Top Stories
Federal Budget 2016: Growing the Middle Class:
http://www.budget.gc.ca/2016/home-accueil-en.html
- Budget papers in PDF: http://www.budget.gc.ca/2016/docs/plan/budget2016-en.pdf
- Tax Measures Supplementary Information in PDF: http://www.budget.gc.ca/2016/docs/tm-mf/tax-measures-mesures-fiscales-2016-en.pdf
ISAC commentary and analysis: The 2016 Federal Budget and Income Security:
http://incomesecurity.org/public-education/the-2016-federal-budget-and-income-security/
- CCPA op-ed: Deficit budget sets a new tone for Canada: http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2016/03/23/deficit-budget-sets-new-tone-for-canada.html
- CCPA has compiled analyses of the budget from CCPA staff on a variety of issues and sectors, as well as organizational responses from groups across Canada: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/2016-federal-budget-analysis
- Liberals deliver on Canada Child Benefit: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/03/22/liberals-deliver-on-canada-child-benefit.html
- What the budget means for seniors: http://www.moneysense.ca/save/retirement/what-the-federal-budget-means-for-seniors/
- Big changes coming to employment insurance: http://globalnews.ca/news/2594248/federal-budget-2016-big-changes-coming-to-employment-insurance/
- Struggling Alberta workers say EI benefit changes not nearly enough: http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/struggling-alberta-workers-say-ei-benefit-changes-not-nearly-enough
- First Nations, northern infrastructure to benefit: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/northeastern-ontario-federal-budget-1.3503687
- Ontario’s finance minister welcomes federal budget: http://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2016/03/23/ontario-finance-minister-welcomes-federal-budget-we-have-common-priorities.html
- How the budget will impact Canadians: http://www.thestar.com/business/2016/03/22/crunching-how-the-budget-impacts-real-canadians-tax-payments-credits.html
- Federal budget relies heavily on CRA recouping tax-haven revenues: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/federal-budget-tax-haven-revenue-1.3504628
- Block: Four “eye-popping” takeaways (including action on poverty): https://nowtoronto.com/news/four-eye-popping-takeaways-from-the-2016-federal-budget/
Desperate parents were praying for federal action amid daycare anarchy:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/03/22/desperate-parents-pray-for-federal-action-amid-daycare-anarchy.html
Affordable housing crisis intensifies in Canada:
http://globalnews.ca/news/2586295/ive-given-up-affordable-housing-crisis-intensifies-in-canada/
- Lorinc: Waiting for the other shoe to drop on inclusionary zoning: http://spacing.ca/toronto/2016/03/21/lorinc-waiting-shoe-drop-inclusionary-zoning/
- What people who are homeless need, in their own words: http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/helping-the-homeless-what-they-need-in-their-own-words-1.2819998
Migrant farm worker launches discrimination complaint against WSIB:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/03/21/migrant-farm-worker-launches-discrimination-complaint-against-wsib.html
Basic Income: A radical idea for eliminating poverty:
http://blogs.plos.org/publichealth/2016/03/14/basic-income-a-radical-idea-for-eliminating-poverty/
- Ontario’s basic income pilot is a good idea, but the devil will be in the details, say advocates: http://www.intelligencer.ca/2016/03/18/guaranteed-income-supported-but
- Let’s not do a pilot project: http://politudes.com/2016/03/12/basic-income-lets-not-do-a-pilot-project/
- Why Canada is ripe for universal basic income: http://thewalrus.ca/top-dollar/
- Welcome to the post-work economy: http://www.fastcoexist.com/3056483/welcome-to-the-post-work-economy
Freeman: The Canada Revenue Agency is rotten to the core. It’s time to clean house:
http://ipolitics.ca/2016/03/16/the-canada-revenue-agency-is-rotten-to-the-core-time-to-clean-house/
The worst may be over for food price inflation:
http://www.lfpress.com/2016/03/18/experts-credit-a-rising-loonie-for-good-news-due-soon-on-canadas-food-inflation-front
Ontario
Ontario is lagging on paid sick days, leaving low-wage workers stranded:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/03/22/ontario-lagging-on-paid-sick-days-leaving-low-wage-workers-stranded.html
Opposition leader says Ontario government is hypocritical on mental illness:
http://www.torontosun.com/2016/03/21/ontario-government-hypocritical-on-mental-health-brown
Reports, Events, Campaigns, and Other Good Things
Petition: Support for supervised injection services in the City of Toronto:
