Voters for Economic and Social Justice
Make Your Vote Count!
"The power of the poor is in their numbers. If they discover this and use
those numbers in a concerted effort to influence government they could
change the rules about poverty. They could force governments to make laws
that help them rather than hurt them"
--W. Robert Arnold, President, Voters for Economic and Social Justice
PURPOSE
The purpose of VESJ is to unite low-income people and our allies for the
purpose of creating a powerful voice and a powerful voting block. In this
way we will be able to exercise the power our numbers give us.
We will use this power to defend and enhance our rights. By forming a
voting block we can pressure government into passing laws and making
policies that will really help low-income people.
BACKGROUND
Our spending power has gone down because of inadequate raises and actual
cutbacks in our incomes. Inflation and rising incomes in the middle and
upper levels of society have further contributed to our decreasing
spending power.
The price of everything goes up while our incomes stay the same or go
down. This is not fair.
Neither of the goverments, federal or provincial, has done much for
low-income people in the last twenty years. They have given tax breaks to
the rich, allowed profitable corporations to pay little or no taxes, and
have given outright grants to business.
It is these tax breaks, tax deferments, grants and high interest
rates that are largely responsible for government debt and deficit, NOT
social spending.
NOW
Now governments are preparing to solve their money problems by taking
money away from low-income people. This is unfair and we do not
have to put up with it!
POWER OF POOR PEOPLE
Twenty percent of the population of BC lives below the Statistics Canada
poverty line. That amounts to over 500 000 people. That
means a lot of votes. The media, however, never mentions the poor without
saying that we are powerless. Well, we are not!
We are powerful! Because of our numbers we can dictate who will form the
next government and what they will do for us.
Who Are The Poor?
- Seniors
- Students
- Working poor
- EI recipients
- Welfare recipients
- Homeless people
- Persons with disabilities
- Single parents
- Anyone whose income is below the poverty line.
The Poverty Line
In a report issued by the National Council of Welfare, the poverty line
was set at the following levels:
- Single adult: $15 479 a year
- Disabled adult: $15 479 a year
- Single parent, one child: $20 981
- Couple, two children: $30 708
If You Are Poor
If you are poor or care about those who are, join us and be part of a
strong voice. Be part of the solution. Only individuals can join.
Membership is $2.00 per year.
Voters For Economic and Social Justice
2221 Belmont Ave
Victoria BC
V8R 3Z9
LINKS
- Povnet This is a very good
website with information relevant to low-income people and welfare
recipients
- B.C.
Ministry of Human Resources. Contains information about B.C.
Employment and Assistance and Employment and Assistance for Persons with
Disabilities, including the web orientation.
- BC Government Directory A
useful site if you wish to contact your MLA or any other members of the
government.
- Alternatives A searchable
online library of resources.
- Email the Victoria News with comments on their articles (especially if
they are about poverty or welfare) at vicnews@pinc.com
- Email Monday Magazine at letters@mondaymag.com
- Email the Victoria Times-Colonist at letters@times-colonist.com
BC POLITICAL PARTIES
Subscribe to our VESJ email list by emailing majordomo@victoria.tc.ca with
no subject and the words 'subscribe vesj-l' (without quotes) in the body
Email Robert Arnold
at wc515@victoria.tc.ca