Ontario Budget 2012
Horwath and McGuinty agree on a budget plan:
Star editorial:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/article/1166693–dalton-mcguinty-and-andrea-horwath-have-cut-a-sensible-deal-to-avert-an-election
The official statement:
http://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2012/04/accelerating-ontarios-balanced-budget-plan.html
Sheila Block at Wellesley reminds us: “While we acknowledge this progress, we must not lose sight of the overall impact of this budget. There will be a real, per capita decrease in program spending. Ontarians will lose services.”
http://www.wellesleyinstitute.com/economics/small-steps-are-good-but-services-jobs-and-equality-is-best-for-all/
Martin Regg Cohn says it was McGuinty that put OW on the table:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1166737–cohn-liberals-and-ndp-are-now-budget-bffs
The Sun reiterates this:
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/04/23/mcguinty-horwath-hold-meeting-ahead-of-budget-vote
Some coverage of the Day of Action last Saturday:
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1165889–thousands-descend-on-queen-s-park-to-protest-mcguinty-budget
Folks in London work hard to petition for more fairness:
http://www.londoncommunitynews.com/2012/04/social-sector-workers-petitioning-against-proposed-sector-cuts/
Other Budget Implications for Social Assistance:
Cap on health-related OW benefits means City of Hamilton will have to decide:
http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/701941–hamilton-social-assistance-benefits-at-risk-with-provincial-cutbacks
Other Ontario Issues
Carol Goar thinks hope is fading for a “humane welfare system” in Ontario
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/1166017–hopes-fade-for-humane-welfare-system-in-ontario?bn=1
Radwanski says Ontario will conduct a “top-to-bottom” review of spending:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/adam-radwanski/ontario-set-for-a-top-to-bottom-review-of-spending/article2404590/
Ontario court orders costs awarded to fired long-serving worker:
http://www.moneyville.ca/blog/post/1163396–fired-after-36-years-worker-gets-2-years-pay
Around the Province
Lack of doctors in the north means people with disabilities can’t get onto ODSP:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/story/2012/04/16/tby-odsp-documents.html
Ontario’s poor give McGuinty mannequin an earful:
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1163868–ontario-s-poor-give-premier-mcguinty-s-mannequin-an-earful?bn=1#article
Economic Inequality meeting in Toronto this Wednesday – featuring Stapleton and Block!
http://www.economicinequality.ca/2012/03/31/public-meeting-monday-april-16th/
Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction puts a face to social assistance:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSO8iRgkZEM&feature=youtu.be
Peel Region changes the way it measures wait times on its housing waiting list:
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1165426–wait-for-affordable-housing-in-peel-drops-6-years-in-theory-only
People in York Region working to increase understanding of poverty:
http://www.catholicregister.org/news/toronto-gta/item/14293-raising-poverty-awareness
Lakehead Social Planning releases My Neighbour – Our Community video:
http://www.chroniclejournal.com/content/news/local/2012/04/19/video-gives-life-poverty%E2%80%99s-faces
Federal Issues:
Stats Can gets hit with further budget cuts; means fewer surveys, less staff:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/budget-cuts-leave-statscan-girding-for-fewer-surveys-less-staff/article2410623/
Stats Can set to contravene longstanding no layoff policy:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/statscan-to-abandon-no-layoff-policy-as-budget-cuts-loom/article2320334/