Top Stories
Ontario government defers decision that would have eliminated the ODSP Work-Related Benefit:
http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/mcss/news/releases/2015/20150909.aspx
- ISAC email: http://us4.campaign-archive1.com/?u=095b12c98935ecaadd327bf90&id=29ceb0292a
- ODSP Action Coalition Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/ODSPACTION?fref=nf
Ontario being taken to court over child support clawbacks in OW and ODSP:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/09/10/lawsuit-calls-for-end-to-claw-back-of-child-support.html
- Yours truly on CBC Ottawa Morning on the problem and what it means (scroll down to “A class action lawsuit is putting Ontario’s child support policies in the spotlight”):http://www.cbc.ca/ottawamorning/episodes/
Ottawa activists protest for higher ODSP shelter rates:
http://www.ottawacommunitynews.com/news-story/5827462-disability-activists-seek-boost-in-housing-allowance/
CBC’s Ideas: It’s the Economists, Stupid: A look at the ideologies and tactics behind conventional economics, and how it shuts down debate and limits our choices:
http://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/it-s-the-economists-stupid-1.3219471
New website aims to help non-Aboriginal Canadians learn about Indigenous issues:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/new-website-aims-to-help-non-aboriginal-canadians-learn-about-indigenous-issues-1.3217692?cmp=rss
Toronto Star Labour Day Editorial: Unions are battered but not broken:
www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2015/09/07/unions-are-battered-but-not-broken-editorial.html
- OFL Labour Day Statement: It’s time for workers to demand the change they want:http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/sid-ryan/workers-demand-change_b_8090716.html
- Rochester union leader: The ability to organize is key to climbing out of poverty:http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/opinion/guest-column/2015/09/06/ability-organize-key-climbing-poverty/71826540/
Why “on-call” shifts have workers stressed and activists fuming:
http://www.ctvnews.ca/business/precarious-employment-why-on-call-shifts-have-workers-stressed-activists-fuming-1.2546323
How to sponsor a refugee from Syria:
- Lifeline Syria: http://lifelinesyria.ca/sponsor/
- Mennonite Central Committee: http://mcccanada.ca/stories/sponsors-needed-syrian-refugees-0
- Globe and Mail primer: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/migrant-crisis-a-primer-for-canadians-who-want-to-sponsor-refugees/article26244470/
Reports, Events, and Other Good Stuff
New survey shows Canadians are living paycheque to paycheque, especially in Ontario and BC:
http://business.financialpost.com/personal-finance/debt/almost-half-of-canadians-are-living-paycheque-to-paycheque-with-finances-stretched-the-most-in-ontario-and-b-c
- Media decks and infographics available here:http://www.payroll.ca/CPA/Media_Room/News/en/MediaRoom/news.aspx?hkey=6b9e4005-5e78-4302-99a5-4d7ee8b1ff56
Video: How to find a lawyer in Ontario:
http://familyllb.com/2015/09/09/finding-a-lawyer-video/
Ontario
New report shows Ontario has the highest tuition fees in the country:
http://www.thestar.com/yourtoronto/education/2015/09/08/ontarios-tuition-fees-highest-in-the-country-says-new-report.html
- Here’s the report: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/whats-difference
- Meanwhile, Alberta has just announced a two-year freeze on tuition fees:http://globalnews.ca/news/2208840/alberta-ndp-government-begins-tuition-freeze-for-post-secondary-students/
CCPA’s Sheila Block Blog: Ending on-call scheduling and unpaid overtime – lessons from the US:
http://behindthenumbers.ca/2015/09/10/ending-on-call-scheduling-and-unpaid-overtime-lessons-from-the-u-s/
Around the Province
Fully one-quarter of Windsor-Essex kids live in poverty, says United Way:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/1-in-4-windsor-essex-youth-living-in-poverty-united-way-says-1.3222737
- New Windsor-Essex program aims to “bust” kids out of poverty:http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/united-way-launches-program-to-bust-kids-out-of-the-poverty-cycle
An army of seasonal agricultural workers powers Niagara’s farms:
http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2015/09/03/army-of-migrant-workers-power-niagaras-farms
Letter to the Editor: Migrant workers are part of the Northumberland County community:
http://www.northumberlandnews.com/opinion-story/5834337-migrant-workers-are-a-part-of-northumberland-county/
Editorial: St. Catherines Mayor’s poverty task force needs to involve people with lived experience:
http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2015/09/04/to-combat-poverty-committee-needs-to-be-fixed
- Mayor Sendzik responds to criticisms:http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2015/09/10/sendzik-action-needed-to-conquer-poverty
Two men who are homeless start Toronto’s only “underpass library”:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/with-no-fixed-address-two-men-start-toronto-s-only-underpass-library-1.3214286
Ottawa activists push for a low-income transit pass:
http://www.ottawacommunitynews.com/news-story/5821575-transportation-coalition-pushes-for-low-income-transit-pass/
Across the Country
Montreal mayor Denis Coderre pledges to open safe injection sites with or without Ottawa’s approval:
