In the name of Canadian mothers and their children

The Hon. John Diefenbaker,

The Hon. Members of the Cabinet,

Over the period of the past six months the members of the Union of Electors have been visiting homes in the Maritime provinces and the province of Quebec. To date they have rapped on the doors of more than 12,000 homes. At the present time they are carrying on their campaign of visits in the metropolitan city of Montreal. These visits have brought to light hunger and misery in innumerable families, worry and insecurity in a great number of others because of unemployment, the increase in taxation and prices or because of the cutting of social aid, even of the total refusal of such help in many cases... You gentlemen of the Government must take into consideration the needs of the people. Misery is a bad councillor and the poor can no longer be neglected or misunderstood... When your party took over power you promised that no one" on Canada would suffer because of unemployment or from hunger during your term of office". A great multitude are suffering from hunger in every part of the country. In many families the only revenue is the skimpy Family Allowance cheque.

You should immediately increase the Family Allowance rate because the present rates do not even secure sufficient bread for the children. Since the institution of this measure by the Liberals, the cost of living has increased very considerably. The prices of certain essential commodities have doubled and even tripled. It is necessary at least to double the actual rates of $6.00 and $8.00 per child to make them at least $15.00 per child per month. Almost every class of worker or professional has seen salaries and other remunerations increased - even the members of parliament! You can no longer deprive children of the right to at least their daily bread.

And since the coming session will be the last before the next federal elections, it is urgent that such an increase be adopted and realized before you come before the people to be judged... Do you wish to be known in our history as the man who permitted children to go hungry? The Conservative party will never recover from the stain of infamy if it does not correct this great injustice of devaluated family allowances...

Gentlemen of the government, don't put this off! For the voices of mothers and children are crying out to you!

Mrs. Sylvia DUCHARME

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