Poverty Reduction Action Committee (PRAC)
Minutes of Meeting: January 28, 2015
Attendees
Ira
Kimberly
Mehak
Annie
Doug
Averill
Regrets: Omar, Jolene, Sharnelle, Melanie, Raymond, Jennifer, Trish
Agenda
1. Introductions
2. PRC Updates
a. What PRC is
b. PRC Updates
c. PRC Meeting on Monday
d. PRAC grant application
3. PRAC Updates
4. Poverty Myth Busters
1. Introductions
Welcome to first time attendees: Annie, Doug, and Averill
a. Updates from members
Ira - there is an educational evening on transportation referendum through
Metro Vancouver Alliance next Tuesday, February 3
2. PRC Updates
a. “British Columbia last place with no poverty reduction plan”
postcards
Available to be signed and mailed to Christy Clark. It works best if we can
collect the signed cards, add postage, and mail them together.
b. Minimum Wage Wallet Cards
Support the Fight for 15 campaign by handing these out to any workers.
For example when you’re getting coffee or shopping.
c. Human Right Framework
The PRC launched its Human Rights framework in December, which
grounds our anti-poverty work in human rights and outlines the United
Nations treaties that Canada has signed on at the international level. It’s
part of our general drive to shift people from charity to justice when
thinking about and tackling these issues. You can find it on our website
under “Learn More” and then “News”.
d. Highlights from the Last Year
Also available on the PRC website under “Learn More” and then “News”.
e. Latest Poverty Statistics
These were released in December. Depending on the poverty line we use,
either 1 in 10 (Low Income Cut-Off After Tax) or 1 in 7 (Market Basket
Measure) British Columbians are living in poverty. More info under the
“News” section on the PRC website.
f. PRC Meeting on Monday
Omar was there as the PRAC rep.
o The PRC have now endorsed the BC Safer Schools Coalition,
which is working to make school policies inclusive for queer and
trans student. If they’re not inclusive, those students are at higher
risk of homelessness and long-term poverty, for example, if they’re
kicked out of their homes.
o Working on:
 “Energy poverty” because BC Hydro rates are going up.
 Advanced basic education because there have been more cuts.
 Child support clawback issue - there’s a government
consultation on this right now
o Thinking about strategy for Federal election this year. PRAC
members expressed interest in working on something for this.
 What is voter turnout for people living in poverty?
 Do they collect this information about voters?
 Ways to vote without a permanent address - potential PRAC
project?
 Apathy is Boring is one campaign targeted at increasing
younger voter turnout
g. PRAC grant application
We were successful in getting funding for a PRAC Youth Coordinator!
Congratulations to Melanie, Raymond and Jennifer for their work on this!
It’s a year-long position for youth 18-24 to provide them with the
experience and skills to transition into non-profit work.
o Job posting to come soon. Spread the word
o Help with hiring process:
 Interested in reading through applications: Kimberly, Mehak, Ira
 Available to sit in on interviews: Doug
3. PRAC Updates
a. Reps to PRC Ending Their Term
Those interested in becoming new reps: Ira, Jolene, Mehak
Rethink Giving Holiday Campaign
A big thank you to Ira for her involvement through putting up posters,
doing the Share the Weight can activity, and taking part in the Poor
People’s Radio March!
4. Poverty Myth Busters
a. Video review
o 4pm shot confusing - could resolve by adding a quick slide saying
“later that day” for example
o Cut shot of mom walking in and out of the room to kiss daughter
goodbye
o Can cut after mom closes the door to leave the house. Doesn’t
need to show going down the stairs
o Shorten facts at the end & show them in sequence on their own
slides
 focus on statistics that the movie illustrate
 “32% of poor children have at least one parent working full time”
 “Low wages = multiple jobs to support a family”
 “1 in 5 children in B.C. live in poverty… even with at least one
parent working multiple jobs full time”
 include actual number of children in B.C. that live in poverty?
Would this be a stronger stat/number?
 Option: switch first 2 facts
 Option: put 1st & last statements on their own slides and
combine middle 3 on a slide
 Would a graph or illustration of number of children be helpful for
illustrating the stats? (infographic)
 TO DO: email facts for everyone to look over
o Cut overall length to 1:00 - 1:30
o Shorten changing in the afternoon scene by taking out panning shot
o Coffee mug shot doesn’t take much time, but could potentially be
shortened
o Keep establishing shot of child sleeping next to the alarm clock at
the beginning, but could be shorter. Maybe the first 0:02 shot does
need to be cut.
o Could 2 versions of the video be tested on social media?
b. Poster Review
o The two photos don’t line up (ie. her hat)
o The uniforms are a little too similar
o
o
o
o
The Photoshopping of the background looks great for the size we
want to use
Could we extend the border down the middle to draw attention to
her life being fractured, emphasizing that it’s 2 separate scenes,
and to fix the photos not lining up?
Words under photo look cramped/busy
 Extend past sides of photo?
 Smaller font?
 “Most people living in poverty in BC already have a job”
 Get it on 2 lines like the first poster
Could we remove the QR code?
c. Website content
o Did Melanie do this already?
 Summarizing facts?
o Verify specific facts & stats
d. TO DO: start thinking about a 3rd myth to bust
o Are we continuing with the “get a job” myth?
o Other options:
 Housing
 Minimum/living wage
 Increased IA & disability rates
 Access to healthy food