Top Stories
Low-income moms are looking for a Mother’s Day gift from Premier Mom in the upcoming budget, says Sarah Blackstock of the YWCA-Toronto:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2013/04/24/how_about_a_mothers_day_gift_to_lowincome_mothers_from_premier_mom.html
Sheila Block of the Wellesley Institute discusses Finance Minister Sousa’s recent speech, and gives a prescription for a better budget:
http://www.wellesleyinstitute.com/economics/income-inequality-economics/confronting-inequality-in-ontario-with-a-public-service-budget/
Yesterday’s link didn’t work – so here’s the story about social assistance reform and the Special Diet Allowance again:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/04/23/welfare_reform_should_not_take_from_the_sick_to_give_to_the_poor_advocates_say.html
At tax time, Dr. Gary Bloch prescribes income for what ails:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/commentary/as-a-doctor-heres-why-im-prescribing-tax-returns-seriously/article9981613/
Around the Province
Hamilton councillor intends to push for universal dental care:
http://www.cbc.ca/hamilton/news/story/2013/04/22/hamilton-universal-dental-care.html
Coming on the heels of the loss of CSUMB, Kingston has issued a report on the state of homelessness in Kingston and Frontenac County:
http://www.cityofkingston.ca/residents/community-services/housing/-/asset_publisher/Xk3INNpLLCsa/content/report-offers-look-at-housing-and-homelessness-issues-and-action-in-kingston-and-county-of-frontenac
Across the Country
With the BC election in full gear, advocates are pushing for poverty reduction:
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Time+tackle+high+cost+poverty+across/8283354/story.html
Demonstrators in Nova Scotia protest changes to Employment Insurance:
http://www.southshorenow.ca/archives/2013/042413/news/020_Demonstrators_rally_against_federal_employment_insurance_cha.html.php
National
The death of a temporary foreign worker is being examined right now at the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal – better protections are needed now:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2013/04/23/migrant_farm_workers_inhabit_precarious_working_world.html
Among Mark Carney’s prescriptions for fixing the temporary foreign worker program – employers should train more and low-wage jobs should pay more:
http://globalnews.ca/news/503546/foreign-workers-program-needs-work-carney/
A federal judge ruled the Parliamentary Budget Office has the right to take the government to court to gain access to budget documents:
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Former+Kevin+Page+grateful+federal+court+ruling/8285109/story.html
A new tribunal for hearing Employment Insurance, CPP and OAS appeals has started operations:
http://www.mondaq.com/canada/x/234638/Employee+Benefits+Compensation/New+Social+Security+Tribunal+SST+Established+To+Hear+Employment+Insurance+Appeals+Begins+Operations
Op Ed on Senator Hugh Segal and his quest for a Guaranteed Annual Income:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2013/04/23/hugh_segals_courageous_fight_for_a_guaranteed_annual_income.html
International
A good website that explains current changes to income support benefits in the UK:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21706978
Missouri passes legislation requiring welfare recipients to have high school diploma:
http://www.kspr.com/news/kspr-mo-house-passes-welfare-reform-that-requires-recipients-have-more-education-20130422,0,4719453.story
More on the debate over fair taxation – Google comes under fire in the UK:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/we-pay-6m-tax-on-26bn-uk-profits-but-thats-ok-because-we-help-startups-google-boss-eric-schmidt-under-fire-over-comments-on-corporate-tax-8582605.html
Films for Action is airing “We’re Not Broke” – a damning indictment of tax avoidance and evasion and the impact on public services and inequality:
http://www.filmsforaction.org/watch/were_not_broke_2012_free_on_hulu/
And, “The Tax Free Tour” takes a look at tax havens, the people who live there and the routes along which tax is avoided globally:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4o13isDdfY
“The real story here is that Obama’s tax plan is both aggressive and progressive”:
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/04/obamas-budget-would-lead-to-the-highest-federal-tax-rate-in-4-decades/275235/
