Petition Tag - social protection

The federal government has moved quickly to pass Bill C-38, the omnibus budget implementation bill entitled the Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act. Rather than ensure the sustainability of Canada’s social and environmental protections, this bill reduces funding and oversight. These reductions will only lead to larger and costlier problems for Canadians and their governments in the future. If passed, this legislation will, among other measures, reduce income security, shrink employment insurance, weaken investments in food safety and security, harm employment equity provisions, dismantle environmental regulation, and backtrack on climate-change policies.

Canadian nurses are sending a loud and clear message to the Conservative government: stop cutting Canada’s environmental, health and social systems.

As more than 800 registered nurses (RNs) gathered in Vancouver on June 18 for the Canadian Nurses Association’s (CNA) annual general meeting and biennial convention, they demanded action to halt the systemic dismantling of income security programs, environmental protection measures and investments in health. Assembled nurses urged Prime Minister Stephen Harper and members of parliament to stop these cuts, which are fundamentally irresponsible and damaging to the health and wellness of Canadians.

CNA declared that RNs will speak out against these cuts, and that the association will support its members to protect the integrity of essential programs and the health of our nation.

CNA calls upon Canadian nurses, other healthcare providers, and members of the public to endorse CNA’s Declaration by signing this petition and asking others to sign!

(For more information or for interview requests, please contact Kate Headley, External Communications Coordinator, Canadian Nurses Association, telephone: 613-237-2159, ext. 561, cell: 613-697-7507, e-mail: kheadley@cna-aiic.ca)

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Le gouvernement fédéral a rapidement fait adopter le projet de loi C-38, le projet de loi omnibus sur la mise en œuvre du budget intitulé la Loi sur l’emploi, la croissance et la prospérité durable. Plutôt que d’assurer la durabilité des programmes de protection sociale et environnementale du Canada, ce projet de loi réduit le financement et la surveillance. Ces réductions budgétaires entraîneront seulement des problèmes plus importants et onéreux pour la population canadienne et ses gouvernements dans l’avenir. Si cette loi est adoptée, parmi d’autres mesures, elle réduira la sécurité du revenu, restreindra l’assurance-emploi, diminuera le financement dans la salubrité et la sécurité alimentaires, nuira aux dispositions sur l’équité en matière d’emploi, démantèlera le règlement sur l’environnement et reculera concernant les politiques sur les changements climatiques.

Les infirmières canadiennes envoient un message fort et clair au gouvernement conservateur : mettre fin aux réductions budgétaires à l’environnement et aux systèmes de santé et de services sociaux du Canada.

Alors que plus de 800 infirmières et infirmiers autorisés (IA) se rassemblent à Vancouver à l’occasion de l’assemblée générale et du congrès biennal de l’Association des infirmières et infirmiers du Canada (AIIC), on demande d’adopter une mesure qui permettra de mettre fin au démantèlement systématique des programmes de la sécurité du revenu, des mesures de protection environnementale et du financement de la santé. Les députés fédéraux et les sénateurs doivent cesser ces réductions budgétaires, qui sont profondément irresponsables et qui nuisent à la santé et au bien-être de la population canadienne.

L’AIIC a déclaré que les infirmières et infirmiers autorisés s’opposeront à ces réductions budgétaires dans les programmes et que l’association soutiendra ses membres afin de protéger l’intégrité des programmes essentiels et la santé de notre nation.

L’AIIC demande aux infirmières canadiennes, à d’autres fournisseurs de la santé et aux membres du public d’appuyer cette déclaration de l’AIIC en signant cette pétition et en sollicitant d’autres signatures!

(Pour obtenir de plus amples renseignements ou prévoir une entrevue, communiquez avec Kate Headley, coordonnatrice des communications externes, Association des infirmières et infirmiers du Canada, tél. : 613-237-2159, poste 561, cell. : 613-697-7507, courriel : kheadley@cna-aiic.ca.)

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Knowing that more than 1.4 billion people still struggle to live on less than $1.25 a day (World Bank), it is obvious that much more must be done to eradicate the scourge of extreme poverty.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) coordinate the Social Protection Floor Initiative (SPF-I) as a joint UN effort to build a global coalition committed to supporting countries in building national social protection floors for their citizens.

A Social Protection Floor (SPF) is the first level of a comprehensive national social protection system that helps to realize human rights for all through guaranteeing:

 Universal access to essential services (such as health, education, housing, water and sanitation and other services as nationally defined);
 Social Transfers in cash or kind to guarantee income security, food security, adequate nutrition and access to essential services.

Countries will develop nationally defined strategies for the progressive realization and sustainability of their floor as well as higher levels of social protection in line with their needs, preferences and financial capacities.

Building on existing social protection mechanisms these strategies may include a mix of contributory and non-contributory, targeted and universal, public and private instruments depending on the social economic and political context.

In summary, the SPF is:
• Universal- It includes everyone.
• Rights- based – (enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)
• Nationally owned and designed.
• The first step in an ongoing process – not a ceiling of benefits.
• Affordable by all countries.

How can you be involved?
 By forming a network to get as many signatures as possible to promote the initiative with your own government. You can sign as an individual or as an organization.

This signature campaign can be used as a tool for lobbying at national and global levels.
The most important purpose of the campaign is to convince national government that the Social Protection Floor is needed and wanted by its citizens and must be included in national development policies.

We see this initiative as a wonderful opportunity to work together to roll back poverty, to put social protection at the heart of the international development agenda and to strengthen the chance for every person to live with dignity.

For further information see http://www.socialfloor.org and www.ngosocdev.net

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