Top Stories
Ford to recall Ontario legislature on July 11 – Throne Speech July 12, session starts July 16:
https://ipolitics.ca/2018/06/29/ford-to-recall-ontario-legislature-on-july-11/
Five Tory MPPs interested in becoming speaker of the House:
https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2018/07/04/five-tory-mpps-interested-in-becoming-speaker-of-the-house.html
Provincial funds for social housing repairs now in grave doubt, Tory concedes:
https://www.cp24.com/news/provincial-funds-for-social-housing-repairs-now-in-grave-doubt-tory-concedes-1.3998150
OHIP+ to no longer give kids, young adults with private insurance free medication:
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2018/06/30/ohip-to-no-longer-give-kids-young-adults-with-private-insurance-free-medication.html
- Ontario Health Coalition: Doug Ford’s first cut will hurt families with the sickest children the most: http://www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca/index.php/release-doug-fords-first-cut-will-hurt-families-with-the-sickest-children-the-most/
- Regg Cohn: Pharmacare the first casualty of Doug Ford’s hasty hidden agenda: https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/2018/07/04/pharmacare-the-first-casualty-of-doug-fords-hasty-hidden-agenda.html
- What Ontario’s changes to OHIP+ tell us about the future of national pharmacare: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-what-ontarios-changes-to-ohip-tell-us-about-the-future-of-national/
Ford government is ending co-operation with Ottawa on resettlement of asylum seekers:
https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2018/07/05/ford-government-is-ending-cooperation-with-ottawa-on-resettlement-of-asylum-seekers.html
- Trudeau suggests Ford doesn’t fully understand Canada’s refugee system: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-ontario-says-federal-government-should-pay-for-mess-caused-by-border/
- Ford government’s move to withdraw support for resettlement of asylum seekers ‘short-sighted,’ says Vaughan: https://www.hilltimes.com/2018/07/05/ford-governments-move-withdraw-support-resettlement-asylum-seekers-short-sighted-says-vaughan/150317
- Canadian Council for Refugees: The US is less safe than ever for refugees, evidence filed in court challenge shows: http://ccrweb.ca/en/media/safe-third-court-challenge-july-2018
Premier Doug Ford puts new police oversight laws on hold:
https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2018/07/03/premier-doug-ford-puts-new-police-oversight-laws-on-hold.html
Price cap on ticket resales delayed by new Premier Doug Ford:
https://www.thestar.com/news/investigations/2018/07/04/ticket-resale-price-cap-delayed-by-new-premier-doug-ford.html
Ontario Tory government halts Liberals’ vaping rules and ticket resale price caps:
https://globalnews.ca/news/4311665/ontario-government-ticket-resale/
- Reevely: Ontario Tories halt changes to policing, ticket-scalping and vaping rules, don’t tell public for days: https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/reevely-ontario-tories-halt-changes-to-policing-ticket-scalping-and-vaping-rules-dont-tell-public-for-days
Doug Ford kicks off premiership with a pay freeze on public service managers:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-doug-ford-kicks-off-premiership-with-a-pay-freeze-on-public-service/
Doug Ford fires privatization czar, chief investment officer and chief scientist:
https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2018/07/04/doug-ford-fires-privatization-czar-chief-investment-officer-chief-scientist.html
“Opening of the books” underway in Ontario, new finance minister Vic Fedeli says:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/new-ontario-finance-minister-1.4731800
Trudeau government reviewing $420 million in transfer payments to Ontario after Doug Ford begins ‘orderly wind-down’ of green programs:
https://www.nationalobserver.com/2018/07/03/news/trudeau-government-reviewing-420-million-transfer-payments-ontario-after-doug-ford
- Greens, NDP compare scrapping cap and trade to cancelling gas plants: https://torontosun.com/news/provincial/greens-ndp-compare-scrapping-cap-and-trade-to-cancelling-gas-plants?video_autoplay=true
Star op-ed: Ontario’s Ford government shouldn’t close supervised injection sites:
https://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2018/07/03/ontarios-ford-government-shouldnt-close-supervised-injection-sites.html
Doug Ford inserted himself into city’s plans for Etobicoke homeless shelter:
https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2018/07/04/doug-ford-inserted-himself-into-citys-plans-for-etobicoke-homeless-shelter.html
Mulroney wants to talk bail reform with feds over gun violence:
https://torontosun.com/news/provincial/mulroney-wants-to-talk-bail-reform-with-feds-over-gun-violence
Other Ontario
Almost Forever PC: David Croll and Mitch Hepburn were the only Liberals to ever enact social assistance legislation in Ontario:
http://openpolicyontario.com/almost-forever-pc-david-croll-mitch-hepburn-were-the-only-liberals-to-ever-enact-social-assistance-legislation-in-ontario/
Now is the time to push for action against homelessness, say Anglican advocates:
https://www.anglicanjournal.com/articles/now-is-the-time-to-push-for-action-against-homelessness-say-anglican-advocates/
Bare shelves at one Ontario food bank illustrate summer struggle:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/summers-struggle-ontario-food-banks-1.4727706
