Top Stories
Pressure is on the province to extend rent controls to cover all tenants:
http://www.thestar.com/business/real_estate/2013/05/31/pressure_mounts_for_ontario_to_extend_rent_controls_to_all_tenants.html
The Ontario NDP has introduced a Private Members’ Bill to do so:
http://ondpcaucus.com/en/ndp-rent-increase-loophole-must-be-closed/
The provincial government missed its own deadline to appoint an independent review of the Disabilities Act – op-ed author says it’s a bad signal for ensuring accessibility for people with disabilities:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2013/05/31/ontario_honours_national_access_awareness_week_by_breaching_provinces_disability_accessibility_law.html
The impacts of Budget 2013 changes to social assistance on regional governments:
http://www.wellandtribune.ca/2013/06/05/region-faces-bill-for-social-assistance-changes
Reports, Events, and Other Goodies
The Global Alliance for Tax Justice is looking for organizational signatories to a petition on tax justice issues on the agenda of the next G8 meeting (starts June 17):
http://gatj.org/petition-page/
From Hunger Awareness Week, food banks report:
http://www.canadianprogressiveworld.com/2013/05/06/hungry-in-canada-one-in-five-skip-meals-to-help-make-ends-meet/#.UajKGF3r0to
From the Ontario Human Rights Commission – your rights and responsibilities to accommodate Ontarians with disabilities:
http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/learning/working-together-ontario-human-rights-code-and-accessibility-ontarians-disabilities-act
June 11: Book Launch for Not Any Time Soon! The Life and Times of Linda Chamberlain:
http://openpolicyontario.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/BookLaunch-Poster.pdf
June 13: ISARC’s Interfaith Provincial Poverty Strategy Session:
http://isarc.ca/projects.php?id=1518
June 13: WAC Webinar for community workers on Wrongful Dismissal:
http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=b32b33961fd1e65272919d8a6&id=7da92b72a1
June 25 – morning: Housing Action Now and Wellesley Institute host an Affordable Housing Forum:
http://www.socialplanningtoronto.org/campaigns-and-coalitions/affordable-housing-action-inaction-and-opportunity/
June 25 – evening: Social Planning Toronto hosts Come Together Right Now: Organizing for Good Jobs, Resisting Attacks on Workers’ Rights:
http://sptcometogether.eventbrite.ca/#
July 24/25: A People’s Shadow Summit and Rally at the Council of the Federation:
http://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/ofl/mailings/81/attachments/original/Shadow_Summit_Flyer_Infor.pdf?1370540402
Around the Province
A new Poverty Reduction Strategy for Kingston:
http://www.thewhig.com/2013/06/03/taking-aim-at-poverty
http://www.ckwstv.com/news/kingston/story.aspx?ID=1976183
Rogers to offer low cost internet and computers to people living in Toronto Community Housing buildings:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/06/03/rogers_communications_offering_999_monthly_internet_to_those_in_toronto_public_housing.html
A community health centre project in Port Hope provides primary health care to migrant farm workers:
http://www.northumberlandview.ca/index.php?module=news&type=user&func=display&sid=22656
Across the Country
Buy local, but buy fair:
http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/2013/05/30/migrant-worker-speaks-of-poor-bc-conditions
Activists in Montreal protest for more social housing and fewer condo projects:
http://montreal.mediacoop.ca/story/whos-city-our-city/17758
Atlantic Premiers have appointed a panel to review Ottawa’s changes to EI:
http://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/atlantic-premiers-name-panel-to-study-ottawa-s-changes-to-employment-insurance-1.1314261
National
Jim Stanford, on how anti-tax rage may be becoming a “political albatross”:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/commentary/the-tax-cycle-is-turning-for-the-better/article12394508/
Carol Goar, on one MPPs work to update Canada’s labour policy:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2013/06/05/canada_needs_uptodate_labour_policy_goar.html
At the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Big City Mayors call for a national housing strategy:
http://www.wellesleyinstitute.com/housing/mayors-issue-powerful-call-for-national-housing-plan/
Federal government announcement about disability-related initiatives:
http://www.fin.gc.ca/n13/13-078-eng.asp
The Caledon Institute’s new Social Report:
http://www.caledoninst.org/Publications/Detail/?ID=1011
Carol Goar, on why it’s necessary:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2013/05/29/defunct_social_agency_comes_back_to_life_goar.html
Different standards for senators and new immigrants:
http://o.canada.com/2013/06/06/domicile-for-senators-and-migrants/
The Temporary Foreign Worker program and unemployment rates:
http://opinion.financialpost.com/2013/06/06/william-watson-are-foreign-workers-the-problem-or-employment-insurance/
International
Canada is being obstructionist on tax justice issues at the upcoming G8:
http://www.embassynews.ca/news/2013/06/04/canada-won%E2%80%99t-play-ball-on-g8-tax-goal-activists-say/43974
A Bill Moyers video essay: The United States of Inequality:
http://billmoyers.com/segment/bill-moyers-essay-the-united-states-of-inequality/
Changes to legal aid in the UK raise concerns over who will be affected:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/10092709/Chris-Grayling-Only-the-highest-earners-will-be-denied-legal-aid-under-Government-reforms.html
A Turkish government report finds nearly 1/3 of Turks are “poor or needy”:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/one-third-of-turks-are-poor-or-needy-ministrys-report.aspx?pageID=238&nID=48364&NewsCatID=341
