The following editorial from the Toronto Star of Sunday, May 4 about says it all:

Children and Youth Services Minister Deb Matthews has begun the process of consulting with communities about how to reduce poverty in this province. But already anti-poverty groups are raising concerns about how she is going about it.

“Matthews, who heads a cabinet committee drafting the government’s promised poverty reduction strategy, announced Thursday that she is holding 13 consultation meetings across the province. But the meetings are by invitation only and behind closed doors. “

That has led to fears among groups in the 25 in 5 Network for Poverty Reduction that the consultations will exclude those who need to be consulted the most: people living in poverty.

“We are glad she is getting into the field but we’re concerned about how this has been organized and about getting communities engaged to take part,” says Peter Clutterbuck of the Social Planning Network of Ontario, a partner in the 25 in 5 Network.

The activists are also concerned that a new government website asking for public input is almost entirely focused on child poverty, ignoring what they see as fundamental issues like affordable housing, minimum wages and affordable child care. Matthews insists her strategy will address those issues as well.

Matthews says she plans to consult poor people themselves by visiting homeless shelters, community agencies and food banks. But the reaction to her first faltering steps in this consultation process should be a warning that the poor do not intend to be ignored any longer.

For more information about 25 in 5: Network for Poverty Reduction visit www.25in5.ca

For more information on the government’s consultations visit www.growingstronger.ca