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Media & Policy News: 27 February 2015

February 27, 2015

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

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This site contains general legal information for people in Ontario, Canada. It is not intended to be used as legal advice for a specific legal problem. ISAC is a not-for-profit, non-partisan organization. ISAC is funded by Legal Aid Ontario (LAO). The funding for this website is also provided by LAO. The views expressed in any of ISAC’s publications (including written, oral, or visual) are the views of the clinic and do not necessarily reflect those of LAO.