Poverty Challenge Tour

On a steamy hot July day, Kingston’s representative at Queen’s park followed through on an earlier promise to spend a day living like a person on social assistance.

John Gerretsen’s commitment resulted from the campaign Put Food in the Budget, a provincial organization calling for the immediate introduction of a $100 monthly supplement to the basic needs allowance for all adults receiving social assistance. Conditions were not perfect for this experiment, it did mimic what Kingston’s poor face each and every day. While John Gerretsen spend just one day living the experience, it was enough for him to make a promise to organizers, that change is coming. He’s invited organizers, including Tara Kainer of the JPIC office of the Sisters of Providence, to Queen’s Park to speak with MPP’s.