Poor coverage

Poverty issues have been receiving a woeful lack of attention so far this campaign, but Bill Kaufmann gives them some discussion:

Little has been heard from our top political hopefuls on one of the country's dirtiest little pseudo-secrets.

Perhaps too much mention of Canada's destitute would be considered "negative campaigning."

But our politicians of all stripes shouldn't be allowed to escape the fact the Canadian dream continues to evade so many of their captive employees.

Kaufmann reviews some of the facts about increased inequality and a lack of raised lower-end standards of living, in the time since Canada committed to end child poverty by the year 2000. (Which I'm sure are issues that the Libs are nearly done studying, and will act on any year now given the opportunity.)

Kaufmann's column might be even more effective if it compared the small amount of resources put into addressing poverty issues with the amount instead handed out in tax cuts or corporate subsidies. But he at least highlights the reality that many Canadians have seen no benefit at all from the country's oft-trumpeted economic successes - and that neither party claiming to have a chance to form government is interested in changing that fact.