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October 17 was International Day for the Eradication of Poverty:
- Sarnia anti-poverty rally offers a ray of hope: http://thesarniajournal.ca/anti-poverty-rally-offers-a-ray-of-hope/
- Niagara Poverty Reduction Network chews on this!:
http://www.niagarathisweek.com/community-story/6919182-a-human-rights-approach-to-poverty-reduction/
- BC marchers call for end to poverty in Canada: http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/news/article_e82406b2-94ea-11e6-a72b-e311a3337892.html
- Saskatchewan groups mark the day: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/saskatchewan-groups-mark-international-day-for-the-eradication-of-poverty-1.3808903
- Thousands across Canada call for federal action on poverty: http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/thousands-across-canada-call-for-federal-action-on-poverty-2167073.htm
- Work continues to reduce poverty across Canada: http://www.kelownacapnews.com/news/397356051.html
Austerity policies are counterproductive in tough economic times: Regina Anti-Poverty Ministry:
http://leaderpost.com/news/local-news/austerity-policies-are-counterproductive-in-tough-economic-times-regina-anti-poverty-ministry
NWT government takes full benefit of Canada Child Benefit from social assistance families:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/mla-says-nwt-government-short-changing-famillies-1.3811562
AFN National Chief Bellegarde makes pitch to close the gap for Indigenous peoples:
http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/perry-bellegarde-makes-his-pitch-for-a-developed-respectful-canada/
- $2 billion needed for immediate fixes to First Nations schools: http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/politics/first-nations-infrastructure-funding-1.3803507
Temp agency work trapping immigrant women in modern-day slavery:
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/10/17/temp-agency-work-trapping-immigrant-women-in-modern-day-slavery.html
- Here’s the report: “Working so Hard and Still so Poor”: http://www.ryerson.ca/content/dam/clmr/publications/Final%20Report%20(Precarious%20Work).pdf
The vast majority of Toronto parents can’t afford daycare:
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/10/18/vast-majority-of-toronto-parents-cant-afford-daycare.html
- Here’s the report: “Licensed Child Care Demand and Affordability Study”: http://www.childcarecanada.org/documents/research-policy-practice/16/10/city-toronto-licensed-child-care-demand-and-affordability-s
Trudeau says Liberals not looking to hike federal minimum wage:
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/10/07/trudeau-says-liberals-not-looking-to-hike-federal-minimum-wage.html
- Poll shows broad support for $15 federal minimum wage: https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/10/19/broad-support-in-poll-for-15-federal-minimum-wage.html
EI claims down 18.4% from August to July:
http://www.nasdaq.com/article/canada-job-insurance-claims-down-184-in-august-from-july-20161020-00680
- Stats Can report: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/161020/dq161020a-eng.htm
Federal government announces pay equity legislation:
http://theargus.ca/news/2016/federal-government-announces-pay-equity-legislation/
- All-male federal Finance Committee to study gender-based income inequality: https://ca.news.yahoo.com/all-male-government-panel-learns-about-income-154711513.html
Meet one of Canada’s hottest job markets: People aged 55 and up:
http://www.canadianbusiness.com/economy/meet-one-of-canadas-hottest-job-markets-people-aged-55-and-up/
Survey: Money is the biggest stress in Canadians’ lives:
http://www.theprovince.com/business/cnw/release.html?rkey=20161018C6693&filter=4007
Ontario
Tories criticise Liberals for spending $11.7 million to set up low-income Ontario Electricity Support Program:
http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/ontario-liberals-hydro-rebate
Government release: Ontario passes legislation to reduce electricity costs for families and businesses:
https://news.ontario.ca/mei/en/2016/10/ontario-passes-legislation-to-reduce-electricity-costs-for-families-and-businesses.html
Most Ontarians say justice system “broken”: survey:
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/10/17/most-ontarians-say-justice-system-broken-survey.html
Reports, Events, Campaigns and Other Good Things
ISAC Webinar: Basic Income: What is it and what could it mean for social assistance?:
http://yourlegalrights.on.ca/webinar/basic-income-what-it-and-what-could-it-mean-social-assistance
National Housing Day of Action on November 18:
http://www.acto.ca/en/community-campaigns/national-housing-day.html
Special UN group visiting Canada to investigate anti-Black racism:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/un-working-group-racism-black-people-ottawa-1.3808691
Caledon Institute report: Disability Supports and Employment Policy
http://www.caledoninst.org/Publications/Detail/?ID=1105
Consumer Price Index up 1.3% year-over-year in September:
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/161021/dq161021a-eng.htm
From the US: How to turn anti-poverty work into an anti-poverty movement:
http://www.commondreams.org/views/2016/10/18/how-turn-anti-poverty-work-anti-poverty-movement
Around the Province
Few takers for Mississauga’s low-income transit pass:
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/10/16/few-takers-for-mississauga-low-income-transit-pass.html
Durham editorial: Child poverty continues to be Canada’s shame:
