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Income Security Advocacy Centre

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Media & Policy News: 6 January 2014

January 6, 2014

Top Stories

CCPA report: Canada’s top CEOs earn 171 times the average industrial wage:
http://www.thestar.com/business/2014/01/01/top_100_ceos_earned_79_million_on_average_report_says.html

  • Toronto Star editorial: No restraint at the top:http://www.thestar.com/opinion/2014/01/02/good_times_at_the_top_of_the_ceo_heap_editorial.html

Government statement on annual Poverty Reduction Strategy report December 16:
http://news.ontario.ca/mcys/en/2013/12/statement-from-minister-of-children-and-youth-services-2013-annual-report-on-ontarios-poverty-reduct.html

  • Report and overview of five-year accomplishments are here:http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/breakingthecycle/report/2013/index.aspx

To eliminate poverty in Canada, we need a dedicated plan:
http://www.therecord.com/opinion-story/4298085-the-elimination-of-poverty-requires-a-dedicated-plan/

Dennis Raphael: Child poverty is a problem of family poverty, and what to do about it:
http://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/4299112-the-issue-is-not-poor-children-but-family-poverty/

The need for income security solutions was 2013’s theme:
http://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/4300677-a-poverty-resolution-for-the-new-year/

Ontario Legislature’s Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs hosting 2014 Pre-Budget Consultations across Ontario in coming two weeks:
http://www.ontla.on.ca/committee-proceedings/committee-hearings-notices/files_html/Pre-budget%20EN.htm

Speculation that Andrea Horwath could win the next provincial election, expected this spring:
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/4292351-horwath-could-be-ontario-s-first-elected-female-premier

Hennessy’s Index for January 2014 – some words that should be banished:
http://policyalternatives.ca/publications/facts-infographics/hennessys-index-january-2014

Around the Province

Durham man sees benefit of community reaching out to help:
http://www.thepost.on.ca/2013/12/28/people-rally-to-john-mrkics-aid

Latest $14 minimum wage actions – December 14:
http://us5.campaign-archive1.com/?u=8e3951a35d48e64f736884ea9&id=0eafe88e10&e=462e04a60b

John Stapleton on Henry Ford’s 1914 114% increase to the minimum wage:
http://openpolicyontario.com/raise-the-minimum-wage-to-21-90-an-hour-just-like-100-years-ago/

On OCAP’s two campaigns:
http://socialistaction.ca/2014/01/01/ocap-says-no-to-welfare-mergercuts/

Across the Country

Does creating a “social mix” in poor neighbourhoods actually benefit the people who are poor?
http://www.vancouversun.com/travel/Mixed+neighbourhoods+always+good+idea/9344177/story.html

Speaking out against EI changes in Newfoundland and Labrador:
http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2013-12-30/article-3560327/Some-fishing-EI-recipients-had-payments-reassessed-before-Christmas/1

From Medicine Hat, calls for reforming the Canada Pension Plan:
http://medicinehatnews.com/commentary/opinions/2013/12/canada-pension-plan-in-desperate-need-of-reform/

National

Despite commitments to track down tax evaders and that “not one audit position will be eliminated”, feds are cutting auditors:
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/collection+agency+auditors/9345818/story.html

Canadian lawyers say new refugee system is deeply flawed:
http://www.carl-acaadr.ca/articles/59

Canadian Bar Association rolls out access to justice strategy:
http://www.canadianlawyermag.com/legalfeeds/1841/cba-rolls-out-strategy-to-improve-access-to-justice.html

Study on perceptions of people with disabilities and the workplace:
http://www.torontosun.com/2013/12/22/workplace-study-exposes-difficulties-faced-by-disabled-workers

CCPA’s Bruce Campbell reflects on the “tarnished” 25th anniversary of NAFTA:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2013/12/30/free_trades_tarnished_silver_anniversary.html

Poverty costs Canada billions – no matter who’s paying to feed whose children:
https://www.hilltimes.com/opinion-piece/2013/12/17/poverty-costs-canada-billions-of-dollars-every-year/36995

  • Jian Ghomeshi on federal Minister James Moore’s comments:http://www.cbc.ca/q/blog/2013/12/17/child-poverty-canada/
  • James Moore’s apology: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/industry-minister-regrets-insensitive-comment-on-hungry-children/article15990980/

New foreign worker rules drop the promised ban on allowing employers with criminal convictions to hire:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawas-new-foreign-worker-rules-drop-ban-on-employers-with-criminal-convictions/article16182157/

  • Additional criticism of the new rules: http://www.brandonsun.com/breaking-news/tory-rules-on-hiring-foreign-workers-hit-238687441.html?thx=y

Expanding CPP is an idea whose time has come:
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/Expanding+idea+whose+time+come/9349205/story.html

Index shows defined benefit pension funds nearly back to fully funded status:
http://www.benefitscanada.com/pensions/db/funded-status-of-plans-reaches-12-year-high-47997

New computer system for EI scheduled for 2016:
http://o.canada.com/news/national/feds-left-with-little-room-for-error-with-new-ei-computer-system-set-for-2016-launch/

International

New York’s new Mayor Bill de Blasio commits to specific progressive action in his inauguration speech to see “an end to economic and social inequalities”:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/02/nyregion/complete-text-of-bill-de-blasios-inauguration-speech.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0

2014 was the year of the Great Redistribution (but not the one you might think):
http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/279-82/21352-the-year-of-the-great-redistribution

US Federal judge rules Florida drug testing of welfare recipients unconstitutional; state to appeal:
http://members.jacksonville.com/news/florida/2013-12-31/story/federal-judge-rules-drug-testing-welfare-recipients-unconstitutional

50 years later, the US War on Poverty is a mixed bag:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/05/business/50-years-later-war-on-poverty-is-a-mixed-bag.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20140105&_r=1&

But some believe it’s important to talk about its success:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/01/06/marco-rubio-is-wrong-the-war-on-poverty-worked.html

Addressing poverty through promoting marriage hasn’t seemed to work:
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-marriage-stem-poverty-moms.html

But without government programs, the poverty rate would be twice as high:
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/01/05/3120481/poverty-rate-high-government-programs/

Meanwhile, US Democrats intend to make poverty and inequality an election issue:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/02/senate-democrats-bill-reinstate-unemployment-benefits

Webinar on the surveillance of people living in poverty in the USA:
http://www.newamerica.net/events/2013/in_poverty_under_surveillance

Mum forced to pay “Bedroom Tax” on sensory room for disabled daughter:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/bedroom-tax-dawn-lennon-must-2979313

In the UK, local Hardship Fund is axed while government urges loans instead:
http://rt.com/news/uk-welfare-local-families-161/

Poverty in Italy reaches record levels:
http://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/en/news/sections/economics/2013/12/30/Italy-Poverty-hits-record-high-amid-recession_9837697.html

Hidden poverty: The well people of Beijing:
http://www.worldcrunch.com/culture-society/hidden-poverty-the-well-people-of-beijing/beijing-cavemen-slums-urbanizaton/c3s14524/

Combating poverty in Guatemala – with red wigglers:
http://www.ticotimes.net/More-news/News-Briefs/Fighting-poverty-with-90-million-California-red-worms_Sunday-January-05-2014

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This site contains general legal information for people in Ontario, Canada. It is not intended to be used as legal advice for a specific legal problem. ISAC is a not-for-profit, non-partisan organization. ISAC is funded by Legal Aid Ontario (LAO). The funding for this website is also provided by LAO. The views expressed in any of ISAC’s publications (including written, oral, or visual) are the views of the clinic and do not necessarily reflect those of LAO.