Top Stories
Op-Ed: Provincial and federal budgets must invest in people, not drive them deeper into poverty:
http://thechronicleherald.ca/opinion/1279258-miserly-governments-driving-people-deeper-into-poverty
ODSP medical reviews could overwhelm legal clinics already reeling under disability appeals:
http://www.lawtimesnews.com/201504064592/headline-news/tribunals
Province announces launch of $50 million Local Poverty Reduction Fund:
http://news.ontario.ca/tbs/en/2015/04/local-poverty-reduction-fund-to-support-community-driven-solutions.html
- Backgrounder: http://news.ontario.ca/tbs/en/2015/04/ontarios-local-poverty-reduction-fund.html
- Toronto Sun: http://www.torontosun.com/2015/04/07/province-unveils-50-million-fund-to-fight-poverty
CCPA Ontario report shows Toronto residents need $18.52 / hour living wage to get by:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/04/10/toronto-couples-with-kids-must-make-1852hr-each-to-get-by-report-finds.html
- Here’s the report: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/making-ends-meet
Important legal victory for people who are homeless in Abbotsford BC:
http://www.pivotlegal.org/victory_for_abbotsford_homeless_as_court_rules_in_favour_of_access_to_justice
- Raise the Roof’s “Humans for Humans” campaign: People who are homeless read mean tweets:http://www.cbc.ca/news/trending/homeless-canadians-brought-to-tears-by-the-mean-things-people-say-about-them-1.3016409
Stapleton: The plight of low income hard-working seniors:
http://openpolicyontario.com/blog-2/
Province announces Community Hubs Advisory Group:
http://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2015/04/premier-wynne-appoints-community-hubs-advisory-group.html
- Backgrounder: http://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2015/04/members-of-the-premiers-community-hub-framework-advisory-group.html
Research, Reports, Events
15 and Fairness Campaign launch April 15:
http://15andfairness.org/
The Precariat Charter: Q&A with economist and author Guy Standing:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/04/09/qa-with-precarious-work-expert-guy-standing.html
RNAO Action Alert asks members to urge Ontario to do more to end poverty:
http://rnao.ca/policy/action-alerts/minister-matthews-lets-invest-healthier-ontario-addressing-poverty
History of health and social transfers in Canada:
http://www.fin.gc.ca/fedprov/his-eng.asp
Ontario
Minister Jaczek compares SAMS problems to BlackBerry acting up:
http://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2015/04/02/helena-jaczek-likens-sams-woes-to-blackberry-acting-up.html
- Minister dismisses calls for her resignation: http://www.torontosun.com/2015/04/01/jaczek-dismisses-calls-for-resignation-over-welfare-computer-woes
- Social assistance staff overwhelmed by memos on computer fixes: http://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/social-assistance-staff-overwhelmed-by-memos-on-fixing-computer-issues-report-1.2308289
- Man avoids homelessness after SAMS computer error delays rent cheque:http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/04/07/man-avoids-homelessness-after-error-causes-eviction.html
- Renfrew County staff recount problems with SAMS social assistance computer system:http://www.thedailyobserver.ca/2015/04/07/social-assistance-management-system-causing-stress-for-recipients-county-staff
- Manitoulin DSB gets update on SAMS problems: http://www.manitoulin.ca/2015/04/08/computer-glitches-continue-to-dog-ontario-works-software/
- OPSEU response to consultants’ interim report on SAMS problems:http://www.opseu.org/news/consultants-sams-report-avoids-real-issue-thomas
- Report can be found here: http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/mcss/programs/social/pwc_report.aspx
What Ontario businesses want Ottawa’s budget to do to stimulate the economy:
http://www.therecord.com/opinion-story/5544414-businesses-want-ottawa-to-stimulate-ontario-s-economy/
Around the Province
Homelessness funding gets major boost in Niagara:
http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news-story/5538642-homelessness-funding-gets-major-boost-in-niagara/
Lambton gets $4.4 million for homelessness:
http://www.theobserver.ca/2015/04/02/county-of-lambton-secures-44-million-in-provincial-funding-to-address-homelessness-over-next-two-years
Low income families in Guelph struggle to provide dental care:
http://www.guelphmercury.com/news-story/5537075-low-income-guelph-area-families-struggling-to-provide-dental-care/
Op-Ed: Sudbury’s “down-and-out” deserve treatment and hope:
http://www.thewhig.com/2015/04/06/down-and-out-citizens-deserve-treatment-hope
Wall of bricks falls from Toronto Community Housing building:
http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/5543448-water-seeping-in-may-have-led-to-bricks-falling-from-apartment-says-toronto-community-housing/
Suburban homelessness in Toronto:
http://torontoist.com/2015/04/hidden-homelessness-in-the-suburbs/
