Top Stories
Ontario’s soaring poverty gap is starkest for single adults as welfare rates stagnate:
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/05/09/ontarios-poverty-gap-soars-as-welfare-rates-stagnate.html
- Here’s the report: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/ontarios-social-assistance-poverty-gap
- People on social assistance are actually worse in worse shape now than under Mike Harris: http://www.pressprogress.ca/people_on_social_assistance_in_ontario_are_actually_in_worse_shape_now_than_under_mike_harris
- Ontario’s poverty gap puts the lie to Wynne’s social justice pretensions: http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/michael-laxer/2016/05/ontarios-poverty-gap-puts-lie-to-wynnes-social-justice-pretensi
Successful strike by Tibetan food terminal workers sets a precedent and highlights precarious work:
http://torontoist.com/2016/05/tibetan-food-terminal-strikers-spoke-to-larger-issue-of-precarious-work/
- OFL statement for Asian & South Asian Heritage Month (May 2016) on precarious work:
http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/standing-with-asian-south-asian-workers-against-income-inequality-2120083.htm
- Worried sick about work: How exactly are people expected to make ends meet?:
https://medium.com/@jenniferhollett/worried-sick-about-work-32f15c1d34ea#.d5q37dguf
- Federal review of Temporary Foreign Worker program must include agricultural workers: http://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/columnists/dunsworth-in-review-of-temporary-foreign-worker-program-dont-forget-the-farmers
Stats Can survey of job vacancies shows virtually all in-demand jobs in Canada are low-paid positions:
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/05/12/job-vacancies-canada_n_9932560.html
Alberta Child Benefit will not impact eligibility or benefit amounts for social assistance (see page 2):
http://www.alberta.ca/documents/QA.pdf
“We are loan sharks”: Why one woman is leaving the payday loan business:
http://globalnews.ca/news/2693327/we-are-loan-sharks-why-one-womans-leaving-the-payday-lending-business/?sf26112286=1
Canada adopts the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, removing objector status:
http://www.jurist.org/paperchase/2016/05/canada-adopts-un-indigenous-rights-declaration.php
- The roadblock to reconciliation: Canada’s origin story is false: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/the-roadblock-to-reconciliation-canadas-origin-story-is-false/article29951998/
Canada’s MPs have the right to know which Canadians took part in the Panama Papers tax scheme, despite KPMG refusals to provide information:
http://ipolitics.ca/2016/05/09/mps-have-the-right-to-know-who-took-part-in-tax-scheme/
- Tax havens serve “no useful purpose” say more than 350 leading economists:
https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2016/05/09/tax-havens-serve-no-useful-purpose-say-more-than-350-leading-economists.html
- A message from “John Doe”, the Panama Papers whistleblower: http://www.taxfairness.ca/en/blog/message-panama-papers-whistleblower
- Response to tax dodging by rich will show Trudeau’s true colours: http://www.thetyee.ca/Opinion/2016/05/13/Rich-Tax-Dodging/
Federal government launches Employment Insurance services review:
http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/the-government-of-canada-launches-consultation-to-improve-employment-insurance-services—parliamentary-secretaries-member-of-parliament-lead-ei-service-quality-review-579181341.html
Ontario
Ontario “tweaks” controversial daycare regulations:
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/05/09/ontario-tweaks-controversial-daycare-regulations.html
PC MCSS critic says it shouldn’t take a lawsuit for the government to reimburse municipalities for SAMS:
http://www.stratfordbeaconherald.com/2016/05/10/municipalities-not-responsible-for-liberal-governments-mistakes-pettapiece-says
The Ontario Retirement Pension Plan presents “a game changing opportunity”:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-commentary/ontarios-pension-plan-presents-a-game-changing-opportunity/article29941217/
Column: Another reason the ORPP is a bad idea:
http://www.torontosun.com/2016/05/10/another-reason-the-orpp-is-a-bad-idea
Events, Campaigns, Reports, and Other Good Things
