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Newfoundland and Labrador municipal election, st. john's
September 28, 2021
To Candidates Seeking Election in the City of St. John’s, September 28, 2021.
The RSAC requested your response to safe, affordable housing, using the End Homelessness St. John’s vision/goal of creating a city where everyone ‘has a place to call home’. We thank those who responded with commitment, in addition to the City of St. John’s being a ‘living wage’ employer and, inasmuch as possible, working towards a guaranteed basic income:
Jenn Deon; Mark Nichols; Art Puddister; Ophelia Ravencroft; Peter Whittle; Derek Winsor; Walter Harding; Jamie Korab; Ian Froude (Acclaimed); Maggie Burton; Debbie Hanlon; Sandy Hickman; Mark House; Anne Malone; Jess Puddister; Mayor Danny Breen (Acclaimed).
We look forward to working with you to achieve these goals so that everyone in our city, province and country can benefit from the basic necessities of life with dignity.
PLEDGE NOW
to ensure “fairness for all”
Municipal Pledge
September 2021
Greetings to all candidates seeking election in the City of St. John’s, September 28th.
Greetings to you from the Religious Social Action Coalition (RSAC) of Newfoundland and Labrador. RSAC is a voluntary, non-profit, non-partisan organization comprising of members from the Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Sikh religious communities and others. All of our faith traditions are founded on notions of social justice and a time-honoured concern that society should protect those most in need. Our priorities are elimination of poverty and reduction of the high income disparity in our province and in Canada.
At the municipal level the RSAC has named safe, affordable housing as a concern to be continuously addressed in an intentional way by the City of St. John’s.
We are aware of the effective work of End Homelessness St. John’s and of the financial and human resources that the City has generously provided for 7 years as part of the City’s operation, together with the work of the City’s Non-Profit Housing Division, where Judy Tobin is presently Manager. With them, the RSAC wants a city “where everyone has a place to call home”, the vision and goal of End Homelessness St. John’s.
The RSAC would like to know your commitment to ensure that this intentional commitment with financial and human resources continues. As a candidate seeking election, would you pledge to support this achievable goal of a “home” (safe, affordable) for everyone in our City?
While a guaranteed livable income (guaranteed basic income) is the responsibility of our provincial and federal governments, the City of St. John’s can add their voice of advocacy together with the RSAC and numerous other organizations and individuals. Thus, we would further ask: Would you support End Homelessness St. John’s and other organizations in advocating for a guaranteed livable income?
The City of St. John’s Council could act independently in implementing a living wage policy in our City. (This has happened elsewhere in Canada, in such cities as Cambridge, ON, Kingston, ON, etc.). A Living Wage for the City of St. John’s is estimated to be $18.85 per hour (Source: Vibrant Communities Canada 2013).
In summary, we would ask you to pledge to ensure that our City is a place where all residents can live with dignity in caring for their basic needs and contributing to our City as they are able.
We would like to hear from you. To assist you, please go to our website www.rsacnl.com and sign our pledge form or email: m-pardy@nf.sympatico.ca
We know that running for office can involve considerable sacrifice. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Marion Pardy (Very Rev. Dr.), Coordinator
Religious Social Action Coalition of Newfoundland and Labrador