The report also highlights some of the statements that have been issued by Canadian churches on topics covered by the ten commitments. A more thorough chronicle of Canada's performance with respect to its Copenhagen commitments may be found in three background papers prepared by ECEJ for a civil society review of progress in meeting the WSSD commitments. Compilation of church letters, summary and background papers and fact sheets prepared for the WSSD Geneva 2000. This surplus should be used to fulfill the civil society and church recommendations articulated below under each of the ten WSSD commitments. Commitment 1 An enabling environment for social development Canada's overall macroeconomic policy subordinates social goals to a preoccupation with fighting inflation.
Monetary policy keeps unemployment high to put downward pressure on wages.
More weight should be given to job creation through a balanced approach to macroeconomic policy that is less focused on fighting inflation. We again join those people of good faith who call for a renewed commitment by governments and the population to place the fight against poverty through redistributive policies at the top of national priorities. Eight of the ten provinces then either slashed welfare benefits or tightened eligibility requirements. As of 1996 no province extended benefits above the poverty line. The increase in child poverty is intimately linked to cutbacks in social programs.