The Editor,
I was very disappointed after reading the candidate profiles for the upcoming Richmond municipal election.
There were the usual general statements about making a better community plus many specific issues such as protecting the Garden City Lands and preserving single family neighbourhoods.
What caught my attention was the lack of reference to child poverty (aside from a minor comment on providing free sports).
I found it disturbing that the potential politicians in the city with the highest child poverty rate in B.C. (yes, Richmond) have not made child poverty a noteworthy election issue.
More than 25% of Richmond children are growing up in poverty that is over 15,000 out of Richmonds 60,000 children.
Just imagine the benefit to our community if all our children had similar opportunities to reach their potential.
For the future of these children and our community, I ask that each member of the new Richmond council make reducing child poverty a priority so that at the next election, Richmond is no longer the worst in B.C.
Mark Ellens
Richmond
