The Living Wage for Families Campaign has written to all 4 Provincial Parties asking them to consider the following proposals as part of a comprehensive Poverty Reduction Plan for BC:

1. Establish a Living Wage Unit . This unit would calculate annually the living wage rate for communities/regions throughout the province based the Living Wage for Families calculation methodology. The work of this unit should be guided by an advisory board of experts, community organizations, labour, and business. The unit would also promote the benefits of living wages throughout the province, and encourage employers to adopt the living wage in the communities where they operate.

2. Establish and implement a pilot Living Wage Policy in a relevant Provincial Government ministry or agency. The living wage policy will apply to all ministry/agency employees (full-time, part time and casual) and all service providers and contractor staff, similar to living wage policies at a local level. After implementation, the above pilot project should be reviewed with a view to extending it throughout all Provincial Government ministries and agencies.

3. Place a moratorium on all future contracting out of provincially-funded services that result in employees receiving less than a living wage.

4. Explore public policy interventions that reduce a family’s living expenses. Reducing families’ living expenses in turn will reduce the living wage rate and make it more affordable for businesses to pay.

To see all 4 letters click below:
Letter to BC Liberals
Letter to BC NDP
Letter to BC Greens
Letter to BC Conservatives

The BC NDP and the BC Greens expressed an interest in hearing more about our proposal but no party has made a firm commitment in relation to any of the four proposals to date. For more details on all the issues relating to children and young people in the forthcoming election go to First Call’s 2013 Online Election Toolkit.
For information on poverty reduction go to First Call’s Poverty Report Card  and  Poverty Reduction Campaign for BC.

The Society of Children and Youth of BC sent questions to candidates about child and youth rights in BC. See their questions as well as some info graphics here: http://www.scyofbc.org/would-i-vote-for-you#!would-i-vote-for-you/cdqv 

Visit the Public Health Association of BC’s comprehensive Health Voices Election Toolkit Website http://povertybadforhealth.wordpress.com to learn how you can raise your voice, spread the word and take action to create a healthier, just society.

Learn more about and endorse the Plan for $10/day Child Care, developed by the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC and the Early Childhood Educators of BC: http://www.cccabc.bc.ca/plan/toolkit//

See also the BCGEU website about the need for the plan: http://cantaffordchildcare.ca/

Learn about and join the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition’s call for a Poverty Reduction Plan for BC: http://bcpovertyreduction.ca/

The BC Poverty Reduction Coalition launched have also launched their Election Groundstation where you will find an Election Guide with tips on getting started, a brief overview of the political context, a breakdown of the issues and some engaging questions and A Poverty Reduction Plan for Healthy People and Healthy Communities, outlining the seven pillars of a comprehensive plan and the cost of poverty: http://bcpovertyreduction.ca/join-the-election-campaign/

Inclusion BC (formerly the BC Association for Community Living) has produced “Get the Vote Out”, a plain language voting guide to encourage participation in the upcoming provincial election.

They have also developed issue fact sheets that are designed to be taken to local candidates. They provide basic information about five different issues: supports to children and families, education, employment, income security and disability supports.

You can find all their election materials here: http://bcacl.org/putting-disability-on-election-agenda

Check out the Generation Squeeze Campaign for information on how to get involved in the campaign to get political parties of all stripes to acknowledge the large spending gap between generations.

See their website here: http://gensqueeze.ca

The BC School Trustees Association (BCSTA) has launched the provincial election campaign “Me Too! We Value Public Education” to raise the profile of public education and the important work of public Boards of Education.

See their website here: http://www.metoobc.ca/index.php/2013/03/the-4-1-1-on-425/

The Roundtable and the Federation of Community Social Services (FCSS) of BC has produced the Community Counts Campaign. It is an effort to ensure that the issues of social service agencies and, more importantly, the needs of clients and communities, are addressed by all political parties and policy makers.

Join them on Facebook to view their daily postings here https://www.facebook.com/communityVote

or participate in their ongoing election roundtable here http://roundtablebc.blogspot.ca/p/who-we-are.html

 Vote Mental Health 4 All-One Action is a campaign to create public awareness about the issues facing British Columbians with mental illness and addictions and to support a movement for change this provincial election on May 14, 2013.

Learn more here: http://www.votementalhealth4all.ca