https://www.change.org/p/toronto-city-council-support-for-supervised-injection-services-in-the-city-of-toronto?recruiter=1400331&
In Hamilton, April 2: Building Together: A conference by and for renters:
http://www.hamiltontenantssolidarity.ca/buildingtogether/
What tenants in Ontario need to know about the law: New edition now available:
http://yourlegalrights.on.ca/news/what-tenants-need-know-about-law-new-edition-now-available
Around the Province
Low income Regent Park residents lobbying for change to access to local programs:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/regent-park-residents-learn-to-change-programs-to-meet-local-needs/article29296912/
Poverty and fare hikes are the real reasons behind “fraud” at the TTC:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editors/2016/03/18/poverty-behind-most-cases-of-ttc-fraud.html
Working poor adults in Sault Ste. Marie continue to be without adequate dental care:
http://www.saultthisweek.com/2016/03/15/low-income-adults-still-dental-orphans
United Way Sault Ste. Marie getting help to keep giving cash advances for out-of-town medical appointments:
http://www.saultstar.com/2016/03/18/united-way-gets-help
Kids in poverty in St. Catherines encouraged to get active:
http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2016/03/22/kids-in-poverty-encouraged-to-get-active
Across the Country
Minimum wage, social housing, and income benefit promises from Manitoba’s NDP in election campaign:
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/special/provincial-election/ndp-pledge-yearly-minimum-wage-increase-of-50-cents-372685271.html
Low income rental units drying up in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside:
http://www.vancouversun.com/life/income+rental+units+drying+Vancouver+Downtown+Eastside/11799989/story.html
How BC’s social assistance rates prevent access to public transit:
http://themainlander.com/2016/03/17/the-price-of-public-transit-how-social-assistance-rates-prevent-access/
Poverty remains a priority for voters ahead of Saskatchewan election:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/poverty-an-issue-for-voters-before-sask-election-1.3499658
National
Decreasing OAS age eligibility to 65 makes Canada the “odd one out”:
http://business.financialpost.com/personal-finance/retirement/taking-oas-eligibility-back-to-age-65-makes-canada-the-odd-one-out-when-it-comes-to-global-pensions
Immigrants more likely to be self-employed, but is this a function of not getting jobs?:
http://globalnews.ca/news/2591104/immigrants-more-likely-to-start-businesses-than-the-canadian-born-study/
Wellesley: Supervised injection sites play a critical third role in health:
http://www.wellesleyinstitute.com/health/supervised-injection-services-play-a-critical-3rd-role-in-health/
- Bad Tory legislation will have to be repealed for smart drug policy to take effect: http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2016/03/20/tory-law-stands-in-the-way-of-smart-drug-policy.html
Goar: Incarcerating migrants is inhumane:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2016/03/21/incarcerating-migrants-is-inhumane-goar.html
International
Raise our taxes to combat poverty, dozens of New York millionaires tell lawmakers:
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/raise-our-taxes-combat-poverty-say-dozens-new-york-millionaires-1550866
- Here’s the website for the “Patriotic Millionaires”: http://patrioticmillionaires.org/
These 13 US states require drug testing for welfare recipients:
http://extract.suntimes.com/information-resources/10/153/17278/states-that-mandate-drug-testing-welfare-recipients/
UK’s Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith resigns, denouncing further cuts to disability benefits:
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-35848687
- Cameron left with 4.4 billion pounds to find: http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/mar/21/stephen-crabb-government-u-turns-disability-cuts-leaves-budget-disarray
- New Work and Pensions Secretary says “no plans” for further welfare cuts: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/welfare-cuts-no-plans-stephen-crabb-dwp-iain-duncan-smith-pip-disability-benefit-cuts-u-turn-a6944571.html
- But there are other social security cuts that could be made to make up the difference: http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/mar/23/pip-u-turn-billions-of-pounds-welfare-cuts
Europe is “drowning” under the cost of welfare bills:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/03/23/europe-is-now–drowning-under-the-cost-of-welfare-bills/
Government of New Zealand is considering Basic Income:
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/politics/376999/labour-considers-universal-basic-income-policyMedia