Top Stories
Why free money might be the right response to poverty:
https://decorrespondent.nl/541/why-we-should-give-free-money-to-everyone/35246939860-ec3a6c3e
Economists agree: Raising the minimum wage reduces poverty:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/01/04/economists-agree-raising-the-minimum-wage-reduces-poverty/
Online assistance – higher costs, botched systems and infuriating technical problems fall hardest on the poor, the jobless and the neediest:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/07/us/faulty-websites-confront-needy-in-search-of-aid.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20140107&_r=1&
Canada’s top CEOs make in one hour what a minimum wage Ontario worker makes in 6.5 weeks:
http://behindthenumbers.ca/2014/01/06/ceo-pay-out-of-whack-with-ontarios-minimum-wage/
Deadline approaching for legal clinics and community partners to apply for LAO funds:
http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1666302
Joe Fiorito: Tiny houses for people who are homeless:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/01/01/new_year_new_ideas_to_house_the_homeless_fiorito.html
Ontario
Ontario to expand access for low-income children to dental program in April 2014, and streamline programs for low-income children in 2015:
http://news.ontario.ca/mohltc/en/2013/12/ontario-providing-free-dental-care-to-more-kids.html
- Star coverage:http://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2013/12/16/free_dental_care_coming_for_more_lowincome_ontario_kids.html
- Positive response from Association of Ontario Health Centres: http://aohc.org/news/expanded-public-dental-programs-ontario-children-welcomed
Toronto gets childcare boost from new provincial funding formula and increase to overall childcare budget:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/01/08/toronto_gets_daycare_funding_boost_from_queens_park.html
Liberals plan for AGM ahead of provincial budget and potential spring election:
http://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2014/01/06/ontario_liberals_reschedule_convention_for_toronto.html
Good outlook for economic recovery in Ontario:
http://business.financialpost.com/2014/01/06/ontario-set-to-close-gap-with-commodity-rich-west-as-consumer-optimism-seen-fuelling-economic-rebound/
Upcoming Events
January 14: Province-wide call-in day on a $14 minimum wage:
http://us5.campaign-archive1.com/?u=8e3951a35d48e64f736884ea9&id=321abc55bc&e=462e04a60b
January 24: Fight for Fair Wages Public Forum
https://www.facebook.com/events/608238165909898/
Feb 19: Five Good Ideas on How to Tackle Income Inequality:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/five-good-ideas-how-to-tackle-inequality-registration-9343864751
Around the Province
Grocery store gift cards available in 9 Ontario communities:
http://news.ontario.ca/mcscs/en/2014/01/grocery-store-cards-made-available-to-more-communities.html
Applications open for Ve’Ahavta’s Street Academy in Toronto:
http://www.veahavta.org/
Remembering the Rupert Hotel fire and housing insecurity in Hamilton:
http://www.hamiltonjustice.ca/blog/?post=Remembering+the+Rupert+Hotel+Fire+&id=248
CNIB asking Burlington to maintain free public transit for people with vision impairments:
http://www.insidehalton.com/news-story/4298923-cnib-asks-burlington-to-keep-free-transit/
People in Toronto Community Housing go 2 weeks without heat after ice storm:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/01/07/toronto_community_housing_complex_goes_two_weeks_without_heat_after_ice_storm.html
Promoting dignity in Oxford County:
http://dojustice.crcna.org/article/there-better-way?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
LAMP ED Russ Ford’s blog about the City of Toronto budget:
http://lampchc.org/blog/understanding-city-budget
Across the Country
Legal aid in BC is lacking for ordinary people:
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Legal+ordinary+folk+lacking/9330712/story.html
Montreal police officer to be disciplined for threat to man who is homeless:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/montreal-officer-to-be-disciplined-for-threat-to-homeless-man-1.2486510?cmp=rss
PEI man turned down to stay in shelter past emergency limit:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/homeless-man-fears-being-forced-into-the-cold-1.2486702
EI reforms see big decline in number of PEI unemployed receiving benefits:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/far-fewer-p-e-i-unemployed-getting-ei-1.2470411
Edmonton police chief wants change to reduce welfare cheque day victimization:
http://www.baytoday.ca/content/news/national/details.asp?c=56631
National
Four big recommendations for how to put Canada back together again:
http://www.thestar.com/news/atkinsonseries/2013/12/22/how_to_put_canada_back_together_again.html
Speculation of a federal election in 2014:
http://www.hilltimes.com/news/politics/2014/01/06/harper-could-also-call-an-election-in-2014-senate-scandal-a-game-changer/37020
Or maybe not so much?:
http://www.hilltimes.com/news/politics/2014/01/07/mps-dismiss-speculation-of-early-federal-election-not-a-snowballs-chance-in-hell/37022
Globe editorial: Access to justice in Canada is abysmal:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/editorials/high-priced-justice/article16193371/#dashboard/follows/
NUPGE president urges federal budget Fairness Test on reducing inequality:
http://nupge.ca/content/11369/national-union-asks-harper-government-develop-fairness-test-budget
New report says aboriginal Canadians face racism and stereotyping in urban health care:
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/aboriginal-canadians-face-racism-stereotyping-in-urban-health-care-report-1.1074444#ixzz2poYLx4ok
International
How poverty disenfranchises millions of Americans:
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/01/poverty-vs-democracy-in-america/282809/
More on the 50th anniversary of the War on Poverty – it’s not a lost cause:
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/commentary/la-oe-stevens-war-on-poverty-20140108,0,4908370.story#axzz2poeDosh0
Mapping poverty in America – census data creates detailed map:
http://billmoyers.com/2014/01/07/how-close-to-poverty-are-you/
Socialist council candidate in Seattle wins election:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/07/seattle-socialist-kshama-sawant-council-member
Nick Clegg says George Osborne’s welfare cuts “a monumental mistake”:
http://www.channel4.com/news/george-osborne-budget-economy-2014-hard-truths-video
UK documentary spurs threats of violence against benefit recipients:
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/benefits-street-police-investigate-twitter-6475216
Almost half of French people believe it’s OK for workers to take bosses hostage:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/04/07/us-france-bosses-idUSTRE5362ME20090407
Can economic liberalisation actually make capitalism fairer?
http://www.ippr.org/juncture/171/11680/juncture-interview-kathleen-thelen-on-liberalisation
