Top Stories:
Rob Rainer and Linda Silas, on the growing gap making Canadians sick:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/publiceditor/article/1226505–rich-poor-gap-is-making-canadians-sick
Around the Province:
Funding for Toronto’s priority neighbourhoods about to dry up:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/1226653–toronto-s-priority-neighbourhoods-money-to-stem-poverty-violent-crime-about-to-dry-up
Sir Michael Marmot tells Steve Paikin how economic and social inequality can affect people’s health and life expectancy:
http://ww3.tvo.org/video/179408/michael-marmot-social-determinants-health
I’ve shared this one before, but now there’s more…
- Families of people with disabilities target Duncan’s office in Windsor over funding:http://www.windsorstar.com/health/Families+people+with+disabilities+target+Duncan/6822606/story.html
- Milloy responds in a letter to the editor:http://www.windsorstar.com/health/Cutting+inequities+system/6846075/story.html
- Local activists respond to Milloy’s letter:http://www.windsorstar.com/health/Disabled+need+more+support/6933577/story.html
National:
Thousands of laid off public sector workers face new hurdle – a redefinition of “merit”:
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/layoffs+seen+first+test+definition+merit/6937633/story.html#ixzz20oUkLATv
Teen thrown out of Conservative BBQ for asking minister about refugee health care:
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/teen-gets-removed-while-asking-immigration-minister-a-question-during-tory-bbq-162497366.html
Teen now wants to publicly debate minister:
http://metronews.ca/news/edmonton/298079/edmonton-teen-wants-to-debate-federal-immigration-minister/
The Toronto Star’s Christopher Hume on the Death of Evidence:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/1226243–christopher-hume-stephen-harper-is-blind-to-science
Rick Salutin on proportional representation:
http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/article/1226302–democracy-disconnect-part-2-correcting-canada-s-democratic-deficit
Special Section on Recent USA Welfare Changes:
This Memo was issued last Thursday, allowing US states (who administer welfare – the TANF program) to apply for waivers for the strict work requirement for eligibility, to test new welfare-to-work programs and reduce bureaucracy – a massive policy change:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/policy/im-ofa/2012/im201203/im201203.html
Then, all hell breaks loose:
- Heritage Foundation starts off with this damning blog post: http://blog.heritage.org/2012/07/12/obama-guts-welfare-reform/
- Next, we learn that the Heritage Foundation was one of the architects behind the welfare law:http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2012/07/republicans-cry-foul-over-obama-welfare-revisions/1
- “Obama’s imperious use of executive orders and refusal to enforce the laws of the land fairly and completely is a constitutional disgrace”: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/post/obama-to-clinton-welfare-reform-drop-dead/2012/07/14/gJQAM49XkW_blog.html
- Romney slams the move, saying “the linkage of work and welfare is essential to prevent welfare from becoming a way of life”: http://washingtonexaminer.com/romney-hits-obama-move-gutting-welfare-reform/article/2502070
- The Obama directive “bludgeons the letter and intent of the actual reform legislation”:http://www.rightsidenews.com/2012071516650/us/politics-and-economics/obama-guts-welfare-reform.html
- Obama “has clinched the argument for the opposition”:http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20120716/OPINION/120716030/Mona-Charen-Obama-s-fatal-misstep-welfare-?nclick_check=1
- Bureaucrat defends the move, saying “caseworkers are spending more time complying with federal-documentation requirements than helping parents find jobs” (sounds familiar):http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303644004577525253742799344.html
- The change means “alternative plans could ‘combine learning and work’ to fulfill the work requirement, or let ‘vocational educational training or job search /readiness programs’ count as well”:http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/07/13/republicans-accuse-hhs-gutting-welfare-reform-with-quiet-policy-change/
- Defence comes while under fire: http://www.politico.com/politico44/2012/07/obama-administration-defends-welfare-changes-128889.html
- “Welfare could become another social policy flash point between Republicans in Congress and the administration”:http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jhXzAqNPD1kPYgQtATmOJ9qbWH1w?docId=29699079f02c4ec88e0258570dfb8b88
- Blogger says “Quite simply, this is illegal”: http://blogs.ajc.com/kyle-wingfield/2012/07/13/obama-tramples-welfare-reform-rule-of-law/
- Republican senator says “By waiving the law’s requirements, President Obama will make it harder for Americans to escape poverty”:http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/07/upending-welfare-reform-obama-criticized-for-giving-states-more-flexibility/
- Blogger says the move is an underhanded scheme to manipulate unemployment statistics:http://lubbockonline.com/interact/blog-post/may/2012-07-14/obama%E2%80%99s-scheme-reduce-unemployment
- Welfare waiver called “horrible policy”: http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2012/07/14/va-governor-calls-welfare-waiver-horrible-policy
- But, notes this writer, Republican states asked for the waivers:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/13/mitt-romney-welfare-change_n_1672173.html
- Nonetheless, Utah Rep. Senator slams Obama: http://utahpulse.com/bookmark/19328316-Hatch-Slams-Change-In-Welfare-Law
- Hatch says he will introduce legislation to prevent waivers: http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/238201-hatch-vows-to-prevent-obama-from-changing-welfare-work-requirement
- Some Rep. senators like it and some don’t: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/07/15/gop-governors-differ-on-obama-change-to-welfare-branstad-says-illegal/
- Salon blogger says, “So I dunno, I guess the Obama administration is circumventing the law to … make it slightly easier for poor people to receive assistance, which on the whole I think I approve of.”:http://www.salon.com/2012/07/16/triangulators_panic_obama_weakening_welfare_reform/
- And, after all that – here’s how waivers will actually strengthen US welfare reform:http://galesburgplanet.com/posts/16425