Once upon a time, Canada was one of the top five donors in reducing poverty internationally.

30 years ago, we contributed 0.57% of our Gross National Income (GNI) to Overseas Development Assistance. Under the Liberal Government of Paul Martin, it plummeted to 0.26%. Canada is no longer amongst the top 5 leaders in the fight against poverty.

In fact, we barely make the top 15.

In 1968, Lester B. Pearson was chairman on a board dedicated to International Development (ID). His recommendation was that wealthy countries should dedicate 0.7% of their GNI to ID. The World Bank and The United Nations both supported his recommendation. Canada should be striving to reach this goal.

Today, Canada only contributes 0.3% of its total GNI, not even half of what Pearson called for.

In 2008 poverty is as big an issue as ever. Three billion people live on less than $2 a day, and an estimated 800 million people go to sleep hungry every night. To many Canadians, it may come as a surprise that our role in fighting poverty is actually declining rather than increasing. But poverty is something that is not just a global issue, but a Canadian issue as well.

In Ontario, 1.3 million people live in poverty. For one of the world’s wealthiest countries, this is an astounding number. A year ago, during provincial elections, Ontario Liberal MPP Dalton McGuinty promised to include a poverty reduction strategy as one of his main priorities. He said it would be in place by the end of the year. This goal has yet to be met.

Some, including Dalton McGuinty, would say that a movement to fight poverty would not be financially viable currently due to the economic instability in the world markets. In a recent press conference, Premier McGuinty commented on the slow progress of his poverty reduction plan.

“Given the state of the economy, it may very well mean that we won’t be able to move as quickly as we would have liked,” McGuinty said.

But is this not the same premier that said “I believe it’s one of the best tests of government…How are we treating those who are less fortunate?”

Recently, a coalition named Make Poverty History produced a video called “On the Record”. The video aimed to raise awareness of poverty in Canada in urban, rural, and aboriginal communities. Four out of five leaders from major Canadian parties were featured in the video outlining specific anti-poverty legislation – both global and domestic.

The only leader not to appear in the video was Stephen Harper – showing not only his lack of leadership, but also his complete lack of initiative to tackle poverty.

“So far we haven't heard anything from Stephen Harper,” said Dennis Howlett, co-ordinator of Make Poverty History. “The whole point was to get specific commitments from party leaders.”

It is evident that under the Liberal and Conservative governments, Canada’s role in fighting poverty is not only inadequate, but actually diminishing. The NDP government under Jack Layton is the only party urging the country to reach the Point Seven target. We as Canadians should support the NDP in order to change the insufficient role Canada plays in fighting poverty.