Archive for the ‘Inclusion Policy Context’ Category
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Supreme Court recognizes rights of Métis and non-status Indians
The Supreme Court ruled that “Indians” in Sec. 91(24) of the Constitution Act of 1867 — which lists the areas over which the Canadian government has sole jurisdiction — does not just refer to First Nations with registered Indian status and Inuit peoples, but to all aboriginal peoples in Canada, including Métis and non-status Indians. There were 213,900 non-status Indians and 451,785 Métis people in Canada counted in the 2011 Census, but they have often been relegated to what Abella described as a “jurisdictional wasteland” between provinces and the federal government when it comes to the provision of services, or holding someone to account for their absence.
Tags: budget, economy, featured, Health, Indigenous, jurisdiction, participation, rights, standard of living
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The magic of “ending homelessness” — and ending up with more
I am not suggesting that thousands of people were not retrieved from the streets and riverbanks and rescued from misery. I am not even arguing against a housing-first approach to homelessness. But if you sell a program on the basis of an unconditional and explicit promise to “eradicate homelessness,” should you not reduce it a smidgen? … Cities, almost by definition, end up with as many panhandlers and tent-dwellers as they are prepared, culturally and financially, to pay for…
Tags: homelessness, housing, poverty, standard of living
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Canada’s charity chill continues
Gagging charities certainly would be convenient for some powerful interests, interests with many times the resources and insider influence of the average Canadian charity. But would that really make our country stronger? The answer, of course, is no… It is time to end politically motivated audits of Canadian charities and adopt modern rules that allow charities to play an active role in building the kind of inclusive and sustainable society
Tags: featured, ideology, poverty, rights, standard of living, tax
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Ontario Budget 2016: A Wintery Outlook For The Poor
Our coalition is thankful for budget measures that provide some relief to low-income families and seniors, including: * Access to free higher education for students from families with incomes under $50,000… * A $175 million commitment over the next three years to alleviate an affordable housing crisis; * Steps to reduce prescription drug costs that will benefit 170,000 low-income seniors… Yet on other fronts, the budget is disappointing.
Tags: budget, ideology, jurisdiction, poverty, standard of living
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Advocates taking Canada’s housing policy to UN
… affordable housing activists are taking their landmark “right to housing” Charter challenge to the international stage… the case… was never heard because lawyers for Ontario and Ottawa introduced a successful motion to strike in 2013. The activists appealed all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada, which in June 2015 refused to hear the case, essentially upholding the lower court’s view that legislatures, not the courts, are the place to fight homelessness.
Tags: homelessness, housing, ideology, jurisdiction, participation, poverty, rights, standard of living
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Toronto city council must fund its promise to reduce poverty
… there is a plan to reduce poverty. It was approved unanimously. It is now up to council to fund it. The question for Toronto councillors is how to pay for the poverty plan. They will plead that the cupboard is bare. But most expert commentary shows that Toronto is failing to take advantage of its revenue opportunities. Its residential property tax levels are well below those of surrounding municipalities.
Tags: budget, ideology, participation, poverty, standard of living
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Federal Budget 2016: Anti-Poverty Activists Want $3.2B For Affordable Housing
The pre-budget ask from seven groups is aimed at helping the 235,000 Canadians who experience homelessness every year, and social housing providers who are beginning to see the end of federal funding agreements signed decades ago with no new capital funding in sight… It’s an ambitious request… but… Studies suggest homelessness costs Canada $7 billion annually in services and lost opportunities.
Tags: budget, economy, homelessness, housing, ideology, poverty, standard of living
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At the heart of the Forcillo trial, a brave and thoughtful jury
… the jury set us all up very well for reasoned discussion about police use of lethal force more generally. The message from the jury is that police do a difficult job in dangerous circumstances and should therefore be accorded some latitude. But the latitude has limits that must be enforced. An appeal is inevitable… But for now we can see this case as an episode of direct democracy that worked well in challenging circumstances.
Tags: crime prevention, disabilities, featured, ideology, mental Health, participation, rights, standard of living
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‘Charity chill’ melts under friendly government
One of Justin Trudeau’s first acts as prime minister was to disband Revenue Canada’s anti-charity hit squad… “Allow charities to do their work on behalf of Canadians free of political harassment,” he wrote. “Modernize the rules governing the charitable and not-for-profit sectors, working with the minister of finance. This will include clarifying the rules governing ‘political activity’ with an understanding that charities make an important contribution to public debate and policy.”
Tags: ideology, participation, philanthropy, tax
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Ontario’s sheltered workshops to close forever
Ontario will eliminate provincially funded workshops where people with intellectual disabilities do menial tasks for pennies a day… Initially, the government announced there would be no new admissions to the workshops… Now the province plans to close them forever… “one individual at a time,” as workshops are gradually replaced by agencies that find jobs, volunteer work and other activities in the community. No one will be left without services…
Tags: disabilities, featured, ideology, participation, rights, standard of living
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