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The continuing effects of poverty
Foreclosing the future of too many Alberta children
This article has been edited for length. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the ATA.
Public Interest Alberta, the Edmonton Social Planning Council and the Alberta College of Social Workers released a report on child and family poverty, November 26, 2013. From Words to Action: Alberta Can Afford a Real Poverty Reduction Strategy has important implications for teachers in their efforts to develop the full potential of all children.
The report shows that in 2011, despite an improving economy, 84,000 children (29,800 under the age of 6) were living below the low-income measure (LIM-After Tax). While this is a slight improvement over the year before, it is clear from the data that Premier Redford’s 2012 election promise to eliminate child poverty by 2017 will not be achieved unless the words in the government’s soon-to-be-released poverty-reduction strategy are backed up with action and investment in programs that prevent, reduce and eliminate poverty. Sadly, judging from recent decisions by the government, such a development is unlikely.
The report’s first part details the state and trends of child and family poverty in Alberta. One startling fact is that 59.2 per cent of children in poverty had at least one parent working full-time, full-year. This shows that too many people are working hard and not earning enough to support their families. One out of every five employed Albertans makes less than $15 per hour, and 58 per cent of these low-wage workers are over the age of 25.
From Words to Action also shows that certain people are more likely to experience poverty. For example, almost two-thirds of low-wage workers are women and make on average only 68 per cent of what men make. This explains why 28.1 per cent of all female lone-parent households are in poverty. The statistics also show that immigrants and First Nations people have higher unemployment rates and on average earn less.
The second part of the report outlines policies and investments needed to reduce and prevent child poverty. Social programs, public education and public services are instrumental in supporting families, and the government won’t eliminate child poverty unless it stops cutting budgets and begins investing in solutions.
Because so many children in poverty have at least one parent working full-time, full-year, we propose recommendations to reduce poverty among working poor families: establishing a provincial child tax benefit, increasing the minimum wage and implementing a living wage policy for contracted services.
Our report calls on the government to fulfill its promise to establish full-day kindergarten with an initial investment of $100 million to establish these programs in areas with vulnerable children. The report challenges the government’s cuts to education, postsecondary education, and early childhood education and care, and calls for investments in these and other areas to prevent and reduce family poverty.
The $1 billion in investments required to fulfill the recommendations in the report would help in reaching the target to eliminate child and family poverty and is only a fraction of the cost of poverty ($7.1–$9.5 billion according to the Cost of Poverty report by Vibrant Communities Calgary) to people’s lives, the economy and our society.
In a province that collects $10.6 billion less in taxation than the next lowest taxed province, we explain how the government could raise $1.2–$2 billion by establishing a progressive tax and increasing corporate taxes. For example, if there were a progressive tax of 14 per cent on all income earned over $150,000, the provincial government would bring in an additional $700 million. If Alberta had the same highest income tax bracket as Saskatchewan (15 per cent on all income over $122,589) or British Columbia (14.7 per cent on all income over $104,754), the government would bring in over $1 billion.
Alberta’s teachers and their professional Association have long understood the causal connection between poverty and difficulties in children’s education, and have championed efforts to ensure that all children have a genuine opportunity to learn. This report offers concrete proposals to ensure that teachers will have an opportunity to develop the full potential of children whose futures have been foreclosed by poverty.
Clearly, Alberta has the financial means to invest in a poverty-reduction strategy that will achieve the promise made by Premier Redford to eliminate child poverty by 2017. Unfortunately, what is lacking is the political will to address Alberta’s revenue problems. Teachers have an important role to play in generating that political will.
We are calling on Albertans to encourage the government to invest in a poverty strategy so that children and families can attain their full potential, and strong efforts by teachers and their Association will help make it a reality. Let’s work together to make it happen.
To download a copy of the report, visit www.pialberta.org. ❚
Bill Moore-Kilgannon is the executive director of Public Interest Alberta.
