Latest Media and Policy News: 10 Feb 2014

 

Top Stories

Does a minimum wage increase hurt workers? The problem is only the smallness of their spoons:
http://politicalehconomy.wordpress.com/2014/02/10/economic-history-in-the-present-the-wage-fund-and-the-minimum-wage/#present
 
Premier Wynne to go “on trial” over social assistance rates:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/02/10/premier_kathleen_wynne_on_trial_for_neglecting_poor.html
 
Moving into election, Manitoba’s NDP agrees to hike welfare shelter rates to 75% of the median market rate:  
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/on-the-path-to-re-election-244669601.html
 
Does Jim Flaherty disagree with Harper about income splitting?:
http://globalnews.ca/news/1137895/decision-on-income-splitting-lies-with-pm-flaherty/
 
And how much is $3 billion in income splitting anyway?
https://www.broadbentinstitute.ca/madmengiveaway/infographic
 
Radwanski: The Ontario NDP is winning voters over with less policy, not more:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ontario-ndp-winning-over-voters-with-less-policy-not-more/article16769719/
 
Ontario’s Partnership Council to boost jobs for people with disabilities greeted with some skepticism:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/02/07/ontario_convenes_new_partnership_council_to_boost_jobs_for_disabled_people.html

 

Cool Things

Ontario Campaign 2000 – webinar on child support and social assistance (with ISAC background and information):
http://www.campaign2000.ca/Ontario/index.html
 
Who pays the highest taxes in Ontario? Poor seniors, that’s who:
http://openpolicyontario.com/a-story-of-two-poor-seniors-linda-and-doris-are-the-highest-taxed-people-in-ontario/
 
No matter where you live in Ontario, you can calculate your energy bill here:
http://www.ontarioenergyboard.ca/OEB/Consumers/Electricity/Your%20Electricity%20Utility

 

Around the Province

Poverty Challenge underway in Kenora:
http://www.kenoraonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7976&Itemid=160
 
Windsor Star on Hudak’s Right to Work plan:
http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2014/02/06/tension-grows-over-tory-right-to-work-proposal/#pd_a_7779907
 
 

Across the Country

Even on Family Day, there’s still no child poverty reduction plan in BC:
http://www.news1130.com/2014/02/09/still-no-child-poverty-reduction-plan-from-victoria/
 
A new job prep course starts in Prince Albert, SK:
http://www.paherald.sk.ca/News/Local/2014-02-09/article-3609359/Program-to-prepare-people-for-employment/1

 

National

CCPA warns a “do-nothing” federal budget could harm the economy:
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/02/05/canada-budget-2014-ccpa_n_4726899.html
 
Federation of Canadian Municipalities say Harper has no plan on housing and poverty:
http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Cities+Stephen+Harper+government+getting+cold+feet+fighting/9487502/story.html
 
CCPA’s David Macdonald on the Alternative Federal Budget:
http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Business/ID/2435107051/
 
Andrew Jackson on January’s employment numbers:
https://www.broadbentinstitute.ca/en/blog/broadbent-institute-reacts-january-labour-force-report
 
Jack Mintz says simple changes could help low income seniors more than revamping the CPP (Ed note: Why not both?):

• http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1724351
• http://www.benefitscanada.com/pensions/other-pensions/cpp-expansion-not-needed-to-help-seniors-in-poverty-report-49242 

The Globe on 10 key ways the feds are changing citizenship requirements:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ten-ways-ottawa-is-changing-how-to-become-a-canadian-citizen/article16724611/#dashboard/follows/
 
 

International

Improving opportunity won’t reduce poverty:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/douglas-j-amy/equal-opportunity-wont-reduce-poverty_b_4755771.html
 
NYT: More on the minimum wage debate in the US:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/09/opinion/sunday/the-case-for-a-higher-minimum-wage.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0
 
Some US polling data on poverty – interesting stuff:
http://www.clasp.org/issues/poverty-and-opportunity/in-focus/2014-poverty-polling-pulling-purple
 
The number of children dying in Detroit is a public health emergency:
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2014/01/30/3228461/child-mortality-detroit/
 
Fare protesters in Rio take over transit station to let passengers ride free:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/07/rio-fare-protesters-seize-main-station-and-let-commuters-travel-free
 
Behind the scenes with a Walmart manager:
http://gawker.com/decades-of-greed-behind-the-scenes-with-an-angry-walma-1517661634
 
As Cuba cuts social spending, poverty is on the increase:
http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/02/08/3921652/poverty-in-cuba-increases-as-government.html
 
Why there’s no outcry:
http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/279-82/21710-why-theres-no-outcry
 
The Rev. Al Sharpton: It’s a battle of minimum wage vs. maximum greed:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-al-sharpton/minimum-wage-vs-maximum-g_b_4725368.html?utm_hp_ref=politics
 
A message from one of America’s “used-to-have’s”:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathleen-ann/american-used-to-haves_b_4732434.html


 

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Jennefer Laidley
Research & Policy Analyst
Income Security Advocacy Centre

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