Dear Make Poverty History supporter:
This time we aren't asking you to send another letter to a politician. We just wanted to report back on how much we have accomplished with your support and participation.
And we want to remind you to participate in the STAND UP to Make Poverty History events on Oct. 15 and Global White Band Day events on Oct. 17. Check out the events page.
Success in the House of Commons:
On September 20, MPs overwhelmingly voted in favour of the Better Aid Bill (C- 293) and it's now with the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development. The Bill calls for Canadian aid spending to be focused on ending poverty.
In the lead up to the vote, Make Poverty History supporters sent over 15000 e-mails to the Minister for International Co-operation and MPs calling on them to support the Bill.
Because of your work we are well on our way to achieving the “better” part of the Make Poverty History call for “More and Better Aid”. Congratulations!
E-mail Campaign Generates Tens of Thousands of Letters:
The call went out this summer to let your MPs and government leaders know that we are still watching and wanting them to act to end global poverty. And Make Poverty History supporters responded in the thousands.
This summer, our e-mail campaign generated messages to:
- Prime Minister Stephen Harper as he was about to head off to his first G8 Meeting and in the lead-up to the International HIV/AIDS conference;
- Finance Minister Jim Flaherty as he was heading off to a World Bank meeting; and
- Jose Verner, the Minister for International Co-operation just before the vote on Bill C- 293.
In total, MakePoverty History supporters sent more than 50,000 e-mails this summer alone. We let MPs know that even during their summer break, work to end poverty didn't stop.
Poverty and HIV/AIDS Link Made Clear in Toronto:
At the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto more than 20,000 people from around the world met to confront the global AIDS crisis and Make Poverty History was there. We joined Stephen Lewis, UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for AIDS in Africa, in a call to end global poverty.
“Of the five million people who will be infected with HIV this year, 95 per cent live in low- and middle-income countries. The Canadian government has the moral responsibility to take action.” - Stephen Lewis
Canada Joins World in Sending Post-It Note Message to G8 Leaders
Giant post-it notes were stuck to the Langevin Block (the Prime Minister's Office) in July as a reminder to Prime Minister Stephen Harper to live up to commitments to make poverty history at his first G8 meeting in Russia.
Make Poverty History supporters in France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States also sent post-it notes to their leaders.
One year after the G8 Summit in Scotland where millions took to the street to call for an end to global poverty, we let the G8 leaders know that much more needed to be done.
Live 8 Anniversary
To mark the anniversary of the Live 8 concert, a press conference was held in Toronto with Steven Page of the Barenaked Ladies, David Miller, Mayor of Toronto and Gerry Barr, co-chair of the Make Poverty History campaign. The Toronto press conference coincided with a UK conference with Bob Geldof and Youssou N'Dour.
Our message was heard the world over with major television, radio and print coverage of the Live 8 anniversary.
Our message:
One year after the Live 8 concerts rocked the world a child dies every three seconds of extreme poverty and 800 million people go to bed hungry every night. World leaders must act now to help end poverty.
This is just a sampling of your great work. But there's more.
Across Canada, Make Poverty History rocked at concerts, mingled on the midway of the Canadian National Exhibition, bulletined subway commuters with Make Poverty History broadsheets, featured prominently at the Steve Nash Charity Classic, raised voices against poverty at the World Urban Forum in Vancouver and filled our summer with actions to make poverty history.
Dennis Howlett
Coordinator
Canadian Make Poverty History campaign
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Twitter
Google
