Friday, October 16, 2009

Winnipeg - Students and the community will be Taking Action, Standing Up and Targeting Poverty outside the convention centre at 11:30 am on Saturday, October 17, as part of Target Poverty, the Campaign For a Poverty-Free Manitoba.

STAND UP Against Poverty is a worldwide call to take action against poverty and inequality and to fulfill the Millennium Development Goals. Last year over 116.9 million people took part, nearly 2% of the world’s population.

“Students in Manitoba will be joining people from across the world to call upon our global leaders to take concrete action to end poverty, both at home and abroad” says Alanna Makinson, Vice-President External of the University of Manitoba Students’ Union. “We’ll be marking the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on the day and outside the location that the next Premier of our Province will be chosen.”

Members attending the rally will listen to short speeches and then take part in reading the Stand Up pledge together. Volunteers will count everyone who took part in the pledge and submit the numbers as part of the worldwide attempt to break the Guinness Book of Records for the largest mobilization.

“Together, we’re building a province-wide movement to create a poverty-free Manitoba. The momentum for our campaign is strengthening as students and the community Stand Up and Take Action today and build towards a major Day of Action on November 5, 2009,” stated Jonny Sopotiuk, Manitoba Chairperson for the Canadian Federation of Students. “The call will be loud and it will be clear, our next Premier needs to take action on poverty and the time to do it is now.”

November 5, 2009 has been declared a provincial Day of Action to Target Poverty for a Poverty-Free Manitoba by the Canadian Federation of Students and Make Poverty History Manitoba with countless other community organizations joining that call.


For more information on the STAND UP event or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Alanna Makinson, Vice-President External
University of Manitoba Students’ Union
204-997-8269

For more information or to arrange for an interview on the Target Poverty campaign or November 5 Provincial Day of Action, please contact:

Jonny Sopotiuk, Manitoba Chairperson
Canadian Federation of Students
204-797-4630