Anti-Poverty Strategy
FOR RELEASE DECEMBER 4, 2006
Homeless to Have a Say: National Council of Welfare
Partners with Shelters across Canada
In a one-day event at homeless shelters from all regions of Canada, homeless women and
men will give their opinions about solutions to poverty in this country by filling out the
National Council of Welfare’s questionnaire on poverty and income security.
Ten homeless shelters in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax and
Iqaluit will take part in the event on Tuesday, December 5 . James Hughes, a member of the
Council and director of a Montreal shelter, says, “The purpose of our questionnaire is to
find out what Canadians think about solutions to poverty in this country. It is important that
people living in poverty participate, including homeless people who live in extreme
poverty.”
Karen O’Shannacery, the director of the Lookout Emergency Aid Society in Vancouver,
says that they are participating in this initiative because governments need to hear from
people who are homeless. “It’s not always easy for homeless people to have their voices
heard.” she says. “This is one way to ensure that they have the opportunity to make their
opinions known.”
The National Council of Welfare launched its on-line questionnaire about poverty and the
need for a national anti-poverty strategy in Canada in October at www.ncwcnbes.net
Thousands of individuals and hundreds of organizations have already participated. The
questionnaire will run until December 15 and the results will be made public. They will also
guide the advice the Council provides to the federal government.
The Council encourages individuals and organizations across Canada to respond to the
questionnaire and tell us what you think.
For further information, please contact:
National contact:
James Hughes
Member, National Council of Welfare, and
Director General, Old Brewery Mission, Montréal QC
c/o (613) 957-2961
Local event spokespeople:
Carol-Anne Scott
Nunavut Salvation Army, Iqaluit NU
(867) 975-2605
Nancy Briand, Shelter Manager
Metro Turning Point, Halifax NS
(902) 420-3282
Christian Durand
Old Brewery Mission, Montréal QC
(514) 866-6591 ext. 22 or (514) 575-8423
Claude Lanoie, Men’s Mission Director
Welcome Hall Mission, Montréal QC
(514) 935-6396
Diane Morrison, Executive Director
The Ottawa Mission, Ottawa ON
(613) 234-1144
Dr. John Rook, CEO
The Salvation Army Centre of Hope, Calgary AB
(403) 410-1118
Louise Gallagher
Calgary Drop-In & Rehab Centre, Calgary AB
(403) 699-8227
Hope Hunter, Executive Director
Boyle St. Co-op, Edmonton AB
(780) 423-3122 ext. 204
Karen O’Shannacery
Lookout Emergency Aid Society, Vancouver BC
(604) 255-0340
Don McTavish
The Victoria Cool Aid Society, Victoria BC
(250) 888-7103
The National Council of Welfare is an independent body established to advise the federal Minister of
Human Resources and Social Development on issues of importance to low-income Canadians. For
more information, please visit the website www.ncwcnbes.net
National Council of Welfare
112 Kent Street, 9th
Floor
Place de Ville, Tower B
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0J9
Telephone: (613) 957-2961
Fax: (613)
957-0680
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