Dawn Ostrem
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug 17/01) - Despite a new child tax credit set aside for welfare recipients and other low-income families, a Yellowknife woman says the government's attempt to 'eradicate child poverty' has resulted in nothing more than $2 extra each month.

A Yellowknife woman is pushing past the shroud of stereotypes and living cleanly on income assistance in order to stay home with her kids.

But despite an international commitment made by the federal and territorial governments to eradicate child poverty, her three children still do not get enough healthy food to eat, she said earlier this week.

"I'm out of juice," said Anne Marie, who does not want her last name printed to protect her children's identity.

"I'll be out of milk and fruit in a day or so and we won't have food, except from the food bank, for the next week."

Anne Marie has three children under the age of four who she raises alone. She left a five-year abusive marriage last fall.

Now, crammed into a two-bedroom apartment in transitional housing she said she scrapes by on less than $1,000 per month.

She is currently leading a drive to circulate a petition throughout the NWT and is planning to meet with MLAs about the issue.

"If the government made a commitment to eradicate poverty then they should do it," she said. "I am responsible and I look after my kids ... I've got nothing and I know a lot of other people in this situation."

To make matters worse, Anne Marie said, new initiatives by governments to extinguish child poverty have not made a difference.

A new system

The new system implemented and tagged on to that declaration unravelled into an extra $2 per month for Anne Marie.

In the effort to eradicate child poverty, governments have introduced an intricate web of funding to help take the place of welfare, explained Linda Ecklund, manager of the territory's income support system.

A child tax credit is now available to low-income families, including welfare recipients.

But those on welfare see their support payments reduced, depending on the amount of child tax credit received.

That is supposed to make the transition back to work easier -- maintaining funding for expenses such as dental care and prescription drugs when a welfare recipient goes back to work.

For Anne Marie, her monthly benefit cheque of just over $600 per month means that her income support payments have fallen to just over $200 every month.

"You are allowed to be at home (and not seek work for) up to three years but I am being penalized," she said. "I could go to work but being at home is a productive choice."

The president of the Yellowknife Women's Centre, Arlene Hache, agreed.

"When the child tax credit was transferred from the federal to the territorial government it was disappointing to say the least," she said.

"The territorial government does not understand the full commitment to eradicate poverty is not there," she said.

"The money that is meant for children is now going to food and rent."

Hache said women come to the shelter everyday for diapers and formula.

For the children

July 1998: Introduction of National Child Benefit that can be added to the Canada Child Tax Benefit, already received by low-income families.

July 1999: Maximum NCB and Canada Child Tax Benefit payments come to $180 per child, total.

July 2000: NCB and CCTB increased by another $170 total and those eligible must make below a household income of $29,590.

The federal government says people on welfare benefit from the NCB because they receive "stable income support and other services for their children."