Top Stories
Provincial labour laws allow migrant workers to be treated like slaves:
http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/provincial-labour-laws-allow-foreign-workers-to-be-treated-like-slaves-say-advocates
- Justicia for Migrant Workers wants to be heard as government reviews employment standards legislation:http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/justicia-for-migrant-workers-wants-to-be-heard-as-ontario-reviews-labour-laws-1.3140603
Those same labour laws allow workers’ wages to be stolen, seemingly without penalty:
http://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2015/06/30/wage-theft-puts-woman-at-rock-bottom-and-shes-not-alone.html
Little progress made on fixing Ontario’s SAMS social assistance computer system problems:
http://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/columnists/reevely-little-progress-in-fixing-ontarios-welfare-computer-woes
Op-Ed: Why Housing First won’t end homelessness:
http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/views-expressed/2015/07/why-housing-first-wont-end-homelessness
Op-Ed: Guaranteed Annual Income would solve the problem of poverty:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2015/07/04/lets-stop-pretending-we-cant-end-poverty.html
- Utrecht testing a “basic income” program, using Mincome as a model: http://www.pri.org/stories/2015-07-02/how-canada-tried-eradicate-poverty-guaranteed-income
BC Provincial Court rules mandatory victim surcharge is unconstitutional:
http://www.canadianlawyermag.com/legalfeeds/2773/mandatory-victim-surcharges-unconstitutional-b-c-court-main.html
Reports, Events and More
CCPA-BC report says $10 / day childcare is feasible:
http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Child+care+feasible+Canada/11200074/story.html
- Here’s the report: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/solving-bc%E2%80%99s-affordability-crisis-child-care
Call for Proposals: Connecting Research to Practice: Developing Toronto’s research agenda to solve homelessness:
http://homelesshub.ca/homelessness-symposium
CCPA article: The Big Heist: Canada continues to let billions leave the country tax free
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/monitor/big-heist
Statistics Canada: New Low Income Lines released:
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75f0002m/75f0002m2015001-eng.htm
Ontario
Woman cut off ODSP after accumulating $7,000 in savings:
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/egan-child-like-autistic-woman-cut-off-after-ontario-eyes-her-7000-bank-account
Deena Ladd on Ontario Today: What’s wrong with Ontario’s employment standards legislation?
http://www.cbc.ca/ontariotoday/episodes/
Judge says people in poverty should be given a break from backbreaking fines:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/06/28/judge-signals-its-time-to-offer-relief-from-backbreaking-fines.html
- Star Editorial: http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2015/07/02/let-judges-ease-the-burden-on-the-poor-editorial.html
Ontario Dental Association president says dentists need more provincial funding to adequately provide dental care for low-income people:
http://www.hamiltonnews.com/news-story/5712006-stoney-creek-dentist-oda-president-victor-kutcher-says-provincial-dental-programs-severely-underfun/
Around the Province
How changes to TTC fares will impact low income people in Toronto:
http://homelesshub.ca/blog/how-will-toronto%E2%80%99s-transit-changes-impact-people-experiencing-homelessness
People who are poor in Hamilton get legal aid boost:
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/5702997-hamilton-s-poorest-get-major-legal-aid-boost/
Op-Ed: London must take efforts to reduce poverty more seriously:
http://www.lfpress.com/2015/07/03/pearson-london-urged-to-tackle-poverty
Court rules Sarnia church didn’t contravene zoning bylaws by running shelter for people who are homeless:
http://www.theobserver.ca/2015/07/03/appeal-court-finds-church-run-shelter-doesnt-contravene-city-zoning-bylaws
MarketMobile brings affordable food to new neighbourhoods in Ottawa:
http://www.ottawacommunitynews.com/news-story/5698181-marketmobile-branches-out-with-affordable-food-service/
Living wage campaign in Hamilton gets a boost from Chamber of Commerce and Good Shepherd:
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/5698330-new-voices-for-living-wage-program/
YWCA Niagara Region puts Cardboard House on display to raise awareness of homelessness:
http://www.ywcaniagararegion.ca/events/the-cardboard-house/
Talking about the Basic Income Guarantee in Perth:
http://www.insideottawavalley.com/news-story/5686153-basic-income-guarantee-an-economic-idea-whose-time-has-in-come-/
Across the Country
Vancouver Council passes a motion to become Canada’s first major city to be a Living Wage employer:
http://www.livingwageforfamilies.ca/media/news-releases/city-of-vancouver-passes-motion-to-become-a-living-wage-employer/
Vancouver is hamstrung on helping at-risk youth without support and collaboration from the province:
http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/2015/07/07/vancouver-hamstrung-in-helping-at-risk-youth-watchdog
Vancouver Council proposing tough new fees to prevent loss of affordable housing stock:
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Vancouver+proposes+increase+change+room+from+welfare+rate+market+rental/11183841/story.html
Local BC school board urges provincial government to enact poverty reduction strategy:
http://www.nelsonstar.com/news/311510871.html
Why Jean Swanson should be honoured for her fight against legislated poverty:
http://www.straight.com/news/484781/why-not-honour-jean-swanson-her-tireless-fight-against-legislated-poverty
National
Groups seek court injunction on new voting rules, which would disenfranchise people who are homeless and others:
http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/advocacy-groups-seek-court-order-to-ease-voter-id-rules-before-fall-election-1.2449109
TD calls a recession, says an interest rate cut is likely:
http://www.thestar.com/business/economy/2015/07/06/canada-in-recession-rate-cut-likely-td.html
- Finance Minister Oliver says no new economic measures are necessary: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/07/07/canada-doesnt-need-new-measures-to-boost-economy-finance-minister-joe-oliver-says.html
Canada Without Poverty challenges CRA charity audits at UN in Geneva:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-without-poverty-charity-challenges-harper-govt-audits-at-un-in-geneva-1.3136289
- Press release from Canada Without Poverty: http://www.cwp-csp.ca/2015/07/cwp-denounces-income-tax-act/
International
How the Eurozone has affected the welfare of its citizens:
http://theconversation.com/hard-evidence-how-has-the-eurozone-affected-the-welfare-of-its-citizens-43944
Community Land Trusts being used in Austin to ensure affordable housing:
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/07/affordable-housing-always/397637/
“37 ways to reform the economy so it’s not rigged for the rich”:
http://www.alternet.org/economy/37-ways-reform-economy-so-its-not-rigged-rich-according-progressive-economists
UK government introduces its Budget, with 12 billion in welfare cuts, a higher minimum wage, and various tax changes:
http://www.cnbc.com/2015/07/08/uk-budget-to-spell-out-spending-and-tax-cuts.html
- Osborne hopes minimum wage hike will offset welfare cuts: http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jul/08/george-osborne-budget-minimum-wage-rise-12bn-welfare-cuts
- The welfare cap is government policy “at its worst”: http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/07/welfare-cap-government-policy-its-worst-labour-wont-challenge-it
- UK scraps its legislated child poverty commitments as poverty rates unchanged:http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/jul/01/government-scrap-legal-requirements-child-poverty
People in Ireland need an 11.50 euro Living Wage:
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/consumer/living-wage-set-at-11-50-a-third-more-than-minimum-wage-1.2274425
What child poverty campaigners can learn from New Zealand:
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/jul/08/child-poverty-campaigners-uk-learn-new-zealand
Relieving global poverty: Moving from abject poverty to low-income, not the middle class:
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/5714595-millions-leave-poverty-but-not-for-middle-class/
“Scarcity mindset” leads to feelings of self-loathing, says new report:
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/jun/30/poverty-negative-spiral-fear-self-loathing