http://ipolitics.ca/2015/09/03/montreal-mayor-vows-to-open-injection-sites-even-without-federal-approval/
Concern about evictions of people with disabilities leads social service agencies to urge a delay in new Alberta safety rules:
http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/social-service-agencies-urge-changes-to-new-housing-standards-for-disabled-clients
Program to help people who are homeless in Powell River BC expands:
http://www.prpeak.com/articles/2015/09/09/news/doc55f078e8b993d714315479.txt
National
New study shows 1 in 5 Canadian renters affected by Canada’s affordable housing crisis:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/housing/the-real-estate-beat/affordable-housing-crisis-affects-one-in-five-renters-in-canada-study/article26287843/
Leah McLaren: Child care affects all of us. It’s time our politicians took notice:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/parenting/leah-mclaren-in-a-society-that-sentimentalizes-children-there-lacks-a-system-of-actual-care/article26209935/
Federal Election
New website highlights the plight of Canadian renters:
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/5837966-new-website-highlights-plight-of-canadian-renters/
At Renfrew County Poverty Reduction Forum, Senator Art Eggleton says poverty isn’t getting enough traction this election:
http://www.thedailyobserver.ca/2015/09/10/parties-ignoring-poverty-as-issue-eggleton
- More on the two-day forum: http://www.thedailyobserver.ca/2015/09/10/county-poverty-reduction-forum-eyes-task-force
Fighting for decent work during the federal campaign:
http://us5.campaign-archive2.com/?u=8e3951a35d48e64f736884ea9&id=f79a0283f9&e=f3bab51a7a
Groups want to make a national Pharmacare program an election issue:
http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/election/groups-hope-to-make-national-pharmacare-program-an-election-issue-1.2550700#_gus&_gucid=&_gup=twitter&_gsc=MOcEFNl
Climate change and energy retrofits are an election issue, especially for people with low incomes:
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/09/09/federal-election-environment-energy-conservation-efficiency_n_8079182.html
Seven Canadian expats who have lost their right to vote:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-election-2015-expats-cant-vote-1.3204664
The 52 most vulnerable ridings, based on 2011 results:
http://www.hilltimes.com/feature/2015/09/08/the-52-most-vulnerable-ridings-in-2015-election-based-on-2011-election/43327
International
Economist says a global recession in next two years a “likely scenario”:
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/sep/09/global-recession-two-years-likely-economist-buiter
UK advocates say increasing reliance on food banks due to benefit cuts is simply “storing up a health nightmare for the future”:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/food-banks-are-storingup-a-health-nightmare-for-the-future-due-to-foods-lack-of-nutritional-standards-government-warned-10488679.html
Child poverty in Scotland so bad that teachers being given advice on how to spot malnourished kids:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/scotlands-child-poverty-levels-so-severe-teachers-are-sent-advice-on-spotting-malnourished-students-10495873.html
America’s poorest are getting virtually no assistance:
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/09/welfare-reform-americas-poorest/403960/
- How the geography of poverty in the US has shifted since 1960:http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/09/10/how-the-geography-of-u-s-poverty-has-shifted-since-1960/
- Report showing newcomers “drain” US welfare funds doesn’t account for the taxes they pay: http://www.newrepublic.com/article/122714/immigrants-dont-drain-welfare-they-fund-it
- US unemployment rate now 5.1%; lowest since 2008:http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20150904/NEWS/150909899/u-s-unemployment-rate-falls-to-5-1-the-lowest-since-2008
- 2 in 5 American children spend at least a year in poverty, report says:http://time.com/4028236/child-poverty-rate/
- How growing up in poverty hurts American adults:http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-09/here-s-how-growing-up-in-poverty-hurts-american-adults
- Warren Buffet says poverty in America “makes no sense”:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/warren-buffett-us-poverty_55ef2df8e4b03784e276c478
1 in 6 children in Japan lives in poverty, putting education and future at risk:
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/09/10/national/social-issues/one-six-japanese-children-live-poverty-threatening-education-future/#.VfLYIJeTTk1
Turkmenistan set to scrap core welfare benefits of free electricity, cooking gas and water:
http://www.eurasianet.org/node/75016
From the Philippines, you can’t reduce poverty without a strong public health system:
http://www.rappler.com/views/imho/104847-poverty-reduction-strong-public-health-care
One third of Australians over 60 live in poverty:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-09/third-of-australians-over-60-living-below-the-poverty-line/6761520
Globally, women still suffer a “pensions gap”:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/d68b296e-2a18-11e5-acfb-cbd2e1c81cca.html#axzz3lFaJ7Etd
Denmark dissuades Syrian asylum seekers by cutting social benefits, advertising in Lebanese papers:
http://mwcnews.net/news/europe/54101-denmark-advert-in-lebanon.html