Archive for the ‘Social Security’ Category
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Fix for Ontario’s disability program is long overdue
Monday, February 22nd, 2016
… doctors won’t have to fill out 21-page application forms again every time a recipient’s case comes up for a simple review. Nor will they have to re-do everything from psychological assessments to x-rays to back it up. That should provide savings in both medical tests and doctors’ time. It should also provide savings in legal aid, since so many applicants currently need help on the complicated review documents and appeals.
Tags: disabilities, featured, Health, ideology, mental Health, pensions, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Delivery System | No Comments »
Liberals invite guaranteed-income expert to speak at pre-budget hearings
Friday, February 19th, 2016
… health economist Evelyn Forget told the House of Commons finance committee on Thursday that evidence clearly shows the merit of replacing many existing social assistance programs with a guaranteed income of about $18,000 for every Canadian. Additional income would be clawed back at a rate of 50 per cent until the benefit is fully repaid. The goal is to eliminate extreme poverty while keeping a financial incentive to work.
Tags: economy, featured, ideology, participation, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Debates | No Comments »
Canada’s minimum income experiment and the fight against poverty
Friday, February 19th, 2016
… the Mincome program results based on health and social outcomes proved it to be a success… [with] overall positive effects for the entire town of Dauphin… “Mincome offered stability and predictability; families knew they could count on at least some support, no matter what happened to agricultural prices or the weather. They knew that sudden illness, disability or unpredictable economic events would not be financially devastating
Tags: economy, featured, Health, ideology, mental Health, participation, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Debates | No Comments »
Canadians should call this pension plan scheme what it is — a shell game, not a savings plan
Thursday, February 18th, 2016
… expanding the CPP and creating the ORPP will actually only worsen the “under-savings” problem for the bulk of the middle class… at precisely the time they need their income for expenses such as children, mortgages and, yes, savings. Increasing mandatory CPP contributions and imposing ORPP contributions will decrease their ability to fund all of these costs. Unless they adjust their lifestyle in consequence…
Tags: budget, ideology, participation, pensions, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Debates | No Comments »
Testing guaranteed annual income
Tuesday, February 16th, 2016
Evidence shows that Mincome was a resounding success and therefore we endorse your call for a renewed set of pilots. / The elephant in the room is that it lets government and business off the hook. Governments need no longer maintain the pretense of full employment, and companies can continue to be subsidized by the state, offering low-paid, part-time work to fewer people.
Tags: budget, economy, ideology, poverty
Posted in Social Security Debates | No Comments »
The guaranteed annual income: A little idea that might just solve some very big problems
Monday, February 15th, 2016
The concept is simple. Replace the raft of income-support provisions currently administered, means-tested, audited and doled out by various levels of government – welfare, community housing allowances, employment insurance – with a single benefit. It could be run through the tax system. If your income is below a certain level, you get a cheque… It’s time to test the assumptions in the real world. Launch some guaranteed annual income pilot programs.
Tags: budget, economy, featured, ideology, poverty, standard of living, tax
Posted in Social Security Debates | No Comments »
‘Basic income’ is tempting – but it could backfire
Saturday, February 13th, 2016
Proponents argue the net costs would be manageable, since other forms of social assistance would be abolished. So take away the costs of welfare, disability payments, Employment Insurance, Old Age Security, workers’ compensation, child benefit and so on. And subtract the cost of employing the many thousands of people who run those programs. Then further calculate savings that would be realized in health costs, prisons and mental health caused by poverty, they say. Those savings, though, would depend on dismantling the social safety net constructed over past decades. How believable is it that that could be done without enormous resistance?
Tags: budget, economy, ideology, jurisdiction, participation, standard of living, tax
Posted in Social Security Debates | No Comments »
The stage is now set for a basic income for all
Thursday, February 11th, 2016
This kind of income support enables seniors in Canada to live better lives and keep contributing to society and the economy. It has also improved the lives of working-age families with children for many years. It is now time to cover those left out — the working-age adults… in the communities where our children and grandchildren are growing up… having a basic income for all is no different — and no less important — than when we established universal health care more than 50 years ago.
Tags: disabilities, economy, featured, globalization, ideology, jurisdiction, participation, poverty, standard of living, tax
Posted in Social Security Policy Context | No Comments »
It’s not up to city to alleviate poverty
Tuesday, February 9th, 2016
Canada’s Constitution clearly spells out the responsibilities of the provinces and those of Ottawa… Personal and corporate incomes are taxed and split between each province and Ottawa… Combined, for better or worse, these governments are mandated to ease poverty and have the only tools to redistribute income… Let each level of government focus on its own complicated duties… triplication will only be slower and costlier in the long run.
Tags: budget, economy, homelessness, ideology, jurisdiction, poverty, standard of living, tax
Posted in Social Security Debates | No Comments »
Valuing income [GAI]
Monