This letter aims to ask the federal government to take action against poverty in Canada. Poverty can be considered an epidemic across our country that greatly affects the undereducated population, as well as other significant populations. Without a sufficient level of education, many people are not able to earn a high enough income to meet their daily expenses. Many people struggle simply to be able to provide the basic and adequate needs of life. Education and literacy rates in Canada are apparently high enough, but too many Canadians also have the lowest levels of numeracy and literacy. Not all individuals complete high school and graduate, with sufficient numbers dropping out. Many people who want to pursue post-secondary education cannot afford it, and well-paying jobs in Canada mostly require higher levels of education, rather than just a high school diploma. People already affected by poverty tend not to do well in school. These are the reasons why education and literacy rates play an important role in poverty. Many people who attend high school tend to drop out. There are various reasons why they do this. These reasons vary from poor decisions made by individuals to the families and communities from which they come (Ciuffetelli Parker, 2012). There is a national dropout rate of 8 percent (Canadian Council on Social Development, 2007). Although the national dropout rate is considerably low, the percentage of individuals who drop out differs by province. dropout rates are higher in the northern provinces and lower in the southern provinces. A significant number of minimum wage jobs require at least a high school diploma, but if I...... middle of paper ......r. These people will undoubtedly tend to be more prone to suffering from health problems. People with higher levels of education have better access to better health services and are better able to prepare their children for school than people with less education (Second Report on the Health of Canadians, 1999). This is how education and literacy rates are linked to the social determinants of health. In summary, insufficient education and literacy work hand in hand and contribute to burdening individuals with poverty. These people do not want to suffer from poverty, but they have no choice. They do not have sufficient education to have a well-paid job. Without a good job, their health may be seriously affected. This is why education and literacy can play a major role in poverty..