Top Stories
Nunavut stops clawing back the National Child Benefit Supplement from social assistance payments:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/nunavut-child-benefit-social-assistance-1.3519915
- Government of Nunavut news release: http://www.gov.nu.ca/family-services/news/national-child-benefit-supplement-exemption
- New Canada Child Benefit must be indexed to inflation now, not by 2020: http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2016/04/05/anti-poverty-policy-needs-protection.html
Duclos says new Canada Child Benefit is a form of basic income guarantee, open to do more – but provinces would have to take the lead:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/04/07/canada-child-benefit-is-basic-income-guarantee-says-families-minister-jean-yves-duclos.html
Two Innu First Nations to deliver income assistance program to their members in Labrador:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/innu-first-nation-income-assistance-program-1.3521615?cmp=abfb
Food insecurity in Nunavut and NWT reaches record levels:
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/north/food-insecurity-reaches-record-level-nunavut-northwest-territories-1.3523105
Study says all Canadians should have dental care as part of basic health care coverage:
http://vancouversun.com/health/local-health/dental-care-should-be-part-of-basic-health-care-ubc-study
- Simcoe Muskoka Health Unit wants expansion of dental coverage: http://www.theenterprisebulletin.com/2016/03/31/expand-dental-coverage-health-unit
- Op-Ed: It’s time to expand dental care coverage: http://www.orilliapacket.com/2016/04/06/its-time-to-expand-dental-care-coverage
The Panama Papers: How offshore tax havens are costing Canada billions per year:
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2016/04/04/how-offshore-tax-havens-are-costing-canada-billions-of-dollars-a-year.html
- Iceland’s Prime Minister resigns in wake of leak: http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2016/04/05/iceland-pm-asks-president-to-dissolve-parliament-after-panama-papers-leak.html
- Armine Yalnizyan takes on Kevin O’Leary on offshore tax havens, and listeners agree: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/programs/metromorning/offshore-tax-havens-1.3522907
- Why doesn’t Canada measure the “tax gap”?: http://globalnews.ca/news/2619198/why-doesnt-canada-measure-the-tax-gap/
- Ottawa under pressure to calculate the “tax gap” in wake of Panama Papers: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-under-pressure-to-calculate-tax-gap-in-wake-of-panama-papers/article29521364/
- Walkom: Homegrown loopholes cost Canada more than Panama tax havens: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/04/06/homegrown-loopholes-cost-canada-more-than-panama-tax-havens-walkom.html
- Canadians for Tax Fairness campaign: Close unfair tax loopholes now!: http://www.taxfairness.ca/en/node/585?cid1=0
House of Commons Finance Committee Chair wants independent review of Canada’s tax system:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/commons-finance-committee-chair-wants-independent-review-of-tax-system/article29523821/
- Op-Ed: Governments need more money to pay for the things we all need: http://www.thewhig.com/2016/04/01/governments-need-more-money
CMHC to start consultations on a National Housing Strategy:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-04/canada-housing-agency-to-push-for-national-housing-strategy
- Opinion: Only the feds can really fix housing in Canada: http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/lauren-heuser-only-the-feds-can-really-fix-housing-in-canada
- BC Supreme Court rejects province’s bid to remove homeless tent city on the grounds of City’s law courts: http://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/mobile/b-c-judge-refuses-to-order-homeless-from-grounds-of-victoria-court-1.2846223
- The impossibility of managing a chronic disease while homeless: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/03/homeless-patients/475830/?utm_source=SFFB
Hennessy: Ontario’s $15 minimum wage campaign just got a boost:
http://behindthenumbers.ca/2016/04/04/ontarios-15-minimum-wage-campaign-just-got-a-boost/#.VwJzS13D114.twitter
- OFL applauds Ontario NDP support for $15 minimum wage: http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/ofl-applauds-ontario-ndp-support-for-a-15-minimum-wage-2111640.htm
The Living Wage movement goes global, finally catching hold in Canada:
https://www.opencanada.org/features/the-living-wage-movement-goes-global/
Joseph Stiglitz calls the Trans-Pacific Partnership “the worst trade deal ever”:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/joseph-stiglitz-tpp-1.3515452
