Archive for the ‘Social Security History’ Category

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What are the key trends in Social Assistance Summaries, 2021?

Monday, July 25th, 2022

The analysis in this policy brief provides a first set of pathways for governments to improve the human right to an adequate standard of living of some of the most vulnerable people in Canada… federal, provincial, and territorial governments have long neglected [unattached singles], often preferring to focus on families with children and seniors. Because of this, welfare incomes of unattached singles have become highly inadequate, falling well below the deep poverty income threshold in almost every province.

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Welfare in Canada, 2020

Sunday, December 12th, 2021

For each province and territory, this report provides data and analysis on the total welfare income that households receiving social assistance would have qualified for in 2020, including COVID-19 pandemic-related supports… The reports look at four different household types for each province and territory.

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Welfare in Canada 2017

Thursday, November 29th, 2018

The Welfare in Canada reports look at the total incomes available to those relying on social assistance (often called “welfare”), taking into account tax credits and other benefits along with social assistance itself. The reports look at four different household types for each province and territory. The reports are a continuation of the Welfare Incomes series originally published by the National Council of Welfare

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The lessons of Harry Leslie Smith: The fight never ends

Saturday, November 24th, 2018

Harry lays out in pungent and unsparing detail what exactly it was like to be poor and hopeless when those things were considered ineradicable conditions or moral faults, not social failures that could be improved… he’s in a province, Ontario, that has just frozen the minimum wage and is skewering workers’ rights… Many people have heard Harry’s message. Acting on it, and honouring those memories – that’s something else.

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New report Welfare in Canada, 2017 looks at latest welfare rates and how they compare to poverty measures

Tuesday, November 6th, 2018

The report looks at how welfare incomes varied across every province and territory for four example households in 2017… the report describes the components of welfare incomes, how they have changed from previous years, and how they compared to low income thresholds. The amounts vary in every province and territory

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Why millennials are lapping up every tweet and podcast from 94-year-old agitator Harry Leslie Smith

Sunday, September 17th, 2017

Smith preaches about preserving democracy and the welfare state, creating a just society and living a life of compassion… he isn’t a politician or political theorist, instead he “speaks from experience in his bones” and delivers life lessons “with moral clarity.” Smith’s message — about how they should expect fair wages, pensions and workplace benefits — is not one that today’s younger generation is accustomed to hearing.

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Allan MacEachen, overseer of social reform and skilled politician, dies at 96

Thursday, September 14th, 2017

MacEachen was one of Canada’s most powerful cabinet ministers of the postwar era and held a variety of posts, including a term as minister of national health and welfare from 1965-1968 during the creation of medicare. As labour minister, MacEachen was also instrumental in reforming the labour code and establishing a new standard for the minimum wage. His other portfolios also included finance and he twice served as secretary of state for external affairs.

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Once Upon A City: Poor house helped Toronto’s destitute

Sunday, August 27th, 2017

The House of Industry provided both temporary and permanent accommodations. Residents were often required to do chores in return for help… Abandoned children and orphans were often placed as indentured servants in homes and farms around Toronto, where they were given room and board (and perhaps wages) in return for their work. A farm’s survival relied heavily on the work of children back then… By 1947, the House of Industry’s clients were primarily the elderly poor

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Homeless battled unsafe shelters during the Great Depression

Saturday, July 29th, 2017

Late in 1938… Mayor Day had introduced new requirements for single unemployed men using the hostels… The men were expected to work seven hours in return for a week’s lodging and food at Wellington House and other institutions for the homeless. Thought of paying the out-of-work for their labour on the relief project was judged beyond consideration… some who undertook their seven hours work were actually turned away from city hostels, which were filled to capacity.

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Revisiting Manitoba’s basic-income experiment

Tuesday, January 24th, 2017

With the renewed interest in basic income, the Mincome data and technical documentation are available for public access. Certainly the socio-economic context of 2017 is different than that of 1977; however, the research design and quality control used to collect the data was state-of-the-art, which remains obvious to this day. Important questions on income and wealth, the impact of a basic income on family stability and how changes in income affect investment in education are all topics Mincome can still usefully address.

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