Fraser Institute thinks sending your kid to university counts as “child care”:
http://www.pressprogress.ca/fraser_institute_thinks_sending_your_kid_to_university_counts_as_child_care
Report: Housing as a Health Care Investment: Affordable housing supports children’s health:
http://media.wix.com/ugd/19cfbe_4d4761b6e25b416584cd348504660cb4.pdf
Around the Province
Frontenac County summit addresses rural housing conditions and poverty:
http://www.kingstonregion.com/news-story/6548686-frontenac-county-summit-on-rural-housing-conditions-poverty-addresses-several-pertinent-issues/
Ottawa Transit Commission votes to ask Ontario to pay $3.3 million for a low-income transit pass:
http://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/low-income-oc-transpo-passes-the-latest-debate-at-city-hall-1.2894294
- Low-income bus pass would bring fairness and equity: http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/ottawa/low-income-transit-pass-ottawa-committee-1.3572486
- Commission chair is skeptical that the province can afford it: http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/ottawa/low-income-transit-pass-ottawa-committee-1.3572486
- Ottawa Citizen editorial: Low-income passes noble, but at what cost? http://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-low-income-passes-noble-but-at-what-cost
Thunder Bay letter to the editor: Privilege should cause discomfort:
http://www.chroniclejournal.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/privilege-should-cause-discomfort/article_f5bd7120-16a8-11e6-9e2a-dfa3f4a014b5.html
Preliminary numbers released on Niagara’s first homeless count, but more analysis necessary:
http://www.wellandtribune.ca/2016/05/10/homelessness-data-being-analyzed
Toronto palliative care nurse helps people who are homeless die with dignity:
https://www.thestar.com/life/nursing/2016/05/06/nurse-helps-homeless-die-with-dignity.html
Toronto’s new procurement program helps create jobs for disadvantaged workers:
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/05/06/torontos-new-procurement-program-helps-create-jobs-for-disadvantaged-workers.html
Brantford woman organizing local injured workers’ support group:
http://www.brantnews.com/news-story/6525933-local-woman-organizing-injured-workers-support-group/
Hamilton Living Wage Working Group says the living wage for that city must rise:
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/6548065-hamilton-poverty-group-says-living-wage-target-must-rise-/
Parkdale Sidewalk Festival in Toronto to highlight fraying social safety net in Ontario:
http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/6526042-spring-into-parkdale-sidewalk-festival-to-highlight-fraying-social-safety-net-in-ontario/
New health clinic in Windsor-Essex serves Syrian refugees and other newcomers:
http://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/new-health-clinic-for-syrian-refugees-other-newcomers
Across the Country
Edmonton, south Saskatchewan and BC interior meet criteria for Employment Insurance extension:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/edmonton-saskatchewan-bc-interior-employment-insurance-extension-1.3579173
20,000 from Fort McMurray have applied for EI since wildfires struck:
http://www.news1130.com/2016/05/10/fort-mcmurray-ei-wildfires/
Newfoundland and Labrador residential school survivors reach $50M settlement with Ottawa:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/residential-school-case-update-1.3574080
Op-ed: The Quebec Human Rights Commission must recognize systemic racism:
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/yvonne-sam/quebec-systemic-racism_b_9904016.html
Nova Scotia NDP Opposition introduces bill to increase the minimum wage to $15 by 2019:
http://www.metronews.ca/news/halifax/2016/05/10/nova-scotia-ndp-table-15-an-hour-minimum-wage-bill.html
Affordable housing in Montreal: No new starts in 7 communities:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/affordable-social-housing-starts-1.3569029
Billionaire denies leaving Alberta to avoid taxes:
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/calgary/murray-edwards-cnrl-alberta-taxes-1.3568199
Small business owners weigh in on the right, “ethical” wage:
http://www.metronews.ca/news/halifax/2016/05/10/halifax-small-business-owners-weigh-in-on-the-right-wage-.html