Carol Goar retires: Parting reflections of an inveterate storyteller:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2016/04/06/parting-reflections-of-an-inveterate-storyteller-goar.html
Ontario
A fair appeal system for Ontario’s injured workers is under threat with changes to tribunal:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/04/06/fair-appeals-for-injured-workers-under-threat-experts-warn.html
Starting June 10, it will be illegal for employers to keep a portion of employees’ tips:
http://yourlegalrights.on.ca/news/tips-and-gratuities
Doctors call on governments to address medical crisis on Ontario reserves:
http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/doctors-call-on-governments-to-address-medical-crisis-on-ontario-reserves-1.2835898
Ontario backs down on increasing Ontario Drug Benefit program costs for seniors:
https://news.ontario.ca/mohltc/en/2016/4/ontario-lowers-drug-costs-for-over-170000-more-low-income-seniors.html
Income threshold for eligibility for legal aid services increased another six percent April 1:
http://legalaid.on.ca/en/news/newsarchive/2016-04-01_eligibility-threshold.asp
Ontario Children’s Aid Societies launch major training reform:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/04/03/childrens-aid-societies-launch-major-training-reforms.html
Ontario is at the back of the pack on the Big Mac minimum wage index:
http://www.thestar.com/business/2016/04/04/stuck-at-the-back-of-the-big-mac-pack-wells.html
Sun editorial: It’s time to review corporate welfare, whether they’re friends of government or not:
http://www.torontosun.com/2016/04/04/time-to-review-corporate-welfare
Ontario is ready to test a basic income:
http://www.basicincome.org/news/2016/04/canada-ontario-is-ready-to-test-a-basic-income/
Reports, Events, Campaigns, and Other Good Things
International study on youth homelessness finds biggest driver is poverty:
http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2016/04/06/poverty-conflict-drive-youth-homelessness-study/
- Report fuels push to repeal Ontario’s Safe Streets Act: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/04/04/poverty-the-leading-cause-of-youth-homelessness-study.html
Angus Reid survey: Majority of Canadians having trouble affording food:
http://angusreid.org/rising-food-prices/
Report: Household food insecurity in Canada: Problem definition and potential solutions in the public policy domain:
http://proof.utoronto.ca/new-publication-household-food-insecurity-in-canada-problem-definition-and-potential-solutions-in-the-public-policy-domain/?platform=hootsuite
Keep the Promise: A call to action on child poverty in Canada:
http://www.keepthepromise.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Keep-the-PromiseA-Call-to-Action.pdf
Living in the grey area of disability: Ableism and disability binarism:
http://themighty.com/2016/03/living-my-life-in-the-grey-area-of-disability/
Worth repeating: 10 book about residential schools to read with your kids:
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/aboriginal/10-books-about-residential-schools-to-read-with-your-kids-1.3208021
Around the Province
Rural poverty hidden in Waterloo Region:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/rural-poverty-hidden-in-waterloo-region-advocates-say-1.3521504
Report: One in eight households in Toronto are hungry:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/04/07/hunger-a-problem-for-one-in-eight-people-in-toronto-census-metropolitan-area-says-new-report.html
Steve Barnes of Toronto’s Wellesley Institute talks transit equity as a health issue on MetroMorning:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/programs/metromorning/transit-equity-1.3516270
Library workers call out City of Toronto for perpetuating precarious work:
http://torontoist.com/2016/03/library-workers-union-calls-out-precarious-work-austerity-budgets/
Niagara conducting count of people who are homeless this week:
http://www.chch.com/niagara-homeless-count/
Gentrification in Toronto’s Moss Park a cause for concern:
https://nowtoronto.com/news/moss-park-gentrification-a-cause-for-concern/#.VwWWGgb-fes.twitter
Peterborough Council silent on basic income:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/rogers-10-dollar-internet-pilot-expands-1.3526165
Trudeau on a budget tour in Northern Ontario:
http://globalnews.ca/news/2623940/trudeau-makes-his-way-to-northern-ontario-on-post-budget-tour/
Across the Country
Cities Reducing Poverty conference in Edmonton has mayors discussing innovative solutions to poverty:
http://www.calgarysun.com/2016/04/05/nenshi-urges-innovative-solutions-to-poverty
Report: Many New Brunswickers struggle to afford food:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/food-insecurity-brunswick-report-proof-1.3522175
