Elect to End Poverty

Elect to End Poverty!

You are invited to attend a press conference organized by the Thunder Bay Economic Justice Committee. (It will also be the offical media release of a report writen by your's truly)

October 4th, 10 am, Kinna Aweya Legal Clinic (86 S. Cumberland St.)

Poverty continues to be a serious and central concern for many people in Thunder Bay. At the press conference, we will present the newest edition of our Thunder Bay Poverty Report: Rich Conversations with the Poor. We will also present our summary of the TBEJC survey of provincial political candidates, outlining their positions on issues for low income people in Thunder Bay. This election, the TBEJC is focusing on three areas:

Energy Poverty:
People with low income are spending a disproportionate amount of their income on housing and utilities, especially in colder areas like Northwestern Ontario. This is due to the rising cost of energy and the low efficiency of many rent-geared-to-income units. This trend is negating any social benefit from geared to income housing, and causing people to literally be unable to afford to live in subsidized units.

Adequate Welfare and Minimum Wage Rates:
The cuts in social assistance rates in 1995 have not been restored by the McGuinty government. The last increase of 3% and the 2% increase in November are nowhere near the amounts required to bring rates to their pre-1995 amounts, not to mention the proposed $15,000.00 minimum annual income suggested by MISWAA. Additionally, the proposed increase to the minimum wage will not be fully implemented until 2010. By that time the cost of living will have increased substantially, thereby reversing any gains a moderate wage increase would provide.
A comprehensive government strategy to address poverty and welfare reform:
The current income security system for adults in Ontario is inadequate. Every aspect of the labour market has changed dramatically in the last 40 years. Yet, there has been no corresponding reforms or modernization of our income security system to keep pace. A proposal for reform, Time for a Fair Deal: Modernizing Income Security for Working Age Adults, has been endorsed by many municipalities including the Thunder Bay District Social Service Board. In addition to proposing an increase to welfare rates and the minimum wage, MISWAA recommends uploading social assistance benefits costs for Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Programs, from municipalities to the province. Meaningful reforms must involve real experts: low income people and advocates. Substantive change requires government to appoint an expert panel and develop a clear strategy.

For more information, contact George Drazenovich at 345-0091.

All is Full of Love

Every day, as these interviews progress I am more and more in awe with the individuals I encounter. I find myself complaining of the heat, of how I'd really really like to be able to fly to Toronto after I fly to Vancouver but I just don't have the money. boo hoo.

Then I hear people say things like this:

Maria (not her real name) is in a wheelchair. She is going blind and deaf. She has MS. She is having difficulting securing income from the Ontario Disability Support Program (welfare for people with disabilies who cannot work) because for a brief period she worked at Ontario Hyrdo, because, as she puts it, "I don't like being paid for breathing". The ODSP office said she obvioulsy could work, she'd done it in the past. She reminded them that she had done this work before she had gone blind and nearly deaf. She really needed this income from ODSP because she didn't have enough money to purchase batteries for her hearing aid - because she is going blind she cannot read lips like she usually does. She sometimes has to choose between hearing or eating. HEARING OR EATING! You make the choice.

Why did she agree to participate in the TBEJC study? Because:

"I'm used to losing the fight, and this is one fight I'm going to win" - I'll remember that next time I'm distraught that my hair is flipping out at the sides.