Ed note: This is all for this week – MPN will return February 24.
Top Stories
Ontario is proving that taxing the one per cent works:
http://www.macleans.ca/economy/economicanalysis/ontario-is-proving-that-taxing-the-one-per-cent-works/
Critics tired of foot dragging on WSIB discrimination against injured workers making mental stress claims:
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/02/13/critics-tired-of-foot-dragging-on-injured-worker-discrimination.html
- Class action against WSIB claiming unfair benefit cuts given go-ahead: https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/02/14/class-action-against-wsib-claiming-unfair-benefit-cuts-given-go-ahead.html
Ontario Liberals eyeing hydro rate cut in the range of 8 percent – including changes to global adjustment and using tax base to cover low-income electricity subsidies:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-hydro-bills-global-adjustment-kathleen-wynne-1.3975946
- New details on hydro relief plan: Ontario Liberals consider reductions: http://www.ctvnews.ca/business/new-details-on-hydro-relief-plan-ontario-liberals-consider-reductions-1.3284454?autoPlay=true
Federal Liberals launching consultations on national Poverty Reduction Strategy:
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2017/02/13/liberal-government-poverty-strategy_n_14727668.html
- Liberals set up committee to test public input on poverty strategy – National Housing Strategy expected shortly after budget: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/liberals-set-up-committee-to-test-public-input-on-poverty-strategy/article34005073/
- Government release: http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=1187479&tp=1
10,000 Canadians sign petition supporting a basic income guarantee:
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2017/02/06/basic-income-canada_n_14633042.html
Alberta government considers changing labour laws:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-government-labour-laws-1.3977786
Thieving recruiter ordered to return illegal fees he charged migrant workers:
http://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/thieving-recruiter-ordered-to-return-illegal-fees-he-charged-migrant-workers
Unemployment rate dips as Canada gains 48,300 jobs, but wages stalled and work hours shrink:
http://www.ctvnews.ca/business/unemployment-rate-dips-as-canada-gains-48-300-jobs-1.3279440
Judge sides with Indigenous survivors of Sixties Scoop:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/60s-scoop-ruling-aboriginal-1.3981771
Bombardier among companies using legal tax havens at expense of home country:
http://business.financialpost.com/news/transportation/bombardier-among-companies-using-legal-tax-havens-at-expense-of-home-country
- Bombardier: A master class in tax dodging: http://www.taxfairness.ca/en/news/bombardier-master-class-tax-dodging
- Toronto Sun editorial: It’s time to rethink corporate welfare: http://www.torontosun.com/2017/02/10/its-time-to-rethink-corporate-welfare
Ideas: Surviving Post-Capitalism: Coping, hoping, doping and shopping:
http://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/surviving-post-capitalism-coping-hoping-doping-shopping-1.3973042
Ontario
Environmental Defence: Shining a light on the true costs of renewable energy in Ontario:
http://environmentaldefence.ca/2017/02/01/shining-light-true-costs-renewable-energy-ontario/
Auditor General rebuked for $10.7 billion “miscalculation”:
https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2017/02/14/beware-watchdogs-who-swallow-up-billions-cohn.html
OPSEU wins arbitration award affirming equal pay for equal work at LCBO:
http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/cnw/release.html?rkey=20170213C1330&filter=5611
Government release: Strategic investments creating foundation for prosperity: Province releases long-term report on the economy:
https://news.ontario.ca/mof/en/2017/02/strategic-investments-creating-foundation-for-prosperity.html
Government release: Ontario continuing to provide support for child care professionals:
https://news.ontario.ca/edu/en/2017/02/ontario-continuing-to-provide-support-for-child-care-professionals.html
Reminder: Election day moved up from October to June 7, 2018:
https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2016/10/19/ontario-moves-election-date-to-june-7-2018.html
Ontario 2017-18 Pre-Budget Submissions
Deadline is tomorrow, February 15 to send submissions to Minister of Finance – submissions@ontario.ca
