Top Stories
Pikangikum house fire direct result of chronic poverty:
http://www.netnewsledger.com/2016/03/31/66271/
- First Nations firefighters call for inquiry: http://aptn.ca/news/2016/03/31/ontario-first-nations-firefighters-call-for-inquiry-after-9-perish-in-fire/
Just paint over it: Kashechewan’s endless battle with mould: http://aptn.ca/news/2016/03/31/just-paint-over-it-kashechewans-endless-battle-with-mould/
More on the federal budget:
- Budget restores Court Challenges program: http://www.dailyxtra.com/canada/news-and-ideas/news/federal-budget-restores-court-challenges-program-funding-188737
- EI changes: What workers need to know: http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/progressive-economics-forum/2016/03/ei-changes-budget-2016-what-workers-need-to-know?platform=hootsuite
- Wellesley: What does the federal budget do for affordable housing in Ontario?: http://www.wellesleyinstitute.com/housing/what-does-the-federal-budget-do-for-affordable-housing-in-ontario/
- Caledon: The social-policy-is-back budget: http://www.caledoninst.org/Publications/Detail/?ID=1092
- Morneau says review of federal tax breaks, to increase fairness and revenues, is coming: http://www.metronews.ca/news/canada/2016/03/25/finance-minister-morneau-says-review-of-federal-tax-breaks-is-coming.html
- “Feminist” Trudeau delivers deeply un-feminist first budget: http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/sarahbee/2016/03/feminist-justin-trudeau-delivers-deeply-unfeminist-first-budget#.VvwnomRibFY.facebook
- Trudeau’s promises of ‘renewed relationship’ with First Nations evaporated with Liberal budget: http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/pamela-palmater/2016/03/trudeaus-promises-renewed-relationship-first-nations-evaporat
- What’s missing from the budget for seniors?: http://www.burnabynow.com/news/what-s-missing-from-the-budget-for-seniors-1.2220014
- With budget tabled, Morneau prepares to refocus on CPP expansion: http://www.capebretonpost.com/Business/2016-03-29/article-4480863/With-the-federal-budget-tabled,-Morneau-prepares-to-refocus-on-CPP-expansion/1
More on Basic Income:
- Poll suggests Ontarians are warming to the idea of a guaranteed minimum income: http://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2016/03/30/ontarians-warming-to-guaranteed-minimum-income-poll-suggests.html
- How progressive is a basic income? Left and labour perspectives: http://unionresearch.org/2016/03/20/how-progressive-is-a-basic-income-left-and-labour-perspectives/
- Basic income could end food insecurity: http://www.thinkupstream.net/basic_income_food
- John Clarke: Looking the basic income gift horse in the mouth: http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/1241.php
- Small business would benefit from a basic income guarantee: http://linkis.com/leadersandlegacies.com/ByWoI
- Two takes on basic income, in letters to the Star’s editor: http://www.thestar.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editors/2016/03/24/two-takes-on-basic-income.html
WorkSafeBC uses questionable methods to deny injured workers’ claims:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/worksafebc-uses-questionable-methods-to-deny-claim-1.1311759
Kashechewan children’s horrible skin problems blamed on poverty and overcrowding:
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/social-emergency-kashechewan-skin-problems-blamed-on-poverty-overcrowding-1.2830199
Ontario
Parents urge province to ban daycare wait list fees:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/04/01/parents-urge-province-to-ban-daycare-wait-list-fees.html
Government releases Poverty Reduction Strategy Annual Report for 2015:
https://news.ontario.ca/tbs/en/2016/03/improving-outcomes-for-ontarians-living-in-poverty.html
Ontario Electricity Support Program enrollment numbers improve:
http://www.manitoulin.ca/2016/03/23/ontario-electricity-support-program-numbers-improve-falls-short-eligible-recipients/
MPP says changes to seniors drug plan not healthy:
http://www.thewhig.com/2016/03/25/changes-to-seniors-drug-plan-not-healthy-mpp
Poll results: Provincial party leader approval ratings:
http://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2016/03/29/just-20-of-ontario-voter-approve-of-job-wynne-is-doing-as-premier-poll.html
Reports, Events, Campaigns, and Other Good Things
Caledon Institute: Designing a housing allowance program:
http://www.caledoninst.org/Publications/Detail/?ID=1091
Report shows First Nations people at greater risk of developing cancer:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/cancer-care-report-ontario-first-nations-1.3515108?cmp=abfb
Reasonable doubt: 10 important tips for tenants:
https://nowtoronto.com/news/reasonable-doubt-10-important-tips-for-tenants/
Report concludes migrant workers should get settlement services and permanent residence:
http://www.voiceonline.com/new-report-concludes-all-migrant-workers-should-have-access-to-settlement-services-and-permanent-residence/
Urban Worker Project launches for fairness for contract workers:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/03/29/a-new-voice-for-labour-in-a-world-of-precarious-work.html
- Their website: http://www.urbanworker.ca/fairness_for_contract_workers
April 9: OCAP rally for food security and raise in social assistance: Toronto:
http://www.ocap.ca/node/4006
Around the Province
More funds could be going to Peterborough CSUMB-replacement fund to prevent homelessness:
http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/2016/03/24/council-to-consider-boosting-rent-subsidy
