Volume 5, Number 2 - April 1999

Literacy brought to the hill

Over 65 members of the literacy community from across Canada gathered in Ottawa on February 18th for the 1999 Literacy Action Day (LAD). Literacy BC Executive Director Linda Mitchell, and President Paul Gallagher were on hand working with other literacy groups to raise support for literacy issues among federal politicians.

Literacy practitioners and adult learners met with 82 Members of Parliament and two Senators to discuss solutions to literacy problems in Canada.

This year, the focus for Literacy Action Day was on four areas within the jurisdiction of the federal government — health, employment, aboriginal literacy and justice.

The key messages that were given to politicians were:

Literacy and Health
Statistics show that low literacy can lead to poor health due in part to the lack of easy-to-read health information. Literacy advocates believe that great inroads can be achieved if a partnership between the health and adult education fields could lead to the development of plain language health information.

Literacy and Employment People with low literacy skills have a harder time getting and keeping a job. Literacy advocates are looking for a training system to be developed that will help Canadians prepare for and get work. Workplace literacy programs would also benefit both workers and employers.

Literacy and Justice Literacy organizations have been very active in the development of effectiveapproaches to help ex-offenders and at-risk youth. They are asking the federal government to support their efforts. Low literacy can limit access to justice for accused persons who need to understand the judicial process from arrest to sentencing. Offenders who improve their literacy skills are less likely to re-offend and literacy programs are an effective crime prevention strategy..

Aboriginal Literacy All of the above factors affect native people and communities to a disproportionate degree. Literacy advocates requested support from the federal government for native literacy programs designed to meet the special needs of native learners, families and communities through recognition and affirmation of native culture.

Family Literacy All of the issues addressed with the MPs and Senators illustrated the need for family literacy programs which focus on helping children from disadvantaged families who are at risk for low literacy as well as for poor health, unemployment and anti- social behavior. While literacy is only part of the solution, federal decision-makers were given the message that support for literacy through government policies would assist learners with other fundamental challenges in their lives, such as poverty, discrimination and abuse.