- ISAC on employment standards: http://incomesecurity.org/policy-advocacy/2017-pre-budget-submission-investments-needed-in-employment-standards-enforcement-il-faut-investir-dans-lapplication-des-normes-demploi/
- ISAC on social assistance: http://incomesecurity.org/policy-advocacy/1-billion-for-ow-odsp-isacs-2017-pre-budget-submission-1-milliard-de-dollars-pour-ot-le-posph-soumission-prebudgetaire-2017-du-casr/
- Anglican Diocese of Toronto: http://www.toronto.anglican.ca/2016/11/22/archbishop-urges-ontario-government-to-support-poverty-reduction/
- Canadian Federation of University Women – Ontario Council: http://www.cfuwontcouncil.ca/Issues/PDFs/2017-01-20_PRE-BUDGET.pdf
- Catholic Charities of Toronto: http://www.catholiccharitiestor.org/CC/media/catholic-charities/Advocacy%20Resources/Reports/ON-Budget-2017-SCFEA-Catholic-Charities-10JA2017-F.pdf
- CMHA Ontario:
http://ontario.cmha.ca/news/need-increased-investments-mental-health-addictions-highlighted-cmha-ontarios-pre-budget-submission/#.WIYYNH1WLeR - Children’s Mental Health Ontario: http://www.cmho.org/get-involved/ontario-budget-2017
- Colleges Ontario: http://www.collegesontario.org/policy-positions/budget-submissions/CO_2017_Budget_WEB_HQ.pdf
- CUPE: http://cupe.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/PreBudget-Submission-FINAL-December-8-2016.pdf
- Hamilton Community Legal Clinic: https://www.hamiltonjustice.ca/blog?post=Ontario+Pre-Budget+Consultations+Offer+Opportunity+to+Advocate+for+Social+Assistance+Reform&id=385
- Injured Workers Consultants: http://injuredworkersonline.org/documents/law-and-policy-submissions/Ltr_IWC_20161214_PreBudgetConsultations.pdf
- Interfaith Social Assistance Reform Coalition: http://isarc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Pre-budget-submission-Jan-2017.pdf
- Mennonite Central Committee of Ontario: https://mcccanada.ca/sites/mcccanada.ca/files/media/common/documents/2016-12-20mccoletterregarding2017ontariobudget.pdf
- ODSP Action Coalition: http://www.odspaction.ca/resource/coalition-asks-ontario-government-invest-1b-social-assistance
- Ontario Campaign 2000: http://ontariocampaign2000.ca/ontario-2017-pre-budget-consultation/
- Ontario Federation of Labour: http://www.makeitfair.ca/read_the_ofl_pre_budget_submission
- Ontario Nonprofit Network: http://theonn.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/ONN-prebudget-submission-to-MoF-Jan-25-2017-FINAL.pdf
- OPSEU: https://opseu.org/news/age-austerity-must-end-thomas-tells-budget-committee
- Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO): http://rnao.ca/policy/submissions/ontario-pre-budget-2017
Reports, Events, Campaigns and Other Good Things
February 15 Hamilton event: Give us a chance to succeed: First-person accounts of poverty point to possibilities for the future: A report on the 2016 Hamilton Social Audit:
http://us13.campaign-archive1.com/?u=c8b37c6bca2cddff796f96ed6&id=9795dd6b17&e=f90ef465f6
March 2 Webinar: Lead in drinking water: Sharing details about Ontario’s response:
http://www.cela.ca/newsevents/announcement/webinar-march-2nd-lead-drinking-water
Launch of the Canadian Poverty Hub: Submissions being sought:
http://homelesshub.ca/resource/call-submissions-canadian-poverty-hub
StatsCan: Study: Trends in pre-retirement RRSP contributions and withdrawals:
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/170213/dq170213a-eng.htm
New book: The Shattered Mosaic: How Canadian social structures cause homelessness:
http://homelesshub.ca/resource/shattered-mosaic-how-canadian-social-structures-cause-homelessness
Canada Council for Refugees FAQ: Refugees entering from US and Safe Third Country:
http://ccrweb.ca/en/refugees-entering-us-and-safe-third-country-faq
Around the Province
Homeless crisis must end; Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal initiative building team to develop plan:
http://www.chroniclejournal.com/news/homeless-crisis-must-end-chronicle-journal-initiative-building-team-to/article_37b8d230-f05c-11e6-9991-17b3714e2e12.html?mode=jqm
Sheltering Toronto’s most vulnerable proves to be a struggle:
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/02/11/sheltering-torontos-most-vulnerable.html
Customers and food banks hit by No Frills closures in the GTA:
https://www.thestar.com/life/2017/02/09/customers-food-banks-hit-by-no-frills-closures.html
What the new population data from the census tells us about Toronto’s budget:
http://spacing.ca/toronto/2017/02/13/lorinc-2016-canadian-census-tells-us/
Living Wage effort is a moral responsibility, say Hamilton bishops:
http://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/7137992-living-wage-effort-is-a-moral-responsibility-bishops-bird-and-crosby/
