Top Stories
Advocacy groups seeking clarity on federal government’s “social infrastructure” pledge:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/advocacy-groups-seek-clarity-on-liberal-social-infrastructure-pledge/article28101578/
Will 2016 be the year the world tumbles back into economic crisis:
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jan/09/2016-world-tumbles-back-economic-crisis
Joe Gunn: Five qualities a federal anti-poverty plan must include:
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/joe-gunn/liberals-canadian-poverty-reduction-strategy_b_8954056.html
Goar: How the Liberals can tackle income inequality:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/columnists/2016/01/13/how-the-liberals-can-tackle-income-inequality-goar.html
Google Canada’s got a new headquarters in Kitchener-Waterloo. Great, but will they pay their taxes:
http://www.taxfairness.ca/en/news/google-canada-please-pay-your-taxes
- Google thinks ending global poverty is within reach and wants tech entrepreneurs to figure out how: http://9to5google.com/2016/01/14/google-end-poverty-summit/ (ed. note: hint – pay your taxes)
Ontario
Ontario releases ministry-by-ministry progress reports on mandate letter priorities:
https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2016/01/ontario-releases-progress-reports-to-the-public-for-the-first-time.html
- Here’s a direct link to the Cabinet Minister response letters: https://www.ontario.ca/page/cabinet-minister-response-letters?_ga=1.53383528.1998352270.1408027848
The inequality of carding:
http://www.torontosun.com/2016/01/10/the-inequality-of-carding
Why workers are fed up with Ontario’s precarious, low-wage economy:
http://www.pressprogress.ca/this_is_why_workers_are_fed_up_with_ontario_precarious_low_wage_economy
Workers still empty-handed after ruling in $675,000 wage-theft case:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/01/11/workers-empty-handed-months-after-ministry-slams-bosses-in-675000-wage-theft-case.html
ORPP Administration Corporation appoints CEO:
https://news.ontario.ca/mof/en/2016/01/ontario-retirement-pension-plan-administration-corporation-appoints-ceo.html
Reports, Events, Campaigns
Angus Reid poll results on Canadians’ view on disability and accessibility:
http://angusreid.org/rhf-accessibility/
Stats Can Consumer Price Index survey for November 2015 – see data on food price increases:
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/151218/dq151218b-eng.pdf
Around the Province
First Nations parents say schools must be built on reserve as children won’t be sent to Thunder Bay:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/first-nations-student-deaths-inquest-build-schools-on-reserve-parents-say-1.3399320?cmp=abfb
Getting ahead means addressing poverty in Huntsville:
http://www.muskokaregion.com/news-story/6230871–getting-ahead-means-addressing-poverty-in-huntsville/
Guaranteed income eyed by advocacy groups in St. Catherines:
http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2016/01/12/guaranteed-income-eyed-by-advocacy-groups
Op-Ed: A fairer property tax system would address Toronto’s revenue problem:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2016/01/12/fairer-property-taxes-would-help-address-torontos-revenue-problem.html
Op-Ed: The stars are aligning for affordable housing in Toronto:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-commentary/the-stars-align-for-affordable-housing-in-toronto/article28133940/
North Bay man invested into Order of Ontario for work with local people with low incomes:
https://www.baytoday.ca/local-news/local-man-invested-into-order-of-ontario-86755
Across the Country
BC Ministry of Finance issues report critical of government’s public-private partnerships:
http://m.thetyee.ca/Opinion/2015/01/08/P3-Loving-Liberals/
PEI mom claims discrimination against daughter by disability support program:
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/News/Local/2016-01-13/article-4403176/Mother-claims-discrimination-on-P.E.I.-against-mentally-ill-daughter/1
Insurance companies in Alberta launch “layoff insurance” to “complement” Employment Insurance:
http://news.sys-con.com/node/3634344
Poverty dolls raise awareness of child poverty in Cape Breton:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/poverty-dolls-glace-bay-1.3399183
Saskatchewan is still without a Poverty Reduction Strategy:
http://leaderpost.com/news/local-news/province-still-without-poverty-reduction-strategy
National
Federal homeless count facing data gaps as big cities opt out:
http://globalnews.ca/news/2448064/federally-run-homeless-count-facing-data-gaps-as-big-cities-opt-out/?platform=hootsuite
Minimum income idea is gaining steam as jurisdictions look for ways to manage welfare and benefits:
http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/prospect-of-minimum-income-gaining-steam-as-canada-clamours-for-new-ways-to-manage-welfare-and-benefits
Morneau says Liberals will “get Canadians moving” and restore middle-class economic progress:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/bill-morneau-pre-budget-consultations-montreal-1.3400269
Sun column: Liberals forgetting lower income Canadians:
http://www.torontosun.com/2016/01/08/liberals-forgetting-lower-income-canadians
Loonie below 70 cents US for first time since 2003:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/markets-loonie-oil-1.3399971
- For every cent the Canadian dollar drops, imported foods – like Florida oranges – will cost 1% more: http://business.financialpost.com/news/economy/heres-how-much-more-canadians-will-have-to-pay-for-fruits-and-veg-because-of-our-low-dollar
- Cheap Canadian dollar making fruits and vegetables much more expensive: http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/loonie-grocery-costs-1.3399841
- Here’s how much more Canadians will have to pay for fruits and veg because of our low dollar: http://business.financialpost.com/news/economy/heres-how-much-more-canadians-will-have-to-pay-for-fruits-and-veg-because-of-our-low-dollar
Postal banking would put a dent in the payday loan business:
http://thechronicleherald.ca/letters/1332902-postal-banking-would-dent-payday-loan-business
The new PMO is enthusiastic, but swamped – they have a mountain to climb:
http://www.hilltimes.com/news/news/2016/01/11/trudeaus-pmo-enthusiastic-but-swamped-its-not-a-hill-its-a-mountain-theyre-about-to/44800?mcl=&muid=
Twelve Canadians who will wield influence in 2016:
http://www.hilltimes.com/inside-politics/2016/01/11/twelve-canadians-who-will-wield-influence-in-2016/44764?mcl=&muid=
International
It’s not true that giving cash to the poor means they’ll just spend it on “booze and ciggies”:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/75556427/the-myth-of-how-families-in-poverty-spend-their-money
Royal Bank of Scotland tells investors to “sell everything” in advance of a global stock market calamity:
http://aidamanduley.com/2016/01/12/david-bowie-time-to-mourn-or-call-out-2/
UK PM Cameron says there’s “no conflict” between fighting poverty and cutting benefits:
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jan/11/david-cameron-no-conflict-improving-lives-cutting-benefits-poverty?CMP=share_btn_fb
UK Tories reject move to ensure rented homes fit for human habitation:
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jan/12/tories-reject-move-to-ensure-rented-homes-fit-for-human-habitation
US Republicans talk poverty – for a day:
http://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2016-35285423
Jeb Bush’s welfare reform plan would only make life worse for America’s poor:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/jeb-bush-passes-the-buck-on-the-poor/2016/01/11/aeb6f77a-b897-11e5-99f3-184bc379b12d_story.html