http://www.durhamregion.com/opinion-story/6917404-child-poverty-continues-to-be-canada-s-shame/
Ingersoll: Fighting food insecurity:
http://www.intelligencer.ca/2016/10/17/ruth-ingersoll-fighting-food-insecurity
Sudbury laundry workers to be laid off after hospital strikes new deal with southern Ontario company:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/sudbury-laundry-workers-layoffs-1.3804637
Making poverty a priority in Hastings Prince Edward:
http://www.intelligencer.ca/2016/10/20/making-poverty-a-priority
London MP wants municipal politicians to bring poverty findings to federal officials:
http://blackburnnews.com/london/london-news/2016/10/18/local-mp-asks-city-share-poverty-findings-feds/
OCAP’s mass delegation to end discrimination in Toronto’s Housing Stabilization Fund:
https://ocaptoronto.wordpress.com/2016/10/14/report-back-mass-delegation-to-end-hsf-discrimination/
Across the Country
Quebecers rally for $15 minimum wage in Montreal:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-rally-minimum-wage-montreal-1.3806456
Regina protesters want to stop changes to Saskatchewan disability benefits:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/regina-rally-said-oct2016-1.3813406
Surviving on $18 a week for food as BC Welfare Food Challenge 2016 kicks off:
http://globalnews.ca/news/3007004/surviving-on-18-a-week-for-food-as-welfare-food-challenge-2016-kicks-off/
- Why one activist isn’t taking the Welfare Food Challenge in BC: http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2016/10/20/Not-Taking-Welfare-Food-Challenge/
BC government to subsidize rental units in response to housing crisis:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/bc-government-to-subsidize-rental-units-below-market-rates/article31996997/
- New Westminster MLA setting up rent bank: http://www.newwestrecord.ca/news/new-west-rent-bank-could-help-residents-at-risk-of-eviction-1.2369531
“Migrant Dreams” tour starts in Charlottetown:
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/Living/2016-10-19/article-4666947/%26lsquo%3BMigrant-Dreams%26rsquo%3B-film-tour-begins-Thursday-in-Charlottetown/1
National
CMHC issues first “red warning” on Canada’s housing market risk:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/real-estate/the-market/cmhc-to-issue-first-red-warning-for-canadas-housing-market/article32386112/
It’s time for Canada to embrace free tuition:
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/bilan-arte/the-case-for-free-tuition_b_12516930.html
Ottawa dad urges CRA to rethink “sexist” CCB policy:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/canada-child-benefit-by-default-goes-to-woman-1.3812520
Andrew Coyne: CPP expansion is a risky business:
http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/andrew-coyne-expansion-of-the-cpp-is-risky-business
Opinion: Canadian Taxpayers Foundation has five members; why should we care what they think?:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/canadian-taxpayer-federation-opinion-lamont-1.3802441
David Suzuki: Food security important for humans and other animals:
http://www.straight.com/news/809861/david-suzuki-food-security-important-humans-and-other-animals
International
Column: The claim that if wages go up, jobs will go down is not a theory – it’s a scam:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/making-sense/column-claim-wages-go-jobs-will-go-isnt-theory-scam/
The French government gave out one billion Euros in tax breaks for the wealthy last year:
http://en.rfi.fr/economy/20161013-france-gives-one-billion-euros-tax-breaks-wealthy
UN expert urges new Secretary-General to convene a world conference on the abolition of tax havens:
http://yubanet.com/world/convene-world-conference-on-abolition-of-tax-havens-human-rights-expert-urges-the-ga-and-next-un-secretary-general/
The Apple tax tussle shows the need for a new way of taxing profits:
http://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/faculty/jstiglitz/sites/jstiglitz/files/Apple%20Tax%20Tussle_0.pdf
Trends emerging after Missouri welfare reform:
http://stlouisreview.com/article/2016-10-20/trends-emerge-after
A remarkable thing happens to poor kids when you help their parents with rent:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/10/12/the-remarkable-thing-that-happens-to-poor-kids-when-you-help-their-parents-with-rent/
The Uber economy looks a lot like the pre-industrial economy:
http://qz.com/806117/uber-and-the-gig-economy-look-a-lot-like-the-pre-industrial-economy/
Poverty on the rise in the Danish welfare state:
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201610181046453704-denmark-scandinavia-poverty/
UK’s Department of Work and Pensions must end harmful welfare conditionality:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/dwp-welfare-benfits-conditionality-work-coaches-downing-street-a7370376.html
Israel and the US have the highest poverty rates in the OECD:
http://blogs.ft.com/ftdata/2016/10/19/young-people-have-replaced-the-elderly-as-the-group-most-at-risk-across-the-developed-world/
Hands Off Our Grants: South African protestors want stop to unlawful deductions:
http://ewn.co.za/2016/10/17/Hands-off-our-grants-protesters-want-stop-to-unlawful-deductions
Hong Kong government slammed as poverty hits six-year high:
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2028422/hong-kong-government-slammed-poverty-figure-hits-six-year
Climate change could be linked to extreme poverty: report:
http://globalnews.ca/news/3007926/climate-change-could-be-linked-to-extreme-poverty-report/