Poverty statistics present difficult task for Dufferin County:
http://www.orangeville.com/news-story/7138044-poverty-stats-present-difficult-task-for-dufferin-county/
Across the Country
Some sex workers enter the industry because it’s more lucrative than low-paying service jobs: BC study:
http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/some-sex-workers-enter-the-industry-because-its-more-lucrative-than-low-paying-service-jobs-b-c-study-finds
BC judge gives woman $46,000 wrongful dismissal award for firing over Burger King fish sandwich:
http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/burger-king-b-c-judge-awards-46000-to-cook-fired-for-taking-food
Long Overdue: Why BC needs a poverty reduction plan:
http://homelesshub.ca/resource/long-overdue-why-bc-needs-poverty-reduction-plan
Yellowknife mall owners pen open letter seeking help to address “war zone” caused by homeless crisis:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/yellowknife-centre-square-mall-violence-homeless-1.3979233
National
3 reasons why Finance Minister Morneau should not raise the retirement age to 67:
http://www.alternateroutes.ca/index.php/ar
- NUPGE: Federal advisory council recommendations would increase income inequality: http://www.nupge.ca/content/13335/federal-advisory-council-recommendations-would-increase-income-inequality
- Asking Canadians to delay their CPP benefits? Good luck: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/retirement/retire-planning/asking-canadians-to-delay-cpp-retirement-benefits-good-luck/article33964757/
Facing tough talk over NAFTA renegotiations, Canadians rediscover affection for the trade pact:
http://angusreid.org/trump-nafta-renegotiation/
Liberals looking to eliminate many mandatory minimum sentences, justice minister says:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mandatory-minimum-sentences-justice-1.3976205
Canadian citizenship applications decline after processing fees triple:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canadian-citizenship-applications-decrease-1.3976140
Pre-clearance bill would give US border agents in Canada new powers:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/pre-clearance-border-canada-us-1.3976123
60 years since introduction of RRSPs, which pre-date the Canada Pension Plan:
http://www.capebretonpost.com/business/2017/2/13/rrsps-one-of-the-last-gasps-of-the-louis-st-laurent-government-60-years-ago.html
Former Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan CEO to head up new national infrastructure bank:
http://www.metronews.ca/news/canada/2017/02/10/liberals-tap-former-pension-fund-ceo-to-help-build-new-infrastructure-bank.html
International
California farmers backed Trump, but now fear losing field workers:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/09/us/california-farmers-backed-trump-but-now-fear-losing-field-workers.html
Irish activists launch anti-poverty campaign:
http://www.newstalk.com/Irish-activists-launch-antipoverty-campaign
Privatization has damaged the economy, says Australia’s consumer and competition commissioner:
http://www.smh.com.au/business/privatisation-has-damaged-the-economy-says-accc-chief-20160726-gqe2c2.html
Australia “should not pit vulnerable Australians currently receiving family tax benefit against another group of vulnerable Australians wanting to access the National Disability Insurance Scheme”:
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/feb/13/linking-welfare-cuts-to-ndis-dumb-politics-xenophon-warns-coalition
Universal basic income accelerates innovation by reducing our fear of failure:
https://evonomics.com/universal-basic-income-accelerates-innovation-reducing-fear-failure/
Silicon valley is right – Our jobs are already disappearing:
https://qz.com/895681/silicon-valley-is-right-our-jobs-are-already-disappearing-due-to-automation/
Study: American children have a 43% chance of being born into poverty:
http://www.mintpressnews.com/study-american-children-have-a-43-chance-of-being-born-into-poverty/224792/
Poverty a top concern of US mayors, survey finds:
http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/poverty-a-top-concern-of-u-s-mayors-survey-finds/article_c9cd397c-ef0d-11e6-bb68-177eb003f2ff.html
Even Trump voters want the minimum wage raised:
http://money.cnn.com/2017/02/14/news/economy/donald-trump-minimum-wage/
Charities hail turning point in Scotland’s child poverty battle:
http://thirdforcenews.org.uk/tfn-news/charities-hail-turning-point-in-child-poverty-battle
China plans to relocate 3.4 million people living in poverty in 2017:
http://shanghaiist.com/2017/02/14/poverty_relocation.php