Other Top Stories
Broadbent and Page: The right to housing is essential to resolving Canada’s housing crisis:
https://maytree.com/publications/the-right-to-housing-is-essential-to-resolving-canadas-housing-crisis/
Disability and the job churn:
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/monitor/disability-and-job-churn
Is precarious work really as bad for the economy as everyone says it is?:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/rob-magazine/article-is-precarious-work-really-as-bad-for-the-economy-as-everyone-says-it/
The norm for working hours may be that there is no norm:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-the-norm-for-working-hours-may-be-that-there-is-no-norm/
Economy adds 31,800 jobs in June, unemployment rate rises to 6.0%:
https://ipolitics.ca/2018/07/06/economy-adds-31800-jobs-in-june-unemployment-rate-rises-to-6-0/
BC government announces study of basic income for all residents:
http://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-government-basic-income-residents-research-2018
- Business in Vancouver: Task force struck to study basic guaranteed income: https://biv.com/article/2018/07/task-force-struck-study-basic-guaranteed-income
- BC to explore how basic income could work in the province: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/b-c-to-explore-how-basic-income-could-work-in-the-province-1.4733084
The CRA makes life more difficult for people with disabilities:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-the-cra-makes-life-more-difficult-for-people-with-disabilities/
Hundreds of thousands of families in Canada live in daycare “deserts” report says:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/hundreds-of-thousands-families-in-canada-live-in-daycare-deserts-report-says-1.4726949
Reports, Events, Campaigns and Other Good Things
The future of work: What do we do? Queen’s International Institute on Social Policy: August 15-18:
https://www.queensu.ca/qiisp/
Policy Options: How a guaranteed income could work:
http://policyoptions.irpp.org/magazines/july-2018/how-a-guaranteed-income-could-work/
Addressing poverty and metal illness:
http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/special-reports/addressing-poverty-and-mental-illness
New Legislative Assembly of Ontario website:
https://www.ola.org/
Ontario Orders-In-Council online:
https://www.ontario.ca/search/orders-in-council
Around the Province
London Housing Registry closes after 3 decades:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/london-housing-registry-closes-1.4732681
US steel tariffs result in 40 layoffs in Sault Ste. Marie:
https://theprovince.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/u-s-steel-tariffs-result-in-lay-offs-in-sault-ste-marie-ontario/wcm/2c74f09b-7446-461d-822b-320207ae56ff
Toronto Mayor’s affordable housing plan “missing the mark,” advocates say:
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2018/07/05/mayors-affordable-housing-plan-missing-the-mark-advocates-say.html
Toronto needs to change its definition of affordable housing, advocacy group says:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-acorn-canada-affordable-housing-1.4734473
Disabled Gananoque man’s electricity cut off:
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/disabled-man-in-gananoque-has-power-cut-off
Heron Gate evictions in Ottawa a human rights issue, says housing advocate:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/heron-gate-residents-fight-to-stay-in-their-homes-amid-eviction-1.4728259
Windsor west end school sees food donations for hungry summer months:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/operation-windsor-hungry-tummy-windsor-west-1.4725715
Child poverty in Nipissing-Temiskaming still much too high:
http://www.nugget.ca/2018/06/26/child-poverty-still-much-too-high
Why shopkeepers in Peterborough have enlisted a low-income cleanup crew:
https://tvo.org/article/current-affairs/why-shopkeepers-in-one-ontario-city-have-enlisted-a-low-income-cleanup-crew
Chatham-Kent-Leamington child poverty rates slightly higher than national average:
http://www.chathamdailynews.ca/2018/06/28/chatham-kent-leamington-rates-slightly-higher-than-national-average
Child poverty rates among lowest in Kitchener-Conestoga in riding-by-riding study:
https://observerxtra.com/2018/06/28/child-poverty-rates-among-lowest-in-kitchener-conestoga-in-riding-by-riding-study/
Across the Country
Poverty, racism, disability issues top Yukon’s human rights concerns, conference hears:
https://www.yukon-news.com/news/poverty-racism-disability-issues-top-yukons-human-rights-concerns-conference-hears/
Federal government increases funding for NWT job training:
https://cabinradio.ca/7590/news/economy/federal-government-increases-funding-for-nwt-job-training/
Poverty counts as neglect as families torn apart in B.C. for being poor:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-how-poverty-is-tearing-families-apart-in-bc/
Without housing, health care for the homeless and mentally ill brings limited results, Vancouver study finds:
https://www.straight.com/life/1093611/without-housing-health-care-homeless-and-mentally-ill-brings-limited-results-vancouver
Vancouver transit system “open to starting dialogue” on free transit for children, youths:
