Top Stories
Toronto Star editorial – Ontario cannot forget the poor and hungry as the Minister of Finance releases his fall economic statement:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2013/11/06/dont_forget_the_poor_and_hungry_editorial.html
More evidence of the need for public investment in low income adult dental programs:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/10/30/ontario_ers_illequipped_to_handle_dental_problems.html
The Ontario Medical Review highlights poverty as a medical problem – and what health care practitioners can do about it:
https://www.oma.org/Pages/omr.aspx
Peterborough Poverty Reduction Network finds residents taking on debt, sacrificing basic needs in the wake of cuts to discretionary benefits:
http://www.mykawartha.com/news-story/4147458-report-highlights-the-impact-of-discretionary-benefits-cut
Rally for rate increases comes just before Hamilton’s medical officer of health recommends sustainable social assistance rates:
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/4165827-rally-calls-for-an-increase-in-welfare-and-disability-benefits/#.UnKI18LVXCA.twitter
And a great video from the US – the “Unequal Opportunity Race”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eBb5TgOXgNY
Upcoming Events
Toronto:
Nov 11 – Housing Stabilization Fund Application Clinic at South Riverdale CHC:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=683927564964664&l=7431855f34
Nov 13 – ISARC Religious Leaders Forum at Queen’s Park:
http://www.isarc.ca/event.php
Nov 14 – events happening around the province to Raise the Minimum Wage:
http://raisetheminimumwage.ca/updates/on-nov-14th-lets-keep-up-the-pressure-for-14/
Nov 14 – Managing Episodic Disabilities: A training workshop for frontline managers & supervisors
http://cwghrcampus.hivandrehab.ca/documents/TrainingFrontlineManagers%20Supervisors.pdf
Nov 18 – Legal training on Employment and Immigration Issues for front-line staff of all community agencies
http://yourlegalrights.on.ca/news/november-18-legal-training-employment-and-immigration-issues?
Guelph and Wellington:
Workshops on income security benefit programs, by the Guelph & Wellington Task Force for Poverty Elimination:
http://gwpoverty.ca/
Around the Province
Pilot project in Oshawa schools aims to support elementary students living in poverty:
http://www.durhamregion.com/community-story/4112959-oshawa-poverty-prompts-new-pilot-project-in-schools/
Halton Poverty Roundtable breakfast highlights story of woman now on ODSP, where “a worker can cut off your cheque anytime for a simple missed document.”
http://www.bramptonguardian.com/news-story/4188691-poverty-is-behind-society-s-most-serious-issues/
National
If low income qualified as a disease, it would be Canada’s second leading cause of death next to cancer:
http://nupge.ca/content/11256/social-determinants-low-income-second-leading-cause-death-canada
National joint statement from 80 community, student and labour groups opposes new EI rules:
http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1567221
New EI rules will hit Ontario workers hard:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/11/01/stephen_harpers_new_employment_insurance_rules_whack_ontario_hard_walkom.html
Provinces reach agreement on CPP reform conditions
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/provinces-reach-agreement-on-cpp-reform-conditions/article15224471/
“Comprehensive government action” on pension reform “is required now”:
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Improved+benefits+will+costly/9101228/story.html#ixzz2jtRK7QiA
Study shows the greatest challenge children face isn’t financial poverty, but relational poverty:
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/another-kind-of-poverty-230315451.html
International
The problem of in-work poverty, and the living wage as a response:
http://www.freshbusinessthinking.com/news.php?NID=20527&Title=In-work+poverty
47 million Americans have food stamp benefits cut by 5%:
http://www.clasp.org/issues/in_focus?type=work_supports&id=0115
How to cut the poverty rate in half? Send low income people money:
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/10/how-to-cut-the-poverty-rate-in-half-its-easy/280971/
Austerity pushing Europe into social and economic decline, says Red Cross:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/10/austerity-europe-debt-red-cross
Government programs substantially reduce chronic poverty:
http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_24451287/solving-poverty-research-shows-government-benefits-work
Welfare-to-Work law encourages low wages and increases use of federal benefits:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/nov/3/welfare-to-work-law-encourages-low-wages-increases/