HOLY FAMILY PARISH at St. Thomas Line, Paradise, Newfoundland & Labrador, Newfoundland A1L 1W3 CA - Yesterday, October 17 was the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

Religious Social Action Coalition of Newfoundland & Labrador

Representing Anglican, Baptist, Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Moravian, Mennonite, Muslim, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Salvation Army, Sikh, Unitarian Universalist, United Church

Yesterday, October 17 was the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. On this day, people worldwide – of all backgrounds, beliefs and social origins – were asked to show their solidarity with the poor, and renew their commitment to ending poverty.

Canada and other nations pledged to end poverty during the UN Millennium Summit in 2000 and this day reminds us of that commitment. The Ending of Poverty is one of the Millennium Development Goals. Governments pledged to cut global poverty in half by 2015.

You can take a concrete step to help eradicate poverty by letting our federal political leaders know of your support for this goal and by asking them to make the elimination of poverty a goal for their party platform in the next federal election. The coalition is going to send the letter on the reverse to all five leaders when the election approaches and your signature, along with that of religious leaders from across our country of Canada, will send our political leaders a strong statement about where the elimination of poverty should be in their party platforms. Take a moment today to sign the letter (at the back of your church) and let your voice be heard.

Once the election is called, we will be asking each candidate in Canada to make a similar pledge and their agreement to the pledge will be shown on our website, www.candidatesagainstpoverty.ca. Check this site during the election and see where your local candidates stand.

Anglican, Baptist, Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Moravian, Mennonite, Muslim, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Salvation Army, Sikh, Unitarian Universalist, United Church

RELIGIOUS SOCIAL ACTION COALITION

OF NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR

directors@candidatesagainstpoverty.ca

Dear (Mr. Harper, Mr. Ignatieff, Mr. Layton, M. Duceppe,

Ms. May],

In the coming election, voters in every riding in Canada will have the opportunity to go to candidatesagainstpoverty.ca to find which candidate(s) in their riding have pledged to work to end poverty in Canada and the world.

This website is sponsored by the Religious Social Action Coalition, based in Newfoundland and Labrador, but supported by clergy and religious laity from coast to coast to coast.

We urge you to pledge and to have all of your party’s candidates pledge.

While the signers of this letter come from a broad array of religions – Anglican, Baptist, Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Moravian, Mennonite, Muslim, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Salvation Army, Sikh, Unitarian Universalist and United Church worshippers – all of our religions are founded on notions of social justice and a deeply felt concern that society should protect those most in need.

It is in that spirit that we call upon you and your party’s candidates to pledge to work to eliminate poverty.

Respectfully,