Ottawa should stop clawbacks of pandemic benefits
Groups such as Campaign 2000, which advocates to eliminate child and family poverty, have… pressed the federal government to ensure that benefits and refundable tax credits such as the Canada Child Benefit are not clawed back and that any lost benefits are restored. (Ottawa did act to restore Guaranteed Income Supplement payments that had been reduced or eliminated because of pandemic benefits.)
Child & Family
Forget motives. The Trudeau government is getting it right on gun control
… it plans to introduce a national handgun “freeze” — not a ban — that will bar future sales, purchases, transfers and importation of handguns by anyone across the country… It would cap the number of handguns held legally by Canadians and prevent them from being sold or otherwise moved around. Over time it would reduce the number of legal guns that find their way into the illegal market and end up being used in crimes…
US shootings: Norway and Finland have similar levels of gun ownership, but far less gun crime
European societies that come close to US rates of gun ownership, in terms of gun owners per 100 people, (but with hunting rifles and shotguns rather than handguns), such as Finland and Norway, are among the safest societies internationally with regards to gun violence… Interestingly, the evidence is now indisputable that more guns in a given country translates directly into more gun violence.
Education
I’m a university student, and I support the return of Grade 13. Here’s why
A great portion of Grade 12 students feel completely lost, with no clue of what they want in a career, let alone university major… University is neither cheap nor easy — why rush into it if you’re not emotionally or financially ready? …extra time in high school to reflect on what you want would make a huge difference… What I’d like to know is what makes this new Grade 13 distinct from essentially repeating Grade 12 with a “victory lap.”
Children across Canada deserve a professional early childhood education workforce
Children depend on educators who are skilled and knowledgeable… Decent work for Canada’s child-care workforce should be more than just a slogan; it must be the foundation of Canada’s early learning and child-care plan to ensure that children receive the high-quality care they deserve.
Employment
Workers didn’t cause this inflation. And they shouldn’t have to pay for it
So long as the actual causes of inflation are addressed (by fixing supply chains, energy prices, and housing), inflation would then decelerate, even as wages keep up. Contingent wage protections (like cost-of-living adjustments) would also maintain the purchasing value of wages, without prompting higher inflation. To the limited extent that domestic demand pressures are reinforcing higher prices, it is better to use more focused and fair contractionary measures to dampen spending.
Antiquated thinking about old age hinders Canada’s economic and social development
A revised conception of old age would significantly decrease the number of people classified as old and would more accurately reflect the total number of people in Canada’s working age population. A modern definition would also mitigate stereotypes of older workers and ageism while prodding governments to reform outdated laws and provide a boost to an economy often facing worker shortages.
Equality
On the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Charter, it is important to reflect on the rights Canadians share and, more importantly, understand that these rights entail responsibilities to each other. Perhaps if misunderstandings about rights and freedoms were clarified, there would be a greater sense of unity.
… here’s what you need to know about the $40B child welfare agreements
After the graves of children who died in Indian Residential Schools were found, countless Canadians stood in solidarity with Indigenous communities and demanded the government not repeat mistakes of the past… public support will be needed more than ever to ensure that the spirit of the agreement is respected and translated into meaningful change for First Nations children.
Health
‘Fixing’ emergency department wait times starts with investing in a strong primary care system
Access to timely health care is predicated on a robust primary care system that is adequately staffed and supported. As a provider who has experienced the pressures faced by both the primary and acute care settings, it is clear that investing in team-based primary care and prioritizing access to family physicians is a necessary priority to address the crisis in our emergency departments.
On a mission to save seniors from nursing home horrors
… there “is no magic bullet” or “a one-size-fits-all solution,” she sees the potential benefits of PSW-owned co-ops. “This is one among multiple solutions we’ll be able to put in place,” she says. “I’m a fan of aging in place, providing options for seniors to avoid going into long-term care, but let’s not forget that it is still required. At some point, people will need long-term care facilities. But we need to provide other options to delay the time where they have to go into an LTC.”
Inclusion
How a Massive Expansion of Public Housing Can Pay for Itself
… public or non-profit housing could be built and run at break-even rents about a third lower than those of private rental housing… the provincial government could invest in creating new rental homes at a scale that would fundamentally transform our broken housing system. But there’s no reason in principle that this type of self-financed public housing couldn’t be built by any willing level of government. The federal government could certainly do it and so could large municipalities
It’s election time and Ontario still chooses not to eliminate poverty
During the campaign, Ontarians will hear a lot of about affordability, except those conversations will not focus on those who can afford the least… no matter who wins this election, people who need social assistance will find themselves in the same place they were in before the election, and the election before that. They will still be in deep, deep poverty.
Social Security
Liberals leave disability benefit bill in limbo as Parliament breaks for summer
When the bill was reintroduced… consultations were ongoing even as it took months for the government to bring the same bill back to the table for debate. The regulations will outline who would be eligible, the amount of the benefit, how often it will be paid and how, and an appeals process if applications are denied. There is also a big concern that the benefit might interact negatively with provincial programs resulting in clawbacks on other programs…
Ottawa should stop clawbacks of pandemic benefits
Groups such as Campaign 2000, which advocates to eliminate child and family poverty, have… pressed the federal government to ensure that benefits and refundable tax credits such as the Canada Child Benefit are not clawed back and that any lost benefits are restored. (Ottawa did act to restore Guaranteed Income Supplement payments that had been reduced or eliminated because of pandemic benefits.)
Governance
Only 40.84% of Ontario voters supported the PCs, yet the voting system has handed Doug Ford’s PCs 67% of the seats and 100% of the power. The election results were a gross misrepresentation of what voters said with their ballots… Voter turnout fell to 43.54%. That means the current “majority” government is supported by 17.77% of eligible voters.
It’s time to unite the left in Ontario
Liberals, NDP and Green members share many overlapping aims and would be compatible in a merger. They would also produce a more accurate representation of what the majority wants: evidence-based, compassionate policies; a healthy economy; better quality education and health care; affordable housing; serious climate-change work and so on.
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