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Women's Network PEI Recognizes the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
"I don't eat well. I need to give most of my budget for the baby." [Focus Group Participant from NL]October 18, 2004 -- The General Assembly of the United Nations declared October 17 as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. Women's Network PEI recognizes this day and wishes to assert the need for positive changes to the National Parental Benefits Program that will help ensure that babies born in Canada are not born into a life of poverty.
Key messages from focus group participants from our report "Looking Beyond the Surface: An In-Depth Review of Parental Benefits" show that as much as families appreciate the extension of maternity and parental benefits to 50 weeks, changes still must be made to ensure a financially secure option for more than the 49% of women who qualify for this benefit.
While many women indicated that having the opportunity to take a full year off is an important benefit, few are able to take advantage of the extended benefits should they be entitled to them. The main reason cited for this was the major challenge of living on a much reduced income. Many women indicated that they had to make some very tough financial choices, such as cashing in RRSPs and selling their house or car. Some women used their lines of credit and credit cards to cover their family's expenses and two women indicated that they were forced to go to the food bank for the first time. As one woman from Nova Scotia stated " If I am just making it on my full salary how can I afford to survive on 55%, as a single parent, with a new baby to care for plus I have to wait 4-6 weeks for any money to come?"
The Women's Network PEI is continuing its work to expand the research from the first phase of it's Parental Benefits Project. Phase II takes these research findings and analysis and will use them as the basis of developing policy options and recommendations towards a more equitable system, especially for the most vulnerable and marginalized in our society.
For more information, please contact:
Michelle Genge-Harris or Laurie Ann McCardle
phone: (902) 368-5040
fax: (902) 368-5039
e-mail: wnpei@wnpei.org
Women's Network Office
located at 40 Enman Crescent, in Charlottetown
mailing address:
P.O. Box 233,
Charlottetown, PEI C1A 7K4
phone: (902) 368-5040
fax: (902) 368-5039
e-mail:
wnpei@wnpei.org