Hundreds rally and groups unite in Vancouver for increases to BC social assistance rates:
http://themainlander.com/2016/04/04/groups-unite-to-call-for-higher-welfare-and-disability-rates/
“Extreme makeover” erodes Vancouver’s allure:
http://www.vancourier.com/opinion/extreme-makeover-erodes-vancouver-s-allure-1.2225075
Alberta repeals housing rules for people with severe disabilities after human rights complaints:
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/calgary/pdd-regulations-repealed-1.3516602
Manitoba Poverty Tool helps doctors ask patients about their financial as well as physical health:
http://www.ucobserver.org/justice/2016/04/poverty/
Manitoba election: Community advocates questioning candidates on poverty issues:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/poverty-cbc-live-neechi-commons-1.3521962
National
Federal budget lacks transparency, overstates job creation, watchdog says:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/first-trudeau-budget-less-transparent-inflates-job-growth-watchdog-says/article29537855/
- Council of Canadians campaigners comment on federal budget: http://canadians.org/blog/council-canadians-campaigners-comment-trudeaus-federal-budget
- Notley: It doesn’t make sense to exclude Edmonton from extended Employment Insurance: http://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/doesnt-make-sense-to-exclude-edmonton-area-from-extended-employment-insurance-premier-notley
- EI fixes not enough for northern Manitoba: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/feds-ei-fixes-not-enough-for-north-mp-374229351.html
Settlement workers call for more funds for migrant workers:
http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/settlement-organizations-call-for-more-funds-for-temporary-foreign-workers
Rogers to offer $9.99 internet to low-income housing organization tenants: http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/rogers-cheap-internet-1.3523584
- Public Interest Advocacy Centre along with other groups wants CRTC to mandate a basic internet service available and affordable to all Canadians: https://www.piac.ca/our-specialities/the-basic-service-objective-hearings/
- Ottawa advocates say Rogers should offer low-cost internet to all low-income people: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/rogers-10-dollar-internet-pilot-expands-1.3526165
Kevin Milligan: We are not heading to a fiscal crisis:
http://www.macleans.ca/economy/economicanalysis/we-are-not-heading-to-fiscal-crisis/
- Bank of Canada: The Canadian economy isn’t out of the woods yet: https://www.biv.com/article/2016/4/canadian-economy-not-out-woods-yet-says-bank-canad/
For Indigenous women, prison is the adult residential school:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/for-indigenous-women-prisons-are-the-adult-version-of-residential-schools/article29388499/?click=sf_globefb
Munir Sheikh on the question of social mobility:
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/munir-a-sheikh-how-the-great-gatsby-model-of-social-mobility-fails-in-canada
International
San Francisco library offers mental health services to people who are homeless, and it’s working:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/a-library-is-often-the-safest-place-for-homeless-people-thats-why-this-one-hired-a-social-worker_us_56fbf43ee4b083f5c6063b0d
San Francisco becomes first US city to mandate fully paid parental leave:
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/apr/05/san-francisco-maternal-paternal-leave-law-fully-paid?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Michigan welfare time limits save state millions, but cost 32,090 families:
http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/04/saving_dollars_not_people_chan.html
Panama Papers: UK’s Corbyn to tell Cameron to “stop pussyfooting over tax dodgers”:
http://www.itv.com/news/2016-04-05/panama-papers-corbyn-to-tell-pm-stop-pussyfooting-over-tax-dodgers/
Australian cashless welfare card “to combat drug and alcohol abuse” being rolled out this week:
http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2015/s4437796.htm
Report shows a fraction of global military spending could end world poverty:
http://www.newshub.co.nz/world/fraction-of-military-spending-could-end-poverty—report-2016040609#axzz45F9HvSJI
Free trade: A really dumb way to fix poverty:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/global-poverty-free-trade_us_57068933e4b053766188ef6b
Book review: Evicted: What happens if the problem of poverty is that it’s profitable to other people?:
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/apr/07/evicted-poverty-and-profit-in-the-american-city-matthew-desmond-review