Questions I asked at the door

During an election more of us pay more attention to politics. That’s fitting. But it is also a time when politicians pay more attention to us. Over the last few weeks, we had a greater opportunity to make our voices heard, not just through our vote but through direct, eye-to-eye contact with our (prospective) representatives, whether at a candidates forum or at the door. In either case, each of us don’t have their attention for long, so it’s wise to use that well. Every election I prepare a “candidate at the door” question. It’s a way, not only of helping inform my vote, but of making sure that my priorities are on the candidate’s mind and agenda.

What was your “candidate at the door” question this election? When you had their attention for three minutes, what did you ask? For me this federal election was about the Canada Disability Benefit. This is partly because it impacts my family directly, but mostly because it’s an index of whether they’re serious about combatting poverty. The Act to create the benefit – which is the lowest-hanging fruit now that the Canada Child Benefit has cross-party support – passed
with cross-party support. But the subsequent regulations and budgeted amounts greatly restrict the reach and impact of the benefit. To be eligible you already need to be approved for the disability tax credit, and the amounts are restricted to a maximum of $2400/year. Add to this the fact that some provinces may well claw back other income supports proportionally,
and you have a benefit that is not for enough people and will not do enough for those it covers. (For more on poverty in Canada, check out the good work of Citizens for Public Justice.)

People with disabilities are vastly more likely to live in poverty and are much more vulnerable to falling into poverty. A party can crow about affordability all it likes, but if it can’t commit to a serious disability benefit, then – in my view – it is not taking poverty seriously.

Obviously, this isn’t the only issue that matters to me (my second question – if they allow me another after I drone on about the CDB – is about their climate plans, now that they all seem to have buried the consumer carbon tax).

But it is the first issue. An economic policy that focuses only on growth and affordability, but doesn’t meaningfully address poverty, is not one I can get excited about. A growing economy, even one with only mild inflation, does not by itself guarantee that people won’t fall into – and be stuck in – poverty. As I said, the CDB is probably the lowest-hanging fruit in terms of taking meaningful action on poverty. Even in these times, we need to keep reminding politicians that – responsive to countless Biblical admonitions – we are serious about poverty. Canada is a rich country, we don’t need to just accept poverty as fate.