Guest Comments by Michael Le Clair

Editor's Note: Le Clair is running for city council in Charlottetown, the capital of Prince Edward Island, Canada's smallest province.

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I., Canada -- Poverty and its soul-destroying effects are not confined to any one section of a city. Since entering the city-council race, I have been made more aware of how difficult many people find life in our city. 

Too often, the city government's priority has been to focus on building the city. This is well and good, but I believe we too often overlook people's social conditions. I'm extra concerned about poverty's impact on children. The likes of school-breakfast programs need assurances that they won't suffer and decline for lack of resources. All children need nutritious food.

I am discovering that poverty forces many people into inadequate, over-priced slums. Sadly, lack of decent, affordable housing is usual. We need to look again at ways to provide adequate, affordable housing, including the important role that co-operatives and the co-operative movement can play.

We need a comprehensive approach. The problem is much broader than many people realize. Seniors find it difficult to live on fixed incomes, the disabled lack “barrier-free” housing and the working-poor struggle on meager wages.

Poverty's emotional and spiritual impact leads to other costly social outcomes. There are direct links to drug addictions, family violence, poor childhood nutrition and medical problems.

Many groups and individuals deliver needed services and programs while pushing for a comprehensive poverty-reduction plan. It's important to have a clear, intelligent voice on city council to encourage the city government to collaborate with the community against this social blight.