First Call Joins National Call for Passage of Bill S-212
First Call joins Campaign 2000 and organizations across Canada in urging the federal government to pass Bill S-212 and establish a national strategy for children and youth.
Federal
Bill S-209 Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act
On September 5, 2026, First Call sent a letter to all BC Members of Parliament and relevant federal ministers urging them to support Bill S-209, the Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act. The bill, which would make it…
Submission to the National Housing Council Review Panel on the Lack of Accessible Housing in Canada
First Call has submitted a letter to the National Housing Council Review Panel on the lack of accessible housing in Canada. Drawing on findings from our 2023 report, A Failure to Protect: The Denial of Children’s Right to Housing in…
Federal Budget 2026 Submission: What This Year’s Budget Can Do for Children in BC
First Call’s 2026 federal pre-budget submission calls on the Government of Canada to put children and youth first in Budget 2026. Our recommendations focus on reducing child and family poverty, supporting newcomer families, improving parental leave, expanding affordable housing, strengthening…
Take Action: Raise the Age of Social Media Access to 16
First Call has joined a growing national call for stronger protections for children online by signing an open letter urging the federal government to establish a minimum age for social media access in Canada. With rising concerns about mental health,…
Our Letter to Members of Parliament on the Canada Pension Plan Contributors Dependent Benefits, Certified Petition #e-6646
Dear Member of Parliament, We are writing to you today to gain your support for Petition e-6646 which has been certified and was presented in the House of Commons by Dan Albas (Okanagan Lake West—South Kelowna) on February 2, 2026.…
First Call joins Child Care Now in calling for renewed commitments to strengthen and expand the Canada-Wide $10aDay child care system
The letter urges governments to increase public funding, prioritize non-profit and public delivery, reduce fees for low-income families, improve workforce compensation, expand access equitably, ensure transparency, and fully implement Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Frameworks. Child Care Now is…
Our Letter to BC MPs About the 2025 BC Child Poverty Report Card
In response to the findings of First Call’s 2025 BC Child Poverty Report Card, we sent a letter to Members of Parliament (MPs) representing British Columbia to highlight the critical role federal policy plays in reducing child poverty. While government…
Submission: Federal Budget 2025
First Call’s submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance for Budget 2025, urges the federal government to adopt bold, equity-driven measures that will significantly improve the lives of families living in poverty.
First Call correspondence with Canadian Senate on Bill C-291
On March 21, 2024, First Call wrote to Chair Senator Brent Cotter and members of the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, urging them to pass Bill C-291. Passing this bill would amend the Criminal Code and other…
Bill S-210 – the Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act
On November 23, 2023 First Call sent a letter to all BC MPs and relevant federal cabinet ministers urging them to support Bill S-210, the Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act. This bill passed the Senate by acclamation…
First Call Urges MP’s to Repeal Section 43 of the Criminal Code
In November 2023, friends at Corinne’s Quest alerted us to an upcoming vote in Parliament on BC MP Peter Julian’s Bill C-273 calling for the repeal of Section 43. If MPs get enough encouragement from their constituents, we’re hopeful it…
Submission: Federal Budget 2024
First Call’s submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance for Budget 2024 includes recommendations that would help to improve the lives of families who are living in poverty. Those recommendations include: Read First Call’s submission here.
Letter to Health Canada on Marketing to Kids
On June 13, 2023 First Call submitted a letter to Health Canada recommending changes to current policy proposals for regulations that will restrict the advertising to children of “Prescribed Foods Sodium, Sugars and Saturated Fat.” First Call is a long-time…
Letter to BC MPs on 2022 BC Child Poverty Report Card
First Call wrote to BC Members of Parliament about the findings in our 26th annual BC Child Poverty Report Card. The report found that during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, BC’s child poverty rate dropped significantly largely due…