Latest Media & Policy News: 16 December 2014

 

Top Stories

Liberals backtrack on plan that would have disentitled low income kids from dental care:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/12/08/thousands_of_kids_of_lowincome_families_to_lose_dental_care_ndp.html?app=noRedirect
 
Brantford Mayor calls new social assistance computer system “an act of staggering incompetence”:
http://www.brantnews.com/news-story/5186553-new-social-assistance-software-implementation-an-act-of-staggering-incompetence-friel/
 
OECD report says trickle-down economics doesn’t work; shows how inequality holds back economic growth:
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/dec/09/revealed-wealth-gap-oecd-report?CMP=share_btn_tw
 
The health effects of income inequality are disastrous:
http://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/5206217-health-effects-of-income-inequality-disastrous/
 
St. Mike’s project prescribes income support to address root causes of poor health: 
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/12/14/doctors_at_st_mikes_launch_project_to_address_root_causes_of_poor_health.html
 
Letters to the Editor: Food banks are not enough:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editors/2014/12/06/food_banks_are_not_enough.html
 
Incredible poverty numbers tarnish Canada’s reputation: six prescriptions for policy reform:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/we-are-no-longer-a-prosperous-country-1.2870526?cmp=rss
 
Governments in Canada have been seduced by public-private partnerships:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/canadian-governments-have-become-seduced-by-private-public-projects/article22078500/

 

Ontario

Fully indexed benefits are coming for injured workers in Ontario:
http://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2014/12/11/fully_indexed_benefits_coming_for_injured_workers_in_ontario.html
 
John Stapleton op-ed on the social assistance computer system and old problems:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2014/12/08/same_problems_keep_recurring_in_welfare_computer_systems.html
 
The Landlord and Tenant Board has no power to enforce its own rulings:
http://www.therecord.com/news-story/5205017-landlord-and-tenant-board-lacks-power-to-enforce-its-own-rulings/
 
Former AG says Safe Streets Act hurts the poor and should have been repealed:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/i-didnt-repeal-the-squeegee-law-it-hurts-the-poor-and-should-be-abolished/article21809521/

 

Reports and Other Important Information

Webinar from ISAC and the ODSP Action Coalition on upcoming changes to ODSP employment benefits, hosted by Your Legal Rights – attended by 100+ across Ontario:
http://yourlegalrights.on.ca/webinar/odsp-employment-benefits
 
Three new medical conditions are being added to the OW/ODSP Special Diet Allowance:
http://news.ontario.ca/mcss/en/2014/11/ontario-updates-special-diet-allowance.html
 
Here’s the OECD report on inequality and growth:
http://www.oecd.org/social/Focus-Inequality-and-Growth-2014.pdf
 
Raise the Rates petition:
https://www.change.org/p/the-honourable-premier-kathleen-wynne-join-the-raise-the-rates-campaign-to-raise-ow-odsp-and-minimum-wage-to-a-sustainable-income

 

Around the Province

Community justice hub opens in Niagara:
http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news-story/5202891-doors-open-on-justice-hub/
 
Fundraiser helps Kitchener’s Homelessness and Housing Umbrella Group to March 2016:
http://www.kitchenerpost.ca/news/money-raised-will-fund-homelessness-group-into-march-2016/
 
Injured workers in Thunder Bay protest for changes to WSIB:
http://www.tbnewswatch.com/News/365581/WSIB_Rally
 
Chronicle Journal editorial: Government must fix the injured workers support system:
http://www.chroniclejournal.com/editorial/daily_editorial/2014-12-10/wsib-savings-come-cost
 
Income inequality in five Toronto neighbourhoods
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/12/08/a_tale_of_income_inequality_in_five_toronto_neighbourhoods.html

 

Across the Country

On taxes and income inequality, from Alberta:
http://albertaprimetime.com/Stories.aspx?pd=7248
 
Medicine Hat’s doubting Mayor, who just ended homelessness:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/alberta/medicine-hats-ted-clugston-the-mayor-who-ended-homelessness/article22058811/

 

National

Unemployment trends upwards in November:
http://globalnews.ca/news/1710098/unemployment-rate-ticks-up-to-6-6-as-job-market-sputters-in-november/
 
Amid huge service complaints, Ottawa hires 400 new staffers to manage EI applications:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-hiring-400-public-servants-to-manage-employment-insurance-files/article21996968/
 
Fewer than half of adult Canadians with disabilities have jobs:
http://www.cbc.ca/m/news/canada/toronto/less-than-half-of-canadian-adults-with-disabilities-have-jobs-statscan-1.2858954
 
TD Bank asks: Is Canada becoming a nation of the part-time employed?
http://www.td.com/document/PDF/economics/special/Part_time_Nation.pdf
 
Household debt climbs to 162.6% of disposable income:
http://www.ctvnews.ca/business/household-debt-climbs-to-162-6-of-disposable-income-statscan-1.2148248
 
Business students want to do well by doing good:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/business-education/for-todays-business-students-profit-is-a-means-not-an-end/article21641762/

 

International

Leaked documents show how giants like Bombardier avoid paying taxes:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/bombardiers-tax-scheme-revealed-includes-arrangements-in-luxembourg/article22032443/
 
UK Minister hints two kids may be limit for child benefits, to “help behavioural change”
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/dec/14/child-benefit-limited-two-children-iain-duncan-smith?CMP=share_btn_tw
 
How liberal democracy promotes inequality:
http://commondreams.org/views/2014/12/06/how-liberal-democracy-promotes-inequality
 
Op-Ed on International Human Rights Day: The work of winning human rights is never over:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2014/12/09/the_work_of_winning_human_rights_is_never_over.html
 
 
 

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Jennefer Laidley
Research & Policy Analyst
Income Security Advocacy Centre

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