https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/translink-open-to-starting-dialogue-on-free-transit-for-children-youths
Legal Aid cutting staff in Saskatoon office:
http://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/legal-aid-cutting-staff-in-saskatoon-office
- Legal Aid layoffs cause concern among Saskatoon legal community: https://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/legal-aid-layoffs-cause-concern-among-saskatoon-legal-community-1.4000405
Social assistance changes in New Brunswick provide help for mom:
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/opinion/letter-to-the-editor/opinion-changes-provide-help-for-mom-223890/
- Changes highlight lack of understanding by government when looking at poverty, finding solutions: http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/opinion/letter-to-the-editor/opinion-poverty-a-serious-problem-223606/
New Brunswick announces 5 days of paid leave for domestic violence victims:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/domestic-violence-paid-leave-new-brunswick-1.4728534
National
Canada needs to get out of the immigration detention business:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/opinion/immigration-detention-1.4733897
Council that regulates immigration consultants accused of fraud, forgery and human rights violations:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/immigration-consultants-council-court-filing-1.4729412
People “dying unnecessarily” because of racial bias in Canada’s health care system, researcher says:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/health-care-racial-bias-north-1.4731483
New ruling on freedom of speech will help protect against hate:
https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2018/07/04/new-ruling-on-freedom-of-speech-will-help-protect-against-hate.html
$7.5 million settlement approved in GoodLife class action:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/goodlife-class-action-lawsuit-settlement-1.4733718
John Ivison: Who’s more vulnerable than our venerable seniors? In fact, just about everyone:
https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/john-ivison-whos-more-vulnerable-than-our-venerable-seniors-in-fact-just-about-everyone
Increase to OAS benefits takes effect July 1:
https://www.benefitscanada.com/news/increase-to-oas-benefits-take-effect-july-1-116627
Ottawa details list of US tariff targets, offers billions in support for Canadian industry and Employment Insurance:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-ottawa-to-give-more-than-1-billion-in-loans-funding-to-steel-and/
International
Why the world should adopt a basic income:
https://www.economist.com/open-future/2018/07/04/why-the-world-should-adopt-a-basic-income?fsrc=scn%2Ffb%2Fte%2Fbl%2Fed%2F
- Who really stands to win from Universal Basic Income: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/07/09/who-really-stands-to-win-from-universal-basic-income
- Basic income grant in South Africa more morally just and effective than minimum wage:
https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/2018-07-04-basic-income-grant-more-morally-just-and-effective-than-minimum-wage/
Opposition says UK Work and Pensions Secretary “should resign for misleading on welfare changes”:
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jul/04/esther-mcvey-welfare-secretary-misled-parliament-over-reforms-auditors-say#top
- UK “will miss fuel poverty target by more than six decades”: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jul/03/government-fuel-poverty-target-ippr-energy-efficiency
“A delicate balance”: Minimum wage hikes in the US squeeze restaurants amid fewer customers, worker shortages:
https://business.financialpost.com/news/retail-marketing/a-delicate-balance-minimum-wage-hikes-squeeze-restaurants-amid-fewer-customers-worker-shortages
- Latest minimum wage hike comes as some Los Angeles employers launch bidding wars for scarce workers: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-labor-market-minimum-wage-20180701-story.html
- Minimum wage? It’s time to talk about a maximum wage:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jun/30/minimum-wage-maximum-wage-income-inequality
US SNAP work requirements could increase deep poverty for some:
https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/article214228284.html
What we get wrong about the poverty gap in education:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/made-by-history/wp/2018/07/02/what-we-get-wrong-about-the-poverty-gap-in-education/?utm_term=.1eac80c77979
Biggest ever poverty survey in New Zealand gets underway:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1807/S00017/biggest-ever-poverty-survey-gets-underway.htm
- New Zealand’s Prime Minister welcomes new welfare reforms from the sofa with new baby: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/02/jacinda-ardern-new-zealand-welfare-reforms-baby
Australia welfare recipients to undergo face scan in order to get payments:
https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/security/welfare-recipients-to-undergo-face-scan-in-order-to-get-payments/news-story/9ca653201454c0f64c5b331a36564cf5
- The drastic change for welfare recipients to get benefits: https://au.news.yahoo.com/drastic-change-welfare-recipients-get-benefits-105539510.html
Ending poverty the way to better health:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jul/05/ending-poverty-the-way-to-better-health
