Spending big money is responsible – when it protects our human rights
Friday, April 30th, 2021
In extraordinary times such as these, it is important to put the dignity of people first, even if the government has to shoulder the fiscal burden on our behalf… our primary concern should not be about how much will be spent, but rather about how that spending will support a dignified life for each person and community it serves. Not, how much does it cost? But rather, what will we get for it?… It is the government’s duty to spend – and spend big – to support our economic and social rights.
Tags: budget, child care, economy, featured, Health, ideology, participation, rights, standard of living
Posted in Governance Debates | No Comments »
Ontario’s vision for social assistance is encouraging – but the budget tells a different story
Tuesday, March 30th, 2021
Last week’s provincial budget did not include significant funds for housing or other services that contribute to well-being… Current rates are woefully inadequate. The last time rates were increased was 2018. As the cost of living has continued to rise, this means that people have, in effect, had their rates cut during this period. To support people to live with dignity, social assistance must provide both sufficient income and access to services.
Tags: budget, featured, ideology, jurisdiction, participation, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Policy Context | No Comments »
Let’s turn social assistance on its head to make it better
Thursday, November 26th, 2020
I can’t help but be struck by just how bad our social assistance system in Ontario is… social assistance incomes are grossly inadequate. They have been for decades… it is possible to imagine a social assistance system that supports, rather than degrades, the people who use it… we can do better. To start, we must re-imagine a social assistance system that is founded on dignity and human rights.
Tags: economy, featured, ideology, participation, poverty, rights, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Policy Context | No Comments »
‘Poverty’ is a problem for democracy – focusing on rights can help
Saturday, October 31st, 2020
While poverty is experienced by individuals, it is created by systems that fail to protect their rights to a decent standard of living. Supporting individuals and families is certainly necessary. But alone, it will not eliminate poverty. To make real progress towards eliminating poverty, we need systems that support people in realizing their economic and social rights.
Tags: ideology, participation, poverty, rights, standard of living
Posted in Inclusion Policy Context | No Comments »
Putting economic and social rights at the heart of policy-making
Wednesday, December 4th, 2019
Too many people are currently being left behind as changing social, economic, and political tides wash past them… we must help people and communities weather these changes by strengthening how we think about, and develop, public policy. We can do this by prioritizing the human rights and dignities of all Canadians. Not only civil and political rights, but economic and social rights, too.
Tags: featured, Health, homelessness, ideology, Indigenous, participation, poverty, rights, standard of living
Posted in Inclusion Policy Context | No Comments »
Putting economic and social rights at the heart of policy-making
Thursday, October 31st, 2019
Too many people are currently being left behind as changing social, economic, and political tides wash past them… To stymie the rise in polarized and populist rhetoric, we must… strengthen… how we think about, and develop, public policy. We can do this by prioritizing the human rights and dignities of all Canadians. Not only civil and political rights, but economic and social rights, too.
Tags: budget, housing, ideology, jurisdiction, participation, rights, standard of living
Posted in Governance Policy Context | No Comments »
Why cutting taxes on EI benefits for new parents may not be good policy
Sunday, October 6th, 2019
To the Liberals’ credit, their EI maternity/parental benefit proposal… a 15% boost to the Canada Child Benefit (CCB)… a refundable tax credit… to families with children under one, families across the lower end of the income distribution would benefit regardless of tax liability or EI eligibility.
Tags: budget, child care, economy, ideology, participation, poverty, standard of living, women
Posted in Child & Family Policy Context | No Comments »
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