[February 5th, 2010]

Peggy Taillon, President & CEO
Canadian Council on Social Development

The Growing Gap

- Wide spread evidence that points to a progressive and relentless erosion of the social fabric of our country.

- Not caused by but exacerbated by the current recession

- Segments of Canadian society are doing better than ever ‐‐‐ this prosperity for some cloaks the struggle of those living on the margins

- The average income of the wealthiest families with children increased more than twice as much (33% over the past 18 years) as family incomes for the poorest tenth of Canada’s
population (16% from 1989 to 2007)

- The slow growth of the average income of all families with children (18% over 18 years) demonstrates why middle- income families express economic insecurity

Hard Truths: Canada’s Kids

- About 1 in 10 children (637,000) and their families live in poverty (2007 LICO after tax); that’s as large as the population of Winnipeg

- This does not demonstrate the shameful situation of First Nations communities where 1 in every 4 children is growing up in poverty

- Paid work does not assure a pathway out of poverty; more than 4 in every 10 low-income children have a parent who works full-time throughout the year

>> Download Hard Truths: Canada's Social Deficit