Stamp out poverty

All the established political parties (1989, all-party House of Commons resolution) foreswore to stamp out poverty by the year 2000. Well, it did not happen. The words were there: the will was lacking.

In the Greener Politics forum, under a discussion on Senate Reform, I posted:

An elected Senate solution seems overly complex and demanding of citizenery to me. I suggested using holders of the Order of Canada to determine and appoint Senators according to traditional representation formula. But, since I mentioned Cuba the other day (didn't I??), we could instead have a broad coalition of anti-poverty organizations select Senators. That would eventually make for intense Social Justice legislation. Sounds really green to me. So green, in fact, that I would alter my thinking on putting Order of Canada holders to work.

Since that posting I have been "mulling," as is my want. An elected Senate would do nothing to push any political agenda other than symbolically represent regionalism. Well, regionalism can still be represented AND poverty groups can be the deciders of who should enter the Senate. And that dreaded central Canadian boogy monster is allayed, too.

And I have refined my thinking to having Social Justice groups, not just poverty groups, form a non-partisan coalition to appoint Senate members. Why should disenfranchised people be dependant upon the paternal charities of supposedly all-knowing political parties? Ever notice how political parties just state placating gestures to the poor: a $400 dollar rebate, bus-pass tax deduction, a travel stipend or an education deduction, etc? There is no intelligent approach to poverty elimination or social justice enhancement here.

Then it occurred to me that it is not a Canadian objective to eliminate poverty. Perhaps the elimination of poverty would disturb the globalization of Canada or something. Perhaps power holders think corporate profits trump human dignity and social justice.

If we truly want to improve Social Justice in Canada then why not have our treasured social justice charities appoint all Senators according to regional tradition and considerations?

As no political party is bold enough to tackle this societal issue then perhaps those most affected should be empowered to affect the political agenda themselves. It is a step toward empowerment. And we all know that unresponsive power structures do so dislike empowerment of those over whom they rule.