Then and Now, Child Poverty (1 of 2)

Broadbent seeks end to poverty 

Toronto Star, November 25, 1989 

William Walker 

Ed Broadbent has one last wish as he leaves political life: that the federal and provincial  governments work together to wipe out child poverty in Canada by the end of the century. 

“This is a national horror, a national shame,” Broadbent said yesterday. “We must put an end to it.” 

The New Democratic Party leader was making his final speech to the House of Commons after 21 years there, 15 as party leader. He retires at the end of the year. 

The speech was devoted to what he called the scourge of poverty, which leaves one in every four  Canadian children hungry or homeless. 

That’s a staggering 1,122,000 children living in poverty in Canada, a fact Broadbent said he 

never realized until he heard it on a radio news broadcast this past summer. 

“I frankly say I was totally surprised by how serious the problem of child poverty in Canada had become,” Broadbent said. 

There are now more food banks in Metro Toronto and in Canada than there are McDonald’s 

hamburger restaurants, he said. 

There are 110 McDonald’s outlets in Metro Toronto and about 600 in Canada, compared to 170 food banks in Metro and more than 1,100 in Canada. 

Broadbent introduced a motion that concern be expressed for children living in poverty and that a goal of eliminating the problem by the year 2000 be set. All parties agreed. 

“Our obligation is to ensure that every kid in this country has full opportunity to become all he or she can become. The kid in Cape Breton should have the same chance as the kid in Rosedale,” Broadbent said. 

Broadbent refused to comment to Canadian Press on a report that he has accepted an offer from the federal government to become the first president of the Montreal-based International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development, as reported by Southam News. 

Note: In 2026, there remained more food bank services in Toronto than McDonald’s 

restaurants