ISAC’s election kit and associated resources are ready for you to use in your community.
Election Day is June 7, and the official election campaign started on May 9.
An election period provides a vital opportunity to advocate on issues that are important for low-income people across Ontario. It’s a time when the political parties and candidates in your local area, as well as members of the general public, can hear from you about the poverty-related issues you care about.
We have prepared resources that you can use to put poverty – and the need for better income security programs in Ontario – on the front burner in this election.
Our “Election Kit” (click here) / Notre « Kit d’election » (cliquez ici) includes information on:
- How election organizing is part of overall community organizing efforts
- How to hold an all-candidates meeting, do one-on-one candidate visits, and organize a coordinated calling day
- Talking about the issues at public meetings, and through traditional and social media
- Hosting a planning meeting with members of your community
- How to find your local political candidates.
Our “Fast Facts” (click here) / Notre « Faits saillants – Pauvreté et aide sociale » (click here) gives you stats on poverty and social assistance, in your community and beyond, that you can use to:
- Back up your arguments with your local political candidates
- Bolster your fact sheets, backgrounders, letters to the editor, and other materials
- Target future organizing opportunities with particular low-income groups in your community.
Our “Questions for the Parties” (click here) / Notre « Questions aux partis politiques ontariens » (cliquez ici) can be used by:
- Asking the questions at All Candidates Meetings
- Including the questions in communications with your local candidates
- Sharing the questions with others in your community to raise the issues.
We have sent these questions to Ontario’s main political parties and will be circulating the responses we receive after May 25.
Analyses of Party Positions
- Health Providers Against Poverty: Poverty & Health Report Card: https://healthprovidersagainstpoverty.ca/ (click here)
- Workers Comp is a Right: Party Responses: http://injuredworkersonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/2018-election-Party-responses.pdf (click here)
Other Resources
Other groups have prepared important election materials, including questions you can ask local candidates, election kits, and backgrounders on other important poverty and social justice issues:
- $15 and Fairness: 15 and Fairness – Questions – Election 2018 (click here)
- ACTO – Housing: ACTO – Elections Q_Housing (click here)
- Canadian Mental Health Association: https://erasethedifference.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Housing-Toolkit-Final.pdf (click here)
- ISARC (Interfaith Social Assistance Reform Coalition): http://isarc.ca/ (click here)
- Legal Aid and Legal Clinics: Ontario Election – Legal Aid and Legal Clinics (click here)
- Making Voices Count: http://www.makingvoicescount.ca/ (click here)
- Niagara Poverty Reduction Network / Wipe Out Poverty: https://www.wipeoutpoverty.ca/elections2018 (click here)
- No Health Without Mental Health: Ontario Mental Health and Addictions Alliance – 2018 Election one pager (click here)
- Ontario Campaign 2000: https://ontariocampaign2000.ca/2018-ontario-election-resource-kit/ (click here)
- Ontario Coalition for Better Childcare: http://www.childcareontario.org/election_campaign_toolkit (click here)
- ODSP Action Coalition: ODSP Action Coalition – Election 2018 – Key Messages (click here)
- Ontario for All: https://ontarioforall.ca/ (click here)
- Ontario Nonprofit Network: http://theonn.ca/our-work/election2018/ (click here)
- Real Health Care for Injured Workers: Real Healthcare for Injured Workers – Question for candidates – Election 2018 (click here)
- Social Planning Toronto / Democratic Engagement Exchange / Apathy is Boring: http://www.apathyisboring.com/vote (click here)
- Voices of Scarborough / Power in Community: https://voicesofscarborough.tumblr.com/ (click here)
- Workers Comp is a Right: http://injuredworkersonline.org/workers-comp-is-a-right-campaign (click here)
Check back here often as we will post other materials and links as we receive them.
We will also post a “How To Vote” backgrounder as soon as possible.
- In the meantime, check the Elections Ontario website at https://www.elections.on.ca/en.html.
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We hope these tools and resources will help you center poverty in your community during the election and beyond.