Adrienne Montani Most people are probably aware that immigrant and refugee families are over-represented in poverty statistics. 2011 data from the National Household Survey shows immigrants with less than five years in Canada have a one in three chance of being poor, much higher than the overall poverty rate. The MORE
Cabinet mandate letters – Fostering Change consultation – First Call member appeal – and more! July 2017 Welcome to our monthly update about First Call’s advocacy work and key developments in child and youth policy in BC. Highlights this month include: BC Cabinet mandates on First Call issues First Call MORE
On July 11 2017, First Call sent a letter to the BC Members of Parliament to accompany our formal submission on the Canadian Poverty Reduction Strategy (CPRS). The letter outlines the call for a CPRS that has targets and timelines secured in legislation, specifically: To reduce Canada’s child and poverty rate MORE
First Call staff changes – Provincial election promises – Federal poverty reduction strategy – and more! June 2017 Welcome to our monthly update about First Call’s advocacy work and key developments in child and youth policy in BC. Highlights this month include: Goodbye…and hello! First Call staff changes Provincial election MORE
June 2017 Federal Poverty Reduction Strategy Consultation, June 2017 Submission to Minister of Families, Children and Social Development By First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition FIRST CALL First Call is a non-partisan, cross-sectoral coalition of 101 provincial and regional organizations who share a commitment to putting children and MORE
Bear Witness Day – Repeal Section 43 – Federal poverty reduction strategy – and more! May 2017 Welcome to our monthly update about First Call’s advocacy work and key developments in child and youth policy in BC. Highlights this month include: Bear Witness Day Repeal Section 43: Letters and response MORE
Party responses to our questions – New Living Wage – Cindy Blackstock fights on – and more! April 2017 Welcome to our monthly update about First Call’s advocacy work and key developments in child and youth policy in BC. Highlights this month include: Provincial election activity 2017 Living Wage announced MORE
First Call’s toolkit* for the provincial election on May 9, 2017, is a resource to support our coalition member organizations and all individuals and community groups in their advocacy for legislation, policy and real change that benefits BC children and youth and their families. The First Call 2017 Provincial Election MORE
March 2017 What’s the purpose of digging a hole and then re-filling it halfway or even all the way 15 years later? Child and youth services providers and families are asking this question as they review the “new” dollars for child-serving ministries in the 2017 BC budget. Over the last MORE
Published February 11, 2017, in the Vancouver Sun by Adrienne Montani, Faith Bodnar, Sherry Sinclair and Sharon Gregson As families across British Columbians celebrate the 5th annual B.C. Family Day, it’s a welcome opportunity to spend extra time together, have some fun and celebrate all the wonderful reasons our families are important MORE
First Call 2017 fundraising gala – Living Wage Campaign reaches Port Coquitlam – CRA reconsiders restrictions on Canadian charities – and more! January 2016 Welcome to our monthly update about First Call’s advocacy work and key developments in child and youth policy in BC. Highlights this month include: February 23: MORE
Via email Dec. 12, 2016 Re: First Call 2016 BC Child Poverty Report Card Hi Ms. Montani, Thank you for drawing this information to my attention, and your work on this important issue. The reality that you are explained is a tragic situation in BC, and I appreciate you laying MORE
Via email December 9, 2016 Dear Adrienne, First, thank you for your long-standing commitment to helping BC kids and for willing to do the heavy lifting on measures to shape public policy. Please be assured that I will look for every opportunity to support measures to deal with poverty, especially MORE
December 2016 First Call is proud of what our coalition has accomplished in 2016. From holding government to account for BC’s child poverty crisis to stopping yet another clawback to amplifying the voices of foster youth, together we’ve done some amazing work to put BC’s children and youth first. Here are highlights of key successes, MORE
Via email November 25, 2016 Dear Members of the Legislative Assembly, Yesterday First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition released the 2016 BC Child Poverty Report Card. Campaign 2000 also released the national child poverty report card which can be accessed, along with reports from other provinces, here. Today MORE