For Full Housing Campaign including petition, sample letters, and MP visits go to our Housing Page at http://cusj.org/emerging-issues/national-housing-policy/
Canadian Unitarians for Social Justice
A
national faith-based organization founded in support of Unitarian values
P.O. Box
40011, Ottawa, ON, K1V 0W8
President, Rev. Frances Deverell president@cusj.org
January 20,
2013
The Hon. Diane
Finley,
Minister of
Human Resources and Social Development;
House of
Commons,
Ottawa, ON.,
K1A 0A6
RE: Bill C-400 to Implement a National Housing
Strategy
Dear Hon. Diane
Finley:
I write to
appeal to you to honour the commitment you made in May 2012 when you and the
Prime Minister and the whole conservative caucus voted that “the Government “should keep with Canada’s obligation to respect, protect and fulfill the
right to adequate housing as guaranteed under the international Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.”
We are well
aware that this government has renewed its homeless strategy till 2014, and has
spent 1.2 billion under the Affordable Housing Initiative as well as other
initiatives. We note your programs to
support infrastructure maintenance. We
thank you for these positive efforts, but they are not enough. A patchwork, ad hoc group of initiatives has
not realistically addressed the problem that around 400,000 people in Canada
are either living on the streets or using shelters at least some of the
time. Thousands of low-income people
wait years to get into social housing. We
are embarrassed to note that the United Nations has identified homelessness in Canada as a
human rights crisis! We need a comprehensive national
housing strategy that is adequately funded, based on consultation with
vulnerable target groups in Canada.
We are
looking for:
· Engagement and consultation with
all stakeholders including First Nations, organizations representing persons
with mental health issues, people on welfare or disability, the working poor, people
escaping violence, the elderly, retired soldiers, and the private sector.
· Clear targets and timelines to
end homelessness.
· Independent processes for
evaluation and accountability
· Effective complaint mechanisms
and resources to investigate and respond.
· Financial supports for those who
cannot afford market rates.
Bill C-400 is
a good bill that provides legislative commitment to implement the promise you
made last May. It affirms that access to
affordable housing is a human right. It
is a good first step towards action for change.
Support for this bill by the Conservative caucus would demonstrate your
good will and intentions to solve the problem of homelessness in Canada.
Faith
Communities such as Canadian Unitarians For Social Justice (http://www.cusj.org) and Not-for-profit organizations who
work to improve the condition of the poor are looking forward to working in
collaboration with you to solve these problems in Canada. Give us Bill C-400 as a foundation for real
change.
In faith,
Rev. Frances
Deverell,
President,
Canadian Unitarians For Social Justice
cc. The Hon.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper
The Hon. Thomas Mulcaire, Leader of
the Opposition
Bob Rae, Leader of the Liberal Party
of Canada
Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green
Party of Canada
News Media
Canadian Unitarian Council
Unitarian Universalist Ministers of
Canada
Dignity For All
Canada Without Poverty
Citizens For Public Justice
