Latest Media and Policy News: 21 Nov 2012
A lot has happened since my last mailing, but there's been no time to chronicle events! Here are some recent news items that I hope you'll find helpful.
Provincial Politics – Liberal Leadership
Sandra Pupatello says she’ll review social assistance cuts, but comes out swinging against “welfare cheats”:
http://www.thespec.com/opinion/columns/article/838534--dreschel-pupatello-will-review-poverty-cuts
MCSS Minister John Milloy backs Pupatello for the leadership:
http://www.therecord.com/news/local/article/839443--milloy-backs-pupatello-bid-for-leadership
Gerrard Kennedy has entered the race:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1286232--ontario-liberal-leadership-race-gerard-kennedy-promises-to-be-different-if-he-takes-grit-helm
Harinder Takhar likely to throw his hat in the ring – and potentially support Pupatello:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/takhar-likely-to-seek-liberal-leadership-in-ontario/article5461140/?cmpid=rss1
Six questions for the candidates – including what they’ll do on social assistance reform:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1290183--six-questions-for-aspiring-premiers-to-answer-now
Community Start-Up and Maintenance Benefit
Windsor defers cuts resulting from CSUMB elimination to do political advocacy – joins other municipalities doing the same:
http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2012/11/19/council-holds-off-on-dramatic-cuts-to-housing-programs/
Municipalities also deferring cuts to give time for advocacy include Hamilton:
http://www.cbc.ca/hamilton/news/story/2012/11/07/hamilton-social-assistance-program.html
Health centres in Ottawa urge the province to restore CSUMB:
http://thewardottawa.wordpress.com/2012/11/20/local-health-centres-urge-province-to-reinstate-housing-benefit/
Protesters in Sudbury charged with trespassing show up for court:
http://www.thesudburystar.com/2012/11/19/rabble-rousers-make-first-court-appearance
The ALIVE blog on the CSUMB cuts:
http://thealiveblog.wordpress.com/2012/11/19/have-you-signed-a-community-start-up-and-maintenance-benefit-csumb-petition/
Looks like Kawartha Lakes won’t have to cut discretionary benefits after all:
http://www.haliburtonecho.ca/2012/11/19/social-assistance-benefits-to-be-restored
A report back from London Shelter Residents Advocacy Group about a City-held meeting on the cuts:
http://lsrag.wordpress.com/2012/11/09/report-back-from-the-citys-community-forum-about-homelessness-and-the-elimination-of-the-csumb/
Upcoming Rallies Against the Cuts
This THURSDAY (Nov 22) in Lindsay:
http://www.mykawartha.com/community/article/1535312--public-rallies-to-protest-cancellation-of-support-fund
The story from Sudbury above notes a rally this THURSDAY in Sudbury:
http://www.thesudburystar.com/2012/11/09/protest-at-mpps-office-turns-ugly
This FRIDAY (Nov 23) in Toronto, of women and trans people against the cuts:
http://www.oaith.ca/action/action-now/2012/11/18/rally-against-cuts-to-the-community-start-up!-friday,-november-23rd,-11-a.m.-777-bay-street,-toronto/
Five (More) Things You Can Do to Combat the Cuts
1.
Send an email - automatically! - to the Ministers urging them to restore the CSUMB. Your email will also be sent to Opposition critics. Then FORWARD THE LINK to your friends, colleagues, clients, and get them to send an email too.
2.
Download the template letter and circulate it to your friends, clients, people you work with - have them sign and send it to their MPP.
3.
Contact your local MPP - call them to ask for a meeting, or send an email or letter to them directly. Tell them what the elimination of CSUMB is going to mean in your community. Ask them what they're going to do to help restore the CSUMB.
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If you don’t know your MPP’s name, go to the Elections Ontario website and use your postal code to look up your Electoral District. It may be hard to figure out, but it’s the name on the map on that page. Once there, click on “Information on your MPP” and scroll down until you find the name of your Electoral District. Click on the MPPs name and their contact information will come up.
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If you do know your MPPs name, look up their contact information on the Legislative Assembly website.
4. If you are receiving OW or ODSP and have expenses that could make you eligible for CSUMB, make sure that you
contact your caseworker to apply for funding right away! The program ends December 31.
5. If you work with people receiving OW or ODSP,
here is a toolkit that you can use to help them apply.
Social Assistance Review
Progressive Conservative MPPs doing roundtables across the province:
http://www.emcstlawrence.ca/20121108/news/Report+on+social+assistance+reform+focus+of+MPPs%27+town+hall-style+meeting,+Roundtable+participants+voice+variety+of+concerns+from+funding+shortfalls+to+lack+of+affordable+housing
NOTE: Toby Barrett and colleagues will be hosting a roundtable in Thunder Bay Dec 3/4 and in Sarnia and region Dec 10/11. More information on these roundtables to come.
Muskoka-area public health unit survey bolsters Social Assistance Review recommendation to improve adequacy:
http://www.cottagecountrynow.ca/news/article/1537367--reports-find-assistance-doesn-t-cover-real-foods
Across the Country
Quebec moves to index social assistance rates to inflation:
http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Quebec+social+assistance+payments+increase/7521609/story.html
At the Federal Level
The feds introduce controversial social impact bonds to fund social services:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1284941--feds-introduce-controversial-social-impact-bonds-to-fund-social-services
The Current gets discussion from all sides - including the CCPA's David Macdonald:
http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/2012/11/20/are-social-impact-bonds-a-good-way-to-invest-in-public-services/
Some takes on SIBs:
Jennefer Laidley
Policy & Research Analyst
Income Security Advocacy Centre
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