Creating Community partnership project aims to tackle poverty in Belleville:
http://www.intelligencer.ca/2016/03/30/poverty-partnership-struck
Thunder Bay student packs purses for women in need:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/student-purse-packing-project-thunder-bay-1.3501183
Poverty reduction panel makes recommendations to end poverty in London:
http://www.640toronto.com/syn/104/84516/poverty-panel-final-report
Who is the working poor? This woman from Cambridge is:
http://www.cambridgetimes.ca/opinion-story/6408702-continuing-conversation-about-the-working-poor/#.Vvr98NdRsuo.email
Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit to take on social and economic issues related to public health:
http://www.simcoereformer.ca/2016/03/30/health-unit-focuses-on-incomes
Anti-poverty advocates call on Toronto’s Mayor Tory to add shelter beds to address homelessness crisis:
http://www.cp24.com/news/it-is-a-crisis-anti-poverty-advocates-call-on-city-to-add-shelter-beds-1.2829385
Across the Country
Advocates call on New Brunswick for more funding for public housing unit repairs:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/nb-housing-common-front-moncton-1.3505430
Halifax food bank application form raises privacy concerns:
http://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/halifax-food-bank-s-application-form-raises-privacy-concerns-1.2837732
Saskatchewan study ties rising wealth inequality to worse health among province’s poorest:
http://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/study-shows-no-improvement-in-northern-health
Doctor examines Saskatchewan parties’ election commitments and finds them lacking:
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/ryan-meili/saskatchewan-election-outcome-health_b_9558734.html
Ottawa woman wins $104K in wrongful dismissal suit after 25 years at McDonald’s:
http://www.canadianlawyermag.com/legalfeeds/3175/employee-told-to-take-demotion-or-go-gets-104-000-in-wrongful-dismissal.html
BC report shows homelessness is an early death sentence:
http://globalnews.ca/news/2606341/homelessness-is-an-early-death-sentence-advocacy-group/
Raising BC’s minimum wage an important step in tackling poverty:
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Opinion+Raising+minimum+wage+important+step+tackling+poverty/11822001/story.html?__lsa=540d-5854
National
Walkom: Trudeau is tiptoeing back into the temporary foreign workers program minefield:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/03/30/trudeau-government-tiptoes-back-into-temporary-foreign-workers-morass-walkom.html
On changes to EI:
- Five changes in the budget: http://www.metronews.ca/news/canada/2016/03/29/five-changes-on-employment-insurance-contained-in-the-2016-federal-budget.html
- Employment Insurance could come with a guarantee: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/jerry-dias/employment-insurance-federal-budget_b_9576506.html
- Morneau defends plan that leaves out parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/bill-morneau-employment-insurance-1.3509071
- Trudeau and Brad Wall spar over EI: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/jerry-dias/employment-insurance-federal-budget_b_9576506.html
- Trudeau defends regional decision-making: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/jerry-dias/employment-insurance-federal-budget_b_9576506.html
- Ottawa to “review and monitor” revised EI program: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/trudeau-vows-to-review-revamped-ei-program/article29427938/
StatsCan report says economy doing better than budget suggested:
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/politics/gdp-growth-economy-budget-1.3514683
The debt crisis Canada’s not talking about – private debt:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-commentary/the-inevitable-debt-crisis-canadas-not-talking-about/article29445969/
MPs and Senators get pay hike while Canadians struggle with stagnant wages and rising unemployment:
http://www.windsorstar.com/News/11821555/story.html
International
California to gradually raise minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2022:
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/274395-calif-to-raise-minimum-wage-to-15-report
- Governor says raising minimum wage a “matter of economic justice”: http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-sac-jerry-brown-minimum-wage-deal-20160328-story.html
Automation in the low-wage restaurant sector a good argument for guaranteed annual income:
http://gawker.com/automation-and-basic-income-1767059378
New calculator predicts poverty risk in US:
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/2001297-predicting-poverty-risk-with-new-calculator/
Another US state introduces drug tests for welfare applicants:
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/drug-tests-welfare-applicants-reaches-another-state
What the Clinton library says about welfare reform:
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/03/clinton-library-welfare/475437/?utm_source=SFFB
Italy to introduce law that requires supermarkets to give unsold food to charity:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/italy-food-waste-law-supermarkets-a6931681.html
UK study shows children in poverty more likely to have problems with friendships, be bullied:
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/mar/30/children-in-poverty-more-likely-to-have-problems-with-friendships-study-shows