B.C. should not have poverty

“Helen” in September 2016 made a 10- minute video presentation to the AllParty BC Finance Committee and has the November report. The video was no good but the written representation was used under social services to increase welfare and disability rates to a basic livable amount and every year indexed to the cost of living and rents.

The B.C. government froze any increase from 2007 – 2015 and only increased it by $25 in 2016 and $50 in September 2017. A majority government should not be allowed to keep rates below poverty. Healthcare costs were $1.2 billion and 16 per cent of children are living in poverty and 8 per cent have one parent fully employed on minimum wage $10.85 that will be increased by 45 cents by September 2017. This should be increased up to $15 to $20 to feed a family.

The Poverty Reduction Coalition (Feb. 5, 2009) with 200 organizations and prominent people tried to get party politicians to get the B.C. government to make a commitment to have a poverty reduction plan; it is a multi-faceted problem.

In 2015 they tried again with membership of 400 with the B.C. government not willing to make a commitment, yet poverty is increasing.

Poverty should not exist in a rich province like British Columbia. It is the duty of all MLAs to look after all the citizens that live in B.C. The B.C. government is going to reduce MSP and give back money to reduce taxes but does nothing to help the poor — just the middle class. This is very unjust and we should not stand for it. Helen Overnes Oliver