter under the age of 25, had suggested barring 50 Cent from entering the country for said reasons and consequences. His reasoning referenced back to gunfire that occurred after a concert in Toronto two years ago. Toronto’s issues and debate over “law and order” have been on the news table for some time, not the least pressing issue being rampant racial profiling and police brutality against people of colour and youths from immigrant families in the city. The city has become widely known for this problem, which only a few months ago staged a public discussion in municipal government over whether or not racial profiling should become legal. debate now turns back towards celebrities. ministerial permit to enter the country, although Immigration Minister, Joe Volpe, says that one such request has reached him. The requests are generally granted quite regularly. of our own to those who glorify violence that their gratuitous violence and movies are not welcome in our country.” rappers like 50 Cent can’t be blamed for it,” said Mcguinty in his rebuttal, who then smugly suggested that McTeague and his associates, ““Tuck that in the small of their back.” For the sake of keeping their voices heard in public, the 50 Cent has a criminal record and would need a McTeague said last Tuesday, “It’s time to send a message “Toronto’s gun violence is a complex matter, and gangsta