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Income Security Advocacy Centre

Income Security Advocacy Centre

ISAC works to address issues of income security and poverty in Ontario

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Urgent Call to Action: Bill C-585 threatens social assistance for refugee claimants

August 21, 2014

Bill C-585 is a federal Private Member’s Bill which has serious implications for the income security of refugee claimants and other people without permanent status in Canada. If passed, the Bill would allow provinces to restrict access to social assistance benefits for these groups by imposing minimum residency requirements for eligibility.

The Bill does this by eroding the last remaining “national standard” for the Canada Social Transfer which prevents provinces from imposing a minimum period of residency for social assistance eligibility.

Taking action now is critical because Bill C-585 is scheduled to be debated at Second Reading on September 16, 2014. Expressing opposition before this date could lead to the Bill being defeated or withdrawn.

Update – Sept 11: Second Reading on Bill C-585 has been delayed until September 23 – ONE MORE WEEK TO TAKE ACTION!

Use our Information and Action Kit to understand and respond to the Bill. The Kit includes a Backgrounder, a template letter to MP’s, a list of email addresses for all MPs, and recommended actions to oppose this Bill.

  • Information and Action Kit: English
  • Trousse information et mobilisation: français

One immediate action you can take is to circulate the Information and Action Kit as widely as possible to your members, networks, and others who might be interested.

Other actions you should take as soon as possible are:

  • Send a letter to MP’s, using the template letter as a guide, to tell them to vote against the Bill
  • Send a letter to MP Corneliu Chisu, the sponsor of this Private Members Bill
  • Ask your members and/or those you circulate the kit to, to send a letter to MP’s
  • Post this Kit on your website and ask your members and others to do the same.

Please remember to BCC all correspondence to isac@lao.on.ca.

Community Organizing, Policy Advocacy, Refugee Law

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Income Security Advocacy Centre

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1500 – 55 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5J 2H7
Tel: (416) 597-5820 • Toll Free: 1-866-245-4072 • Fax: (416) 597-5821

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This site contains general legal information for people in Ontario, Canada. It is not intended to be used as legal advice for a specific legal problem. ISAC is a not-for-profit, non-partisan organization. ISAC is funded by Legal Aid Ontario (LAO). The funding for this website is also provided by LAO. The views expressed in any of ISAC’s publications (including written, oral, or visual) are the views of the clinic and do not necessarily reflect those of LAO.