Here are a few stories from the last week or so – note that ISAC’s Media and Policy News will be on hiatus for the next two weeks.
Top Stories
The number of PEI residents disqualified from EI has risen 18%:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2013/06/27/pei-employment-insurance-disqualification-584.html
The richest get richer, by $250 million each day:
http://m.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-business/asian-pacific-business/the-richest-get-richer-by-250-million-each-per-day/article9176009/?service=mobile
Ontario
The AODA Coalition on the impact on people with disabilities of Elections Ontario’s recent report on electronic and other voting:
http://www.aoda.ca/for-immediate-release-elections-ontario-report-on-telephone-and-internet-voting-is-a-slap-in-the-face-to-voters-with-disabilities/
Ontario caps rental increases at 0.8%:
http://news.ontario.ca/mah/en/2013/06/2014-rent-increase-guideline.html?utm_source=ondemand&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=p
Ontario to implement recommendations on Aboriginal representation on juries:
http://news.ontario.ca/mag/en/2013/06/ontario-government-and-nan-moving-forward-on-iacobucci-report.html?
Around the Province
In Chatham Kent, a living wage for low income workers would improve their health:
http://www.cbc.ca/m/touch/canada/story/2013/06/18/homelessness-state-canada-report.html
Need research findings on Aboriginal people in Toronto? If you don’t know about TASSC, you should:
http://www.tassc.ca/who-we-are
In Durham, the Northern Lights program aims to find long-lasting, meaningful employment for people with disabilities on ODSP:
http://www.mykawartha.com/community-story/3847111-ensuring-jobs-for-all-abilities-in-durham/
In Niagara, affordable rental housing in crisis:
http://www.wellandtribune.ca/2013/06/18/rental-crisis-pinches-niagara
In Peterborough, an employment resource centre is on the chopping block:
http://www.mykawartha.com/community-story/3847015-employment-resource-centre-on-the-chopping-block/
In Windsor, a letter to the editor challenging the critique of more employment earnings for people on OW and ODSP:
http://www.windsorstar.com/Changes+social+assistance/8518540/story.html
In Toronto, Council sounds the alarm on a $750 million public housing repair backlog:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/06/24/toronto_sounds_alarm_on_750m_public_housing_repair_backlog.html
In London, business meets community on supporting social enterprise:
http://www.wellesleyinstitute.com/news/business-meets-community-in-london-psib-social-enterprise-tour/
Across the Country
Tensions between police and people who are homeless in Abbotsford, BC:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/police-homeless-tensions-on-the-rise-in-abbotsford/article12660555/
Saskatchewan needs to step up to support Saskatoon’s poverty reduction efforts:
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/lead+needed+poverty/8502321/story.html
Study finds Vancouver’s harm-reduction approach reduces the number of injection drug users:
http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Drug+harmreduction+strategy+cuts+number+injection+users/8568949/story.html
From BC – “Hope is Not a Plan” – a video featuring Paul Caune, founder of Civil Rights Now, on the human rights of people with disabilities:
http://incommon.tv/hope-is-not-a-plan-2/
BC Ombudsperson says welfare ministry (Ministry of Social Development) generates most complaints:
http://m.thetyee.ca/News/2013/06/21/Ombudsperson-Report-2013/
National
CBC’s “The Current” on the plight of migrants workers in Canada:
http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/2013/06/27/jumas-journey-the-plight-of-temporary-foreign-workers-in-canada/
The federal government announces changes to EI to change eligibility for people who are incarcerated:
http://news.gc.ca/web/article-eng.do?nid=753519
Bell Canada called out on unpaid internships:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2013/06/21/bc-unpaid-interns.html?cmp=fbtl
30,000 Canadians are homeless every night – 200,000 in any given year:
http://www.cbc.ca/m/touch/canada/story/2013/06/18/homelessness-state-canada-report.html
Equalty of Opportunity and Income Inequality:
http://milescorak.com/2013/06/18/income-inequality-equality-of-opportunity-and-intergenerational-mobility/
Fraser Institute study finds vast majority of massive loans Canada gave to business were not repaid and almost none of the interest was collected, with very little to show as benefit to Canadians:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/2012/09/13/corporate_welfare_flourishes_in_lean_times.html
Hugh Segal’s comments in the Senate on Bill C-377 (on union financial disclosure):
http://www.broadbentinstitute.ca/en/blog/his-own-words-hugh-segal-bill-c-377
Broadbent Institute says it’s the end of the golden age for university graduates:
http://www.broadbentinstitute.ca/en/blog/end-golden-age-university-graduates
CFIB says public sector pensions should mirror private sector:
http://www.canada.com/Public+sector+pensions+must+mirror+private/8527046/story.html
MP Paul Dewar on why getting tough on tax havens is the right thing to do:
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/paul-dewar/stephen-harper-g8-summit-tax-havens-canada_b_3455803.html?utm_hp_ref=canada-politics
Myths and Facts on refugee health care cuts:
http://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/3844853-a-few-myths-and-a-few-facts-on-refugee-health-care-cuts/
Cuts to refugee health care exposed as a failure:
http://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/3843574-the-spectator-s-view-refugee-health-cuts-exposed-as-a-failure/
The health care system should include dental care:
http://www.theprovince.com/touch/story.html?id=8540509
International
The Capitalist’s Case for a Higher Minimum wage:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-19/the-capitalist-s-case-for-a-15-minimum-wage.html
Unemployment Stories 39: Stories from the Front Lines:
http://gawker.com/unemployment-stories-vol-39-where-is-my-place-in-20-513775823?utm_campaign=socialflow_gawker_facebook&utm_source=gawker_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow
G8 nations take on tax evasion, tax havens, tax fairness:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertwood/2013/06/19/g-8-nations-take-on-tax-evasion-tax-havens-and-more/
A lack of empathy and understanding of the lives of people who are poor blocks progress on poverty reduction:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/poverty-matters/2012/aug/03/poor-people-want-to-be-poor?CMP=twt_gu
Robert Reich video on inequality:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ik1y4ZNSjek
Unprecedented cuts to housing assistance proposed in the US:
http://www.offthechartsblog.org/house-bill-makes-deep-cuts-in-low-income-housing-assistance/
Why paying a living wage makes business sense – Costco does it:
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-06-06/costco-ceo-craig-jelinek-leads-the-cheapest-happiest-company-in-the-world
Nick Saul in The Guardian, on the proper role of food banks:
http://m.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/jun/18/food-banks-feed-hope-purpose-hunger
CCPA’s report on poverty among Indigenous children in Canada gets coverage in the UK:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22971492
Cameron announces ₤365 million in new welfare benefit cuts:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/the-wonga-coup-chancellor-george-osbornes-gift-to-the-payday-lenders-in-government-spending-review-8675581.html