The Editor,
Re: "Child poverty rate still too high in Richmond," News, Nov. 25.
On Nov. 25, I had the pleasure of attending the University of B.C. graduation. A big bonus was watching Dr. David Suzuki receive an Honourary Doctorate and hearing his words to the attendees.
He talked about his early work as a geneticist on fruit flies, about the pure science of it and his surprise at finding out the work of some geneticists had been used to "prove" Caucasians to be the superior race, with horrific results.
Suzuki spoke to students about the need for them to ensure they examine their results in a larger context. I came home to find the News on my doorstep and the headline, "Child poverty rate still too high in Richmond."
The statistics quoted in the article are astounding, but they don't reflect what I see through my involvement in the community. The source of those statistics is taxable income reported to Revenue Canada. They are the statistics we've historically relied upon to establish "poverty," but they are statistics that may not paint a true picture any more.
My young graduate friend comes from a household that, according to those statistics, lives in poverty - but they don't.
Like hundreds of students who have attended school with my children and at least half a dozen on my short street, her family is substantially supported by income earned and taxed elsewhere in the world. This may well be part of why Richmond's "poverty" statistics are so high.
In other parts of our province, especially small communities where bartering economies are starting to prevail, the CRC statistics may also mislead.
During the recent election, one candidate said 25 per cent of all Richmond children go to school hungry. Statements like this, so obviously incorrect, get in the way of targeting resources at those who do suffer in poverty and who really need our help.
The study that Kim Winchell of Family Place will begin early next year is critical to a much better understanding of and response to poverty in Richmond.
Let's not get one set of data confused with another set of outcomes. Dr Suzuki would want us to get all our facts in before declaring the conclusions.
Julie Halfnights
Richmond
