Common Front for Social Justice

For immediate publication

Press release

The Common Front for Social Justice met minister Huntjens

Moncton, Thursday October 23, 2003 - The Common Front for Social Justice, represented by its two Co-chairs Mary Anne LeBlanc and John Gagnon as well as Jean-Marie Nadeau, provincial coordinator met yesterday with Antony Huntjens, Minister of Family and Community Services, in Fredericton. The minister was accompanied for the occasion by his deputy minister - Don Ferguson, the director of services for Housing and Income Support - Jean Rioux, and his head of cabinet - Tina Ayles.

Discussions related mainly on two short-term issues, namely an increase in the basic social income rates and the question of the economic unit concept. Moreover, the Common Front informed the Minister of his longer-term project to have an anti-poverty legislation in New Brunswick.

" This first meeting with Minister Huntjens and his principal assistants was extremely positive. Even if the Minister did not specify neither the amount of increases for the basic social assistance rates, nor when these increases would take place, he formally declared that the Lord government would fulfill his promises on this issue, and we have all the reasons to believe it. We are thus encouraged for the future" declared Mary Anne LeBlanc, social Co-chair of the Common Front.

Following the Annual Meeting of the Common Front in Miramichi last weekend, the executive council of the Common Front finds itself with three (3) people out of four (4) in situation of poverty. Since in addition to Mary Anne LeBlanc, the assembly also elected Pauline Chamberlain (tel. 783-4201) of Free Grant as secretary, and Coleen Durant (tel. 696-1658) from Saint John as treasurer.

"We informed the Minister about this new composition of our executive with pride. He received this information very well. We are convinced that the Common Front will be stronger with more and more people living in poverty involved in the Common Front" concluded John Gagnon, labour Co-chair of the Common Front.

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For more information:

Marie Anne LeBlanc…633-9881 (residence)

John Gagnon…………547-6061 (office), 545-0651 (cell) or 545-6800 (residence)

Jean-Marie Nadeau……….. 857-2125 (office)