This is an archive of news stories and research from the National Union of Public and General Employees. Please see our new site - https://nupge.ca - for the most current information.
'Committed professionally and personally to supporting vulnerable adults and children in our communities.' - Reid Johnson.
Vancouver (18 Dec. 2009) - The Health Sciences Association of B.C. (HSABC/NUPGE) is welcoming the call by the Dietitians of Canada for British Columbia to adopt a comprehensive poverty reduction plan that includes an increase to the minimum wage.
“As the Dietitians of Canada report The Cost of Eating in B.C. 2009 notes, too many British Columbians are living in poverty. Poverty is a key factor in poor nutrition and poor health outcomes,” said HSABC president Reid Johnson.
“As health science professionals, we know that prevention is a key factor for improved health. Proper nutrition is a preventative measure that families living in poverty just don’t have equal access to,” Johnson adds.
HSABC, along with the Dietitians of Canada and almost 300 other organizations and individuals, is a signatory to the B.C. Poverty Reduction Committee's call for the provincial government to take concrete action to combat poverty.
The committee is asking the government to take a series of key policy steps, including providing adequate and accessible income support for the non-employed, improving the earnings and working conditions for those in the low-wage workforce and improving food security for low-income individuals and families. (See the full poverty reduction strategy at www.bcpovertyreduction.ca.)
 |
“HSABC and our members are committed professionally and personally to supporting the vulnerable adults and children in our communities who depend on the health and social services that health science professionals deliver,” Johnson says.
HSABC represents health science professionals who provide diagnostic, clinical and rehabilitation services in B.C. hospitals and communities. Dietitians are key university-trained members of the health care team who provide critical treatment with therapeutic and regular nutrition.
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