Archived - Homeless to Have a Say: National Council of Welfare Partners with Shelters across Canada

In a one-day event at homeless shelters from all regions of Canada, homeless women and men will give their opinions about solutions to poverty in this country by filling out the National Council of Welfare's questionnaire on poverty and income security.

Ten homeless shelters in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax and Iqaluit will take part in the event on Tuesday, December 5 . James Hughes, a member of the Council and director of a Montreal shelter, says, "The purpose of our questionnaire is to find out what Canadians think about solutions to poverty in this country. It is important that people living in poverty participate, including homeless people who live in extreme poverty."

Karen O'Shannacery, the director of the Lookout Emergency Aid Society in Vancouver, says that they are participating in this initiative because governments need to hear from people who are homeless. "It's not always easy for homeless people to have their voices heard." she says. "This is one way to ensure that they have the opportunity to make their opinions known."

The National Council of Welfare launched its on-line questionnaire about poverty and the need for a national anti-poverty strategy in Canada in October at www.ncwcnbes.net Thousands of individuals and hundreds of organizations have already participated. The questionnaire will run until December 15 and the results will be made public. They will also guide the advice the Council provides to the federal government.

The Council encourages individuals and organizations across Canada to respond to the questionnaire and tell us what you think.

Related Materials

• Rapport sur les réponses au questionnaire portant sur la pauvreté et la sécurité du revenu