Top Stories
BC ends clawback of child support payments from welfare and disability benefits:
http://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/b-c-budget-clawbacks-of-child-support-payments-to-end-1.1765818
- Letter to the Editor: BC should also end the CPP-Disability benefit clawback:http://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/letters/b-c-should-remove-cpp-clawback-1.1770182
Rabble.ca series: Poor people can’t cook, and other myths:
- Part One: http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/jesse-bauman/2015/02/poor-people-cant-cook-and-other-myths-part-one
Wellesley study shows one-third of workers in Ontario lack extended health benefits – low-income workers and women most affected:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/02/17/one-third-of-ontario-workers-lack-medicaldental-benefits-study-says.html
Analysis shows increasing number of Canadians cashing out retirement accounts to make ends meet:
http://www.pfhub.com/soaring-cost-of-living-forces-canadians-to-cash-out-retirement-accounts-1664/
Reports, Publications, and Events
CCPA-Ontario: “Getting the design right on the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan”:
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/getting-design-right-ontario-retirement-pension-plan-orpp
CBC Town Hall Mar 4: “Just-in-Time Jobs: Getting by in a world of part-time, contract & precarious work”
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/cbc-town-hall-just-in-time-jobs-1.2973528
Ontario Common Front Anti-Poverty Assembly, April 17-19:
http://weareontario.ca/index.php/antipovertyassembly/
National Summit on poverty reduction, May 6-8, hosted by Tamarack:
http://events.tamarackcommunity.org/povertyreductionsummit
Worth Repeating
Goar: Stop blaming computer ‘glitch’ for welfare woes:http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2015/02/05/stop-blaming-computer-glitch-for-welfare-woes-goar.html
The choice to take the challenge to go hungry:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/facts-and-arguments/thinking-of-those-who-go-hungry-i-set-myself-a-challenge/article22861034/
Ontario
Review of AODA shows Ontario is falling short of its goal for disability accessibility by 2025:
http://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2015/02/13/ontario-needs-to-boost-accessibility-efforts.html#
- Response from Minister Duguid: http://news.ontario.ca/medt/en/2015/02/statement-by-brad-duguid-on-provost-morans-review-of-the-accessibility-for-ontarians-with-disabiliti.html
- Ontario says it will conduct fewer AODA inspections:http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/02/24/ontario-to-reduce-enforcement-of-accessibility-law.html?fb_ref=Default
Ontario announces review of labour and employment standards legislation:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/02/17/ontario-to-review-labour-laws-for-gaping-holes-when-it-comes-to-precarious-work.html
- Analysis shows Ontario’s labour market is increasingly precarious:http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/02/17/ontario-sees-hike-in-underemployment-low-wage-workers.html
Interactive pre-budget website submission urges Ontario to make social assistance rates reflect reality:
http://www.hamiltonjustice.ca/blog/?post=Social+Assistance+Rates+Must+Reflect+Costs+of+Living&id=284
ODSP Action Coalition’s February action urges Minister Jaczek to “have a heart” for families on ODSP on Family Day:
http://www.odspaction.ca/resource/family-day-2015-have-heart-odsp
- Raise the Hammer coverage: http://raisethehammer.org/article/2497
Outgoing Human Rights Commission chair Barbara Hall: Racism is still an issue in Ontario:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/racism-still-an-issue-in-ontario-says-outgoing-human-rights-chief-barbara-hall-1.2971082
Around the Province
United Way study shows Toronto is “Canada’s inequality capital”:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/02/27/toronto-now-canadas-inequality-capital-united-way-study-shows.html
Minister Jaczek tours OW offices in Ottawa in wake of computer system fiasco:
http://www.ottawasun.com/2015/02/20/no-money-back-promise-on-welfare-bugs
Faith groups in Thornhill aim to end child poverty:
http://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/5449981-york-region-faith-groups-aim-to-end-child-poverty/
Durham employment trends show hike in part-time, temporary and contract work:
http://www.durhamregion.com/news-story/5445938-employment-trends-in-durham-show-hike-in-part-time-contract-and-temporary-work/
Activists in Northumberland join the call for dental coverage for low-income adults:
http://www.northumberlandtoday.com/2015/02/25/petition-calls-for-dental-coverage-for-low-income-adults
City of Toronto talks on poverty reduction come to Parkdale neighbourhood:
http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/5445652-talks-on-poverty-reduction-pass-through-parkdale/
11.5% of Peterborough households are food insecure:
http://www.insidebelleville.com/community-story/5443798-estimated-11-5-per-cent-of-peterborough-county-and-city-households-are-food-insecure-/
Across the Country
BC Budget: despite child support exemption, rest of budget leaves average families out:
http://thetyee.ca/News/2015/02/17/BC-Budget-2015/
BC’s low minimum wage is failing the women of that province:
http://blogs.theprovince.com/2015/02/26/kasari-govender-and-viveca-ellis-low-minimum-wage-is-hurting-single-moms-and-their-children/
The Tyee 3-part series on housing in Canada:
- Part 1: The benefits of – and threats to – co-operative housing in Canada:http://thetyee.ca/News/2015/02/23/Four-Sisters-Coop-Profile/
- Part 2: Rent-geared-to-income is “the best apartment ever”:http://thetyee.ca/News/2015/02/24/Solheim-Place/
- Part 3: Woodwards: Still a contentious experiment:http://www.thetyee.ca/News/2015/02/25/Woodwards-Social-Housing/
Perversities from BC’s welfare system:
http://www.straight.com/news/397261/open-letter-bc-minister-social-development-michelle-stilwell-carnegie-community-action
Activists in New Brunswick call for more progressive tax measures than raising that province’s HST:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/n-b-common-front-for-social-justice-says-sales-tax-affects-the-poor-1.2968416
Making Manitoba hunger-free: taking the Poverty Pledge opens eyes:
http://www.winnipegsun.com/2015/02/22/harvest-pledge-participants-get-eyes-opened-to-poverty-reality
National
Since making big changes to EI, the Prime Minister’s Office has been flooded with angry emails:
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/pmo-flooded-with-angry-emails-over-employment-insurance-changes-and-oas
An Alberta man dying of cancer is seeking CPP-D but caught in the Social Security Tribunal backlog:
http://globalnews.ca/news/1850976/dying-alberta-man-fights-with-social-security-tribunal-for-disability-benefits/
Who will pay the price for Harper’s proposal to double Tax-Free Savings Account contribution limits:
http://www.taxfairness.ca/en/news/tax-free-savings-who-pays-price
Globe editorial on the need to ensure Canada’s retirement safety net is strong:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/editorials/dear-seniors-please-dont-retire-yet-signed-the-canadian-economy/article23131876/
In case you missed it: Hugh Segal vs. The Fraser Institute on Guaranteed Annual Income:
http://thetyee.ca/News/2015/01/06/Guaranteed-Annual-Income/
International
California Democrats introduce repeal of US decades-old “welfare queen” law:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/02/26/california-lawmakers-push-to-repeal-welfare-queen-law/
US states that drug test welfare applicants have seen high costs and few benefits:
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2015/02/26/3624447/tanf-drug-testing-states/
Catholic bishops say UK voters should see poverty as a key issue in the next election:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/24/catholic-bishops-poverty-issue-for-parties-to-tackle-conference
Ireland’s government gets an “F” on child poverty:
http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=24433
Report to Australia’s government calls for radical welfare system overhaul:
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/new-report-calls-for-radical-welfare-overhaul-20150225-13nls5.html
Singapore raises taxes on wealthiest to fund seniors’ and welfare benefits:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-23/singapore-raises-taxes-on-top-earners-to-pay-for-social-spending