Charity-owned “predatory” landlord protested by Parkdale residents:
http://www.cbc.ca/radio/day6/episode-227-canada-s-moral-obligation-to-fight-isis-tidal-akelius-and-abortional-reversal-1.3019698/tenants-protest-charity-owned-landlord-1.3019706
Mental health professionals ride along with Hamilton police:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/hamilton-police-send-mental-health-pros-to-the-front-lines-with-cops-1.3024000
Across the Country
New Quebec welfare rules unfair, particularly to immigrants:
http://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec/opinion-new-welfare-rules-unfair-to-immigrants-in-particular
City of Vancouver’s new definition of “social housing” faces court challenge:
http://www.straight.com/news/425931/city-vancouvers-new-definition-social-housing-facing-legal-challenge
Mistawasis First Nation takes team approach to job creation:
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/life/Mistawasis+Trims+Welfare/10948510/story.html
Newfoundland and Labrador to use judgement in collecting public service pension overpayments:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/government-does-not-expect-to-collect-all-pension-overpayments-says-ross-wiseman-1.3024424
- 85 year old pensioner would have trouble paying overpayments back: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/paying-back-pension-overpayments-a-struggle-for-85-year-old-1.3023006
Workers in Nova Scotia are fighting to increase the minimum wage:
http://rankandfile.ca/2015/04/08/workers-in-nova-scotia-fight-to-raise-the-minimum-wage/
PEI group unveils Guaranteed Annual Income plan:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/scrap-social-assistance-top-up-earnings-says-livable-income-group-1.3026001
National
A painful exodus of foreign workers:
http://www.asianpacificpost.com/article/6815-painful-exodus-migrant-workers.html
Labour in solidarity with temporary foreign workers:
http://rabble.ca/news/2015/04/labour-solidarity-temporary-foreign-workers
Accessible banking services are key to reducing poverty:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-commentary/accessible-banking-services-are-key-to-reducing-poverty/article23828256/
International
Chinese-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank hailed by World Bank as poverty fighter:
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/apr/07/world-bank-china-new-aiib-kim-combat-extreme-poverty
A new round of welfare reforms is happening in the US:
- Missouri lawmakers want to prevent people receiving assistance from buying steak or seafood:http://mic.com/articles/114628/state-reps-want-to-lower-quality-of-life-for-welfare-recipients
- Kansas lawmakers want to end all “non-essential” spending by people receiving assistance:http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2015/0407/Why-is-Kansas-pursuing-tougher-welfare-rules-video
- Maine governor also eyes changing social assistance rules to limit spending: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/06/us-usa-maine-welfare-idUSKBN0MX1GW20150406
- States take aim at welfare programs but advocates are worried about more than restrictions on lobster: http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/04/09/states-take-aim-at-social-welfare-programs
- Seven myths that we need to stop telling about poverty: http://mic.com/articles/115054/7-myths-we-need-to-stop-telling-about-poverty
- Commentary: The rush to humiliate the poor: http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/opinion/ct-sta-commentary-st-0410-20150409-story.html
- The double standard of making poor people prove they’re worthy of benefits:http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/04/07/the-double-standard-of-making-poor-people-prove-theyre-worthy-of-government-benefits/
Austin, Texas lawmakers consider raising minimum wage:
http://www.chron.com/jobs/article/Lawmakers-consider-raising-state-minimum-wage-6186914.php
Activists say a Robin Hood Tax on Wall Street financial transactions would help end poverty:
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/04/robin_hood_tax_on_wall_street.html
Presidential candidate Rand Paul wants to fight poverty but his budget would limit severely limit his ability to do so:
http://www.vox.com/2015/4/8/8370629/rand-paul-wants-to-fight-poverty-but-his-budget-would-make-it-much
Japan to announce fund to tackle child poverty:
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-3-310368-Japan-to-announce-fund-for-tackling-child-poverty
Food banks: Not a “popular welfare solution” in the UK:
http://www.theguardian.com/society/patrick-butler-cuts-blog/2015/apr/03/food-banks-no-theyre-not-a-popular-welfare-solution
“There’s nothing wrong with people in poverty that a good dose of fair and rational economic policy wouldn’t cure”:
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/29976-trickle-down-economics-and-trickle-down-poverty#