CAMBRIDGE - City council supports a grassroots goal of reducing poverty by 25 per cent in five years.
Governments have failed to make a dent in poverty over the last two decades as the economy was strong, said Coun. Pam Wolf. The 25in5 campaign is needed now, more than ever as the economy sours, she said
"If there ever was at to to impose realistic timetables and concrete plan, now is the time . . .we cannot afford not to do it, the cost of poverty
is too high."
Len Carter, of the Waterloo Region Labour council said "chronic poverty . . . is corrosive to an inclusive society," said
The 25in5 lobbying campaign has been supported by five
provinces and 15 U.S. states, so it's time Ontario joined in, he said.
Coun. Ben Tucci was at first reluctant for the city to join the effort, since he’s leery of actions like arbitrarily raising the minimum wage.
When he saw the motion was talking about support “in principle” to lobby Queens Park, he voted for it.
Reducing poverty is "is a worthy cause. We should be
working and striving towards that," Tucci said.
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