Canada

In 2015, Canada committed to the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  These goals are part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a global call to action to achieve social, economic and environmental prosperity.  Enshrined in the 2030 Agenda is a commitment “to realize human rights for all,” including economic, social and cultural rights.

The Localizing Canada’s Commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals Project (SDGs Project) is developing a community-driven indicator framework for the federal government to use to measure progress towards achieving several of the SDGs, including Goal #1: No Poverty.  The SDGs Project uses principled, community-based and participatory research approaches to engage people who experience systemic marginalization and poverty, community service organizations, advocates and organizers from coast to coast to coast that will inform the measurement framework for realizing rights and ending poverty in local contexts. 

The virtual roundtable format will include presentations, guest speakers and breakout discussions and will feature those who have been engaged through the SDG’s Project.  Participants will have an opportunity to connect with organizations and individuals dedicated to ending poverty from across the country for movement-building.

Register for all three or attend when you can! 

Roundtable 1 : June 14, 2023 12 PM – 2 PM EST | Connecting lived expertise to public policy: meaningful engagement as a means to advancing human rights

Speakers include:

• Marie Christian, VOICES Manitoba: Youth in Care Network (MB)
• Samantha Bonnar, Community Cares Youth Outreach (NS)
• Jack Bogaard, Voices Influencing Change (YK)

Roundtable 2 : June 15, 2023 12 PM – 2 PM EST | Holding government to account: legal and policy levers for ending poverty

Speakers include:

• Shalini Konanur, South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario (ON)
• Sahar Raza, National Right to Housing Network (ON)
• Jennifer Chartrand, First Nations Family Advocate Office (MB)

Roundtable 3 : June 16, 2023 12 PM – 2 PM EST | Poverty-free communities are possible: strengthening the national anti-poverty movement

Speakers include:

• Raymond Funk, Vibrant Communities Charlotte County (NB)
• King Kxndi, BIPOC USHR (PEI)
• Andrea Hatala, ODSP Action Coalition (ON)

Learn more or register for the roundtables on Eventbrite.

To request accommodations, please contact Mithilen Mathipalan at mithilenma@familyservicetoronto.org by June 7, 2023. The event will be live captioned and ASL and French interpretation will be available. The event will take place over Zoom.

This family-led event will explore the intersection of familial poverty, childhood disability, and health outcomes. It will create an opportunity for families, health care professionals, and policy researchers to come together and share both their knowledge and lived experiences on equal footing to identify where we can partner to effect systemic change. Childhood disability is known to have a huge financial impact on families and children.

There is simply not enough data or awareness about the intersection of childhood disability with familial and personal lifelong financial challenges.

We want to change that.

Disability Without Poverty is a movement, led by people with disabilities supported by our families, friends, service providers, allies and organizations. Right now, our priority is to build consensus toward a federal Canada Disability Benefit that would ensure income support above the poverty line for people who live with disabilities.