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LUXURY. FASHION. SERVICE. 200 Lakeshore Road East, Oakville 905.842.0232 www.burrowsclothiers.com Now in Oakville Est. 1983 TORONTO 1020 Lawrence Ave. West (west of Dufferin) Tel: 416.256.2553 MISSISSAUGA/OAKVILLE 3050 Vega Blvd. (Dundas and 403) Tel: 905.820.4841 www.cameokitchens.com DISCOVERCAMEOBEAUTY. INSIDEANDOUT. A N D F I N E C A B I N E T R Y 3 Friday, Septem ber 16, 2011 O A K V ILLE B EA V ER w w w .in sid eH A LTO N .co mForget Me Not Flowers WAREHOUSE SALE INVENTORY UP TO 70% OFF MONDAY SEPT 19 TO FRIDAY SEPT 23 594 Chartwell Road, Oakville | 905.845.8996 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM 1 WEEK ONLY Poverty is political single women with children, older women living alone, people with disabilities (physical, mental and emotional), and aboriginal people. Such people relegated to poverty can only be the result of deliberate and intentional decisions made by the people who exercise authority within our political and economic picture, he said. These decisions can be changed and poverty can be eliminated through the exercise of our collective values expressed through the political process. He asked people to vote to end poverty and that the group would make the issue of poverty a top priority in the election. June Cockwell, representing Halton Poverty Roundtable, said the organization is part of a larger national collective working to eliminate poverty. The Poverty Roundtable has organized an all- candidates meeting for the Oakville riding at the local YMCA on Tuesday, Sept. 20, where it plans to question candidates on issues of poverty. The meeting runs from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in Multi-purpose Room 5 (Kinesis Room). Three women, who have been involved with Voices for Change Halton, spoke to a small group of people about their experiences. Barbara Chilwell is a single mother of a child with special needs, Emily Murphy is only 21, and Juliana (who asked for her last name not be used) is an immigrant. All three are currently faced with poverty. Barbara Chilwell Barbara Chilwell and her special needs daugh- ter lived with Barbaras mother. My fall into poverty happened very suddenly, she said. One Friday afternoon my mother had a stroke. A week later I had a heart attack, then I had cardiac arrest and then I had congestive heart failure. About three days later my mother died. About five days later, my stepmother who was the same age as me and my best friend died. She continued to live in the house, as her fam- ily owned it, but her mothers contributions to it ended. I lived on the equity of the house for a few years and then I couldnt manage and I wasnt getting any better physically, she said. Eventually she was forced to get social assis- tance, but going on an Ontario Disability Service Program was a negative experience. You have to bare your soul to people and youre shamed that youre there in the first place, she said. Whether its through illness or no mat- ter what got you there, no one likes to ask for help. She said the system makes one feel as though the person is trying to take advantage of it and it affects people negatively. I was a business person prior to all of this. I lost my confidence. I lost my self. I lost my voice. I would still advocate for my daughter . . . but for myself, I could not do that, she said. Continued from page 1 See Speaking page 4 RIZIERO VERTOLLI / OAKVILLE BEAVER AT THE TABLE: At the poverty round table at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, from left, Barbara Chilwell, Pastor Dan Phannenhour, Emily Murphy, Juliana, Rabbi Stephen Wise and June Cockwell.