Top Stories
Andrea Horwath announced yesterday that the NDP will support the Ontario budget:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2013/05/21/ndp-horwath-budget-decision.html
Here’s the release from the NDP:
http://ontariondp.com/en/horwath-proud-of-results-new-democrats-have-achieved-for-families
Here’s Wynne responding to Horwath’s announcement:
http://www.680news.com/2013/05/21/video-premier-wynne-reacts-after-andrea-horwath-says-shell-support-budget/
Here are some of the implications of the budget for people receiving social assistance:
http://us4.campaign-archive2.com/?u=095b12c98935ecaadd327bf90&id=bd6fe81b87
Government’s announcement about the budget’s changes to social assistance:
http://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2013/05/transforming-social-assistance.html
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A fantastic op-ed from Pat Steenberg that asks (and answers), “Why, if the total national wealth continues to grow, in absolute terms, do our governments say they can no longer afford to meet our needs?”
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2013/05/21/canadian_deficits_are_a_distribution_problem_not_a_wealth_problem.html
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Today, “Wipe Out Poverty in Niagara” launches!
http://www.wipeoutpoverty.ca/
Advance coverage:
http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2013/05/17/wipe-out-poverty-in-niagara-launch-next-week
Reports, Presentations and Resources
New info from the OECD on income inequality:
http://www.oecd.org/social/inequality.htm
CCPA’s Armine Yalnizyan’s presentation on inequality to the federal Standing Committee on Finance:
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/National%20Office/2013/04/Armine_Inequality_Presentation_HOC_Finance_Committee.pdf
Report from the UK, “Fairer Tax for a Better Economy”
http://www.ippr.org/publication/55/10756/fairer-tax-for-a-better-economy
A workshop guide on understanding and responding to the links between trauma and homelessness:
http://rabble.ca/toolkit/workshop/homelessness-and-traumatic-stress#.UZEu-5EFq-U.facebook
Ontario
Drowning in the welfare well – why we need to reform social assistance:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/facts-and-arguments/laid-off-in-2010-im-drowning-in-the-welfare-well/article11858895/
Canadian Council for Refugees releases report cards on treatment of migrant workers; OFL calls on Ontario to take responsibility:
http://ofl.ca/index.php/damning-report-ontario-failing-migrant-workers-ofl-calls-wynne-government-protect-rights-vulnerable-workers/
John Clarke’s analysis of a threat to positive social assistance reform:
http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/821.php
Around the Province
Toronto company produces technologies to improve job prospects for people with disabilities:
http://yongestreetmedia.ca/features/komodo051513.aspx
In Toronto, Council votes in favour of health services for those without coverage due to their immigration status:
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/ritika-goel/toronto-refugee-health-care_b_3264351.html?utm_hp_ref=tw
In Sudbury, S-CAP works on the fallout after the elimination of CSUMB:
http://www.thesudburystar.com/2013/05/11/coalition-pleads-homeless-womans-case
Protests about the loss of CSUMB continue in Sudbury:
http://www.thesudburystar.com/2013/05/16/anti-poverty-protests-continue
Across the Country
Calgary Poverty Reduction Initiative:
http://www.enoughforall.ca/
Child poverty is rampant in Canadian cities – and doesn’t follow unemployment trends:
http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/progressive-economics-forum/2013/05/child-poverty-rampant-canadian-cities
Manitoba to provide health benefits to migrant workers:
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Manitoba-to-provide-health-benefits-to-seasonal-migrant-workers-207589181.html
Calgarians protest cuts to community support benefits for people with disabilities: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2013/05/15/calgary-cuts-protest-disability.html
National
EI board appointees making political donations, against the rules:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/appointees-to-ei-boards-broke-guidelines-by-making-political-donations/article12033844/
Feds moving on “strengthening employment services for people with disabilities”:
http://www.parisstaronline.com/2013/05/14/mps-disability-job-motion-gets-support
The downside of Social Impact Bonds:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editors/2013/05/12/social_impact_bonds_have_a_downside.html
Canada can’t afford not to crack down on tax cheats:
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/dennis-howlett/offshore-tax-havens-canada-evasion_b_3254215.html
Canadians have $170 billion stashed in tax havens:
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/national/Canadians+have+170B+stashed+global+havens/8368839/story.html
More on this story: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/canadians-parking-more-in-top-tax-havens-every-year-group-says/article11850867/?cmpid=rss1
Prosecution of tax cheating “pitifully low” as use of tax havens increases:
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/05/10/offshore-tax-havens-canada-evasion_n_3253504.html?ir=Canada+Business
International
How austerity kills, and how countries should respond to economic crises:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/13/opinion/how-austerity-kills.html?pagewanted=all
On why making changes to welfare does nothing to fix the labour market:
http://www.jrf.org.uk/blog/2013/05/welfare-reform-jobs-pay-skills?utm_source=feedly
Economists questioning inequality as a strategy to drive economic growth:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/the-simmering-stew-of-income-inequality/article11966748/
Students rally in Tokyo to draw attention to their poverty:
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/social_affairs/AJ201305190019