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Income Security Advocacy Centre

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Media & Policy News: 17 July 2012

July 17, 2012

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

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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.