By Letter to the Editor on November 4, 2021.
Editor:
Oct. 17 was International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. I spent part of the morning walking in the park with my friend and enjoying the last of the fall foliage. We walked an enjoyable five kilometres simply for the exercise. In low income countries, 14 million women and more than 3 million children must walk an average of six kilometres a day to get water.After completing our walk, my friend and I went out for brunch and spent $30 for our meal. The international poverty line is set at those living on less than $2.40 CAN a day, yet this is not enough to protect most children from malnutrition.
The World Bank recently indicated that the number of people living in extreme poverty has increased for the first time in a generation.
Indeed, 120 million more people have been forced below the poverty line since COVID began, and this number is expected to increase to 150 million by the end of 2021.
Canada has the wealth to do more to eradicate poverty abroad as well as at home.
Sherry Moran
Ottawa