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Municipal social services are overwhelmed by demand and a new model of funding must be found.
Toronto (2 June 2010) - The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) is calling on politicians in Ottawa to pass anti-poverty legislation to deal with serious problems faced by municipalities across the country.
A motion put forward from Calgary and approved at the recent FCM meeting said social services have been overwhelmed by demand and only Ottawa is in a position to deal with the issue.
The Calgary motion called on the federal government to re-assert its role in ensuring income security for all Canadians.
By endorsing this motion, FCM joined more than 330 organizations, as well as 57 MPs and 12 senators to date, in supporting a national campaign called Dignity for All.
The campaign is led by two national organizations - Canada Without Poverty (CWP) and Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ). It is asking the federal government to immediately develop a national anti-poverty plan and legislation to provide adequate income security for all Canadians.
“FCM has an important stake in ensuring the successful reform of Canada’s social safety net," says Joe Ceci, a Calgary alderman who sponsored the motion.
"Federal governments need to move decisively to address poverty through the measures articulated in this Dignity for All campaign."
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is a strong supporter of Canada Without Poverty and the Dignity for All campaign.
NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE
More information:
• Dignity for all