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Caroline

Caroline Ploem

Executive Director

Health Promotion Clearinghouse

 

902-494-1917

[log in to unmask]

www.hpclearinghouse.ca

 

Experts Say Ending Poverty Would Benefit All Nova Scotians and Can Be Done 

HALIFAX, March 8 /CNW/ - According to a new report released by the Health
Promotion Clearinghouse, ending poverty is not only possible, it is
necessary. "The report outlines the positive impact that ending poverty
would have for everybody," says Caroline Ploem, Executive Director of the
Health Promotion Clearinghouse. "Our conference in October of 2010 was the
largest poverty conference ever held in Nova Scotia. We brought people
together from all over Nova Scotia, heard from impressive speakers, and
engaged in stimulating conversation." 

Ploem says there are many lessons from the report but the most important may
very well be that ending poverty is within our reach. "The first step is
awareness regarding the total cost of poverty and the realization that we
cannot afford to ignore poverty. Anyone interested in the report can locate
it on our website."  

Among the 260 participants and speakers were the Honourable Ed Broadbent,
Honorary Director of Canada without Poverty, Senator Art Eggleton, co-author
of the Canadian Senate Committee's report In From the Margins: A Call for
Action on Poverty, Housing and Homelessness, and Dr. Christine Saulnier,
co-author of The Cost of Poverty in Nova Scotia, which estimates that
poverty costs our province at least over $1 billion a year in terms of
higher health care costs, high school drop-out rates, crime, and lost
productivity. Also among the experts were 60 people with direct experience
of living in poverty. 

Nova Scotia, as with the rest of Canada, has witnessed an increase in the
depth of poverty and inequality over the past decade. According to the
Honourable Ed Broadbent, there is a growing gap between the rich and the
poor, and most Canadians are worse off now than they were at the end of the
1990s. Reducing poverty, he says, results in, among other benefits,
healthier citizens, longer lives, a better economy, and less crime. 

While most people understand the moral arguments for ending poverty, said
Senator Art Eggleton, they don't realize how poverty is costing each and
every one of us. It depresses the economy, increases health care costs, and
leads to alienation and crime. Ending poverty is doable, he explains, noting
that we do not need to spend more money, but that we need to spend smarter,
more efficiently and effectively. Eliminating poverty would mean improving
our common fiscal situation. 

Another common theme among speakers and participants was that collaboration
was key and that the way forward was for all of us to understand and take
action on the changes we are best suited to make. The report, Building
Wellbeing and Prosperity Together: Taking Action on Poverty in Nova Scotia
references collaboration in terms of individuals, governments, businesses
and the non-profit sector. It also provides tangible activities that are
occurring in various parts of the Atlantic region. 

Copies of the report and videos from the conference are available at:
www.hpclearinghouse.ca.  Several quotes from the conference are included
below. 

CONFERENCE QUOTES 

"One witness who has experienced poverty expressed it this way: 'Poverty
steals from your soul leaving you with little or no hope. It robs you of all
that can be good in life. It leaves you isolated, lonely and hungry. Every
day is a struggle'." 

"A recent study estimates that poverty costs this country about $7.5 billion
every year in health care costs alone and between $8 and $13 billion in lost
productivity." 

- Senator Art Eggleton 

"We now have more than 55 billionaires and thousands of multimillionaires.
But the vast majority of Canadians have actually seen a downward shift. More
than three million Canadians live in poverty." 

"People like to be inspired, but before they vote they need to be persuaded.
Democratic citizens will support serious change when they are convinced by
evidence that those promising it can make it work." 

"We have known for a long time that poverty and inequality are bad for those
directly affected by it-the unemployed, poor kids, anxious seniors,
over-burdened middle-class families. But as I have said, we now also know
that inequality harms us all." 

- The Honourable Ed Broadbent 

"When we help those in need, we make Nova Scotia a better place to live for
everyone." 

- Dr. Christine Saulnier 

The Health Promotion Clearinghouse is a valued resource system supporting
Nova Scotia's health promoters to foster healthy people and healthy
communities 

For further information: 

Caroline Ploem, Health Promotion Clearinghouse, 902.494.1917 or [log in to unmask] 


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