MLA begins month of living in poverty to raise awareness
Posted January 1, 2012 1:54 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
SURREY (NEWS1130) – Surrey NDP MLA Jagrup Brar kicks off a month of living in poverty today, hoping to send a message about welfare rates.
Brar tells News1130 he will have $610 as he tries to keep a roof over his head and food in his belly.
Brar says he hopes the challenge helps him connect with people living on welfare.
“I have to spend about $450 on rent, $42 on bus tickets, and $25 on phone, and I’m left with roughly, less than $4 per day to eat,” says Brar.
He won’t pick up food from the food bank as he doesn’t want to take anything from the truly needy, but says he will stand in line to see what it takes to find nourishment.
Supporters may provide some of the items he would find at the food bank.
“That’s the biggest challenge I will face, to survive on $4 per day,” he says. “I may not go through 31 days, it may be over way sooner than that, but that will be the biggest challenge.”
Brar plans to split his time living in a Vancouver SRO and a small basement suite in Surrey.
He’s calling on the BC Government to develop specific commitments to reduce poverty.
“My goal is to see a comprehensive poverty reduction plan accepted by the province of British Columbia, with clear timelines and targets.”
He says his dream is to see no child living below the poverty line in BC.
