Poverty Awareness in York Region

Would you consider becoming involved in my letter-writing campaign? If you agree with one or both of these letters sign them, mail or e-mail copies to as many of the following people as possible and get everyone you know to do the same.

Please include your e-mail address and zip code/postal code.

Thanks,

mirwight@gmail.com

President Barack Obama





Congressman Donald M. Payne




Prime Minister Stephen Harper






M.P. Michael Ignatieff






Letter 1

50 000 people, including 30 000 children, die unnecessarily every day due to extreme poverty.

This is an emergency. We must stop this epidemic of suffering and death immediately. The world’s economy can adapt to the end of extreme poverty, just as it did to the abolition of slavery.

The United States and Canada must both meet their commitments to the U.N.

Millennium Development Goals:

1. Debt - We must cancel the debts owed by the governments of impoverished countries.
2. Aid - The U.S. and Canada must each allocate 0.7% of their GNP to Official Development Assistance.
3. Trade - We must create a more just world trade system to help double the size of Africa’s economy and trade by 2015.
4. Make Poverty History has also called for an end to child poverty in Canada

I'm not alone. I'm one of millions who have demanded an end to extreme poverty.

Over 31 million people, including over 250 000 Canadians, and more than 800 organizations are members of Make Poverty History.

Over 2 million people are members of the One Campaign, and in the United States more than 27 000 students at more than 2400 colleges and universities competed in the 2008-09 One Campus Challenge.

In 2008, 116 993 629 people participated in the Stand Up and Take Action Against Poverty Initiative's annual events.

Over 30 million people gave their names to the Live 8 List which was presented to Prime Minister Tony Blair.



Letter 2

The United States government and Canadian government should legally require U.S. and Canadian-owned corporations to pay a minimum wage to their employees who are citizens and residents of other countries and live outside the United States and Canada.

This would reduce the exploitation of the developing world by these corporations and would be a significant step towards the level of regulation needed to end extreme poverty.

If the United States and Canada accomplish this we will live up to our roles as leaders in the international community and give both U.S. and Canadian citizens a reason to be proud of their country.