Historic exclusion from the economy means average income assistance use on Saskatchewan First Nations is 44 percent:
http://leaderpost.com/news/saskatchewan/average-income-assistance-dependency-rates-on-saskatchewan-first-nations-at-44-per-cent
Free tuition in New Brunswick comes at big cost to 40,000 students:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/free-tuition-changes-tab-program-1.3573019
National
Canada in need of widespread dental care reform:
http://www.digitaljournal.com/life/health/canada-in-need-of-widespread-dental-care-reform/article/465023
The International Monetary Fund “loves what Canada is doing” but has a few suggestions, like providing more generous child care subsidies:
http://www.canadianbusiness.com/economy/the-imf-loves-what-canadas-doing-but-it-has-a-few-suggestions/
Parliamentary Budget Office report on federal post-secondary spending outlines problems of current policies for low-income students:
http://behindthenumbers.ca/2016/05/10/pain-by-numbers-the-distributional-impacts-of-federal-funding-for-post-secondary-education/
Changes should be made to Canada’s census to ensure needs of transgender people are met:
http://www.dailyxtra.com/canada/news-and-ideas/news/trans-people-upset-with-canadas-census-192652
Women fired while on maternity leave want better legal protection:
http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-may-10-2016-1.3574840/women-fired-while-on-maternity-leave-want-better-legal-protection-1.3574912
Federal Court of Appeal says Canadian employers must try to accommodate parents’ child care obligations:
http://globalnews.ca/news/1319467/court-says-employers-must-try-to-accommodate-parents-child-care-obligations/
Wildfire in Fort McMurray could force foreign temporary workers out of Canada:
http://www.hrreporter.com/articleview/27539-wildfire-in-fort-mcmurray-could-force-foreign-temporary-workers-out-of-canada
John Manley and Perrin Beatty: No patchwork of provincial pension plans, but a national solution:
http://business.financialpost.com/fp-comment/we-cant-afford-a-patchwork-of-provincial-pension-plans
Don’t confuse CPP investment returns with the actual benefits:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-commentary/dont-confuse-cpp-investment-returns-with-the-actual-benefits/article29926855/
International
Rifkin: A radical new economic system will emerge from the collapse of capitalism:
http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2014/nov/07/radical-new-economic-system-will-emerge-from-collapse-of-capitalism
Seattle is privatizing work involved in evicting people who are homeless from unauthorized camps:
http://www.thestranger.com/news/2016/05/04/24038273/privatizing-the-clearing-of-homeless-encampments
Cuts to NYC shelters could see city’s homeless kicked to the curb:
http://nypost.com/2016/05/09/shelter-cuts-could-kick-citys-homeless-to-the-curb/
Kansans leaving welfare but not poverty:
http://www.kansas.com/opinion/editorials/article76159267.html
A staggering number of people with factory jobs in the US still need government help:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/05/10/the-staggering-number-of-people-with-good-factory-jobs-who-still-need-government-help/
Auckland, NZ, council wants the power to fine people who ask for money on the street:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/303522/auckland-may-fine-beggars
Universal Credit will increase child poverty, UK MPs warn:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/universal-credit-will-increase-child-poverty-mps-warn-a7023061.html
Building Livelihoods poverty project in Wales a success, says charity:
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-36193513
Royal Town Planning Institute says “place poverty” must be tackled:
http://www.localgov.co.uk/Neglect-of-place-poverty-hampering-fight-against-deprivation/40839
How do you change voters minds? Have a conversation:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/10/magazine/how-do-you-change-voters-minds-have-a-conversation.html?_r=0
Pope: The fight against poverty is above all a moral one:
http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/05/13/pope_the_fight_against_poverty_above_all_a_moral_one/1229522
Poor people deserve to taste something other than shame:
http://www.theestablishment.co/2016/05/12/poor-people-deserve-to-taste-something-other-than-shame/
