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Nearly 2,500 Halton children use food banks A lack of subsequent action has forced Campaign 2000 to press the issue, they say. They have gathered several organizations to join them including: the Canadian Teachers‘ Federation, the YWCA of Canada, and the Canadian Mental Health Association. Lyn Apgar spoke to the commitâ€" tee hoping to get the region to back the group‘s goals. They accepted the information and decided to ask staff for a report on resource supply and funding. The organization‘s goal is to secure the implementation of an allâ€" party resolution passed unanimously by the House of Commons in November, 1989, in which the House resolved to "eliminate child poverty in Canada by the year 2000." hild poverty in Canada is a persistent and growing probâ€" lem. Members of the regionâ€" al health and social services commitâ€" tee heard that message last week from representatives of Halton‘s Campaign 2000 â€" a national public awareness effort focussing on child poverty. By BRAD REAUME Special to the Beaver â€"‘OveliÂ¥eas [VIUILUIUIIS JCWCEUE © of Honest a.2 > GOLDSMITH DIMOND MERCHANT 08. According to Apgar, more than Reliable Service Manning Jewellers In the industrialized world, Canada has the second highest rate of child poverty, she said. Only the United States is worse while western European nations have managed to reduce their rates to half ours. Single parent families are more likely to be poor, especially those headed by a female.= Social one child in six lives in poverty in Canada. In 1989, 14.5% of children lived below the poverty line and by 1991 that number had risen to nearly 17%. PuD She suggested to the committee that much of the increase in welfare in Halton over the last few years is due to young families, meaning that more children are falling into poverâ€" The campaign has found that about 2,500 children in Halton are Assistance in Halton pays a family of four about $22,000 annually, roughly $4,600 below the poverty line for the region and $16,000 below the cost of modest living in Halton, according to Apgar. \\an Trafalgar Village akvile _ @#@ sAloces 8 Apgar said poverty is both a moral and economic issue. According to her report, recent fedâ€" eral government advertising suggestâ€" ed the United Nations rated Canada the best place to live in the world neglected to factor in the child poverty rate. assisted by food banks each month. More than 550 children live in public housing. Another 480 families with children are on the waiting list. to sixth, she said. When that was done, Canada fell CHRISTMAS SToORY CONTEST D( WHo _ \ TALUCHT YOouTHAT 2 Here‘s your chance to tell everyone what you think Christmas is all about and at the same time stand a chance of winning a $50 gift certificate from a k local retailer. All you have to do is write a short story, parable (get your teacher to explain what it is) or fable in 250 words or less about Christmas. Winners will be selected from four categories (11â€"13 years of age; 9â€"10, 7â€"8 and six years old and under) and their stories will be published in the Wednesday, Dec. 22nd edition of the Oakville Beaver. And teachers.......if you want to use the Beaver‘s Christmas short story contest as a classroom project just follow the same rules, but make sure the kids include the school‘s name, your name and grade with other information required. Entries must be at the Oakville Beaver office by 5 p.m., Monday Dec. 13th. Entry rules 1) The Oakville Beaver‘s Christmas Story Contest is open to all children living or going to school in Oakville, except for F families of employees of the Oakville Beaver and § Metroland Community Newspapers. Newspaper carriers are eligible. 2) All entries must be received at the Oakville Beaver office, 467 Speers Rd. by 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 13th. 3) Children are restricted to one entry and must not exceed 250 words in length. 4) To be eligible, each entry must have the child‘s full name, address, telephone number and age clearly marked on the first page and the child‘s full name marked on each additional page. is 5) For the purposes of selecting the appropriate age category children should use their age as of the dosing date of the contest, Dec. 13th. 6) Winners will be notified by telephone as soon as judging is completed, and winning entries will be published Wednesday, Dec. 22nd. Other entries, classed as honorable mentions, may be used for publication on that date, or at a later date. 7) All judging will be made by Oakville Beaver staff. All decisions are final. \ Kips! The campaign also suggests poor 73 children are less healthy and, thus, a 5 greater drain on the healthcare sysâ€" 5 tem. td Poor children also have more trouble in school and are at greater risk of dropping out and beginning the cycle of poverty all over again. Several councillors asked for £ more upâ€"toâ€"date data, but were told Y that Statistics Canada hasn‘t yet proâ€" 8 vided such information, which is 5 expected to paint an even more disâ€" i3 turbing picture. S by Steve Nease