Media & Policy News: 22 October 2012

Community Start-Up and Maintenance Benefit

The reports are coming in so fast and furiously from all across the province that it’s getting hard to keep up.

Star editorial today – Oct 19 – says cutting CSUMB for the poorest in Ontario sends a miserable message:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/article/1273790–ontario-s-cuts-to-funds-for-poor-sends-miserable-message

An update from me (to people in the legal clinic system) on how various municipalities are responding to the cuts:
http://yourlegalrights.on.ca/news/85472?utm_source=Your+Legal+Rights+Email+Bulletin&utm_campaign=1d1ecaaee8-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email

Toronto

The cut leaves a $21 million hole in the City of Toronto’s budget – St. Stephens’ event, the OCAP rally, and more – Oct 18:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/1273004–homelessness-ontario-s-21-million-cut-likely-to-leave-more-people-without-a-roof

Letters to the Editor in response

On UN Poverty Eradication Day, OCAP delivers CSUMB applications to Milloy’s ministry office to protest the cuts – another rally was held in Jane-Finch and one is planned for Kitchener – Oct 17:
http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/group-protests-cuts-to-benefits-for-low-income-ontarians-1.1000259

More coverage of the OCAP event – Oct 18:
http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/johnbon/2012/10/anti-poverty-activists-demand-ontario-government-save-community-start

Press release: cuts will make poverty worse; a provincial movement grows – Oct 17:
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/dalton-mcguinty-made-poverty-worse-in-ontario-2012-10-17

Op Ed says housing people who are homeless is much less expensive than the alternative – Oct 15:
http://m.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/1271918–giving-the-homeless-a-place-to-live-costs-less-than-providing-shelters-and-emergency-services

Niagara

Regional Budget Committee responds to the cuts – Oct 19:
http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2012/10/18/region-could-fill-3-million-homelessness-funding-gap

Coverage on Radio 610 – Oct 19:
http://www.610cktb.com/News/Local/Story.aspx?ID=1793943

More coverage:
http://www.bulletnewsniagara.ca/2012/10/19/region-comes-up-with-plan-to-help-offset-provincial-social-services-cutbacks/

Editorial in Niagara This Week details the “tough concessions” that that municipality has to make as it struggles to deal with the cuts – Oct 18:
http://www.niagarathisweek.com/opinion/editorial/article/1520756–bracing-for-homeless-cuts

Blog entry on CSUMB cuts and accountability – Oct 16:
http://browneassociates.blogspot.ca/2012/10/mcguinty-rabbits-skips-accountability.html

Kingston

Community legal clinics in Kingston meet with Gerretsen – get commitment from him to “take the issue back to Cabinet” – note Gerretsen’s comments – Oct 12:
http://www.ckwstv.com/news/kingston/story.aspx?ID=1790399

Sudbury

Activists are expecting “a wave of homelessness”:
http://www.thesudburystar.com/2012/10/11/expecting-wave-of-homelessness

Ottawa

Letter in the Ottawa Citizen from someone who used the benefit – to flee domestic violence – Oct 15:
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/benefit/7389559/story.html

Town Hall in Ottawa blasts the cuts – Oct 12:
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Anti+poverty+town+hall+blasts+provincial+cuts+social+services/7378030/story.html

Sarnia-Lambton

Stand Up Against Poverty rally in Sarnia slams Liberals for the cuts – Oct 12:
http://www.theobserver.ca/2012/10/12/anti-poverty-rally-slams-liberals

Oral health and CSUMB cuts in Sarnia-Lambton – Oct 11:
http://www.theobserver.ca/2012/10/11/oral-health-program-puts-bite-on-poverty

Hamilton

Spec coverage of activists’ rally – the cuts will make poverty worse – Oct 14:
http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/817633–activists-accuse-mcguinty-of-worsening-poverty-with-changes-to-benefits

Coverage from Sun News – Oct 13:
http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/canada/archives/2012/10/20121013-161030.html

Press release on the rally – Oct 13:
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/community-rallies-to-raise-the-rates-and-stop-social-assistance-cuts-1713045.htm

St. Catherine’s

Anti-poverty town hall in St. Catherine’s – Oct 16:
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/media-advisory-anti-poverty-town-hall-in-st-catharines-tomorrow-tuesday-oct-16-1713607.htm

Cornwall

Cut leaves Cornwall $2 million short – Oct 9:
http://www.thecornwalldaily.com/news/cornwall/story.aspx?ID=1771166&pn=6

Sault Ste Marie

Council considers impacts of cuts – local Liberal MPP unapologetic – Oct 17:
http://www.saultthisweek.com/2012/10/17/program-that-supports-ontario-works-and-odsp-clients-faces-big-cut

Council unanimously agree to call on government to rescind the cuts – Oct 10:
http://www.saultstar.com/2012/10/10/shutdown-of-start-up-program-draws-councils-ire

Other Social Assistance News

The Review Commission’s report now to be released October 24:
http://www.socialassistancereview.ca/home?language=en_CA&

Peterborough considers continuing to fund discretionary benefits:
http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/2012/10/11/city-county-advised-to-continue-paying-odsp-ow-benefits

Good Food Box pilot project in Hamilton:
http://www.900chml.com/Channels/Reg/NewsLocalGeneral/story.aspx?ID=1791416

On Prorogation

The rationale makes no sense:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1274389–dalton-mcguinty-s-rationale-for-shuttering-legislature-makes-no-sense-walkom

Prorogation should be reversed:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/commentary/editorials/mcguinty-should-reverse-prorogation-action/article4619905/

The real story on prorogation:
http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/10/16/mark-jarvis-on-the-real-story-in-ontario-prorogation/

Proroguing is “a wholesale flight from responsibility”:
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Analysis+wholesale+flight+from+responsibility/7394390/story.html

NDP MPPs Jonah Schein and Cheri diNovo on why proroguing is bad for the poor:
http://www.nowtoronto.com/news/story.cfm?content=189185

(Ed note: Email me your ideas for how I can go for Hallowe’en as “prorogation”. A couple of years ago I went as “gravy train”, but that was much easier. ~J)