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Child poverty on the rise in Canada
Canadian Broadcasting Company, 05/12/98
Canada may be pulling out of recession, but the poor aren't
getting a share of the prosperity. Canada's child poverty rate
hit a 17-year high in 1996, according to the National Council
on Welfare.
More than 1.4 million Canadian children lived in poverty in
1996.
In 1980, the first year such statistics were collected, the
child poverty rate was 14.5 per cent. In 1996, the child
poverty rate rose to 20.9 per cent.
Federal human resources minister Pierre Pettigrew says several
new programs, like the National Child Benefit, will help ease
pressure on poor families.
Critics say these programs won't make up for what Ottawa has
already cut from transfer payments to the provinces for social
programs.
The child poverty rate calculates those under the age of 18
living below the poverty line.
The poverty rate for the population as a whole is 17.6 per
cent, or more than 5 million people.
Armand Brun, vice-president of the National Council on
Welfare, predicted the more recent data for 1997 will show a
widening of the gap between rich and poor.
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Youth Parliament Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories
The Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories supports the
right and responsibility of our youth to be involved in our democracy.
A great example for all provincial, territorial legislative
assemblies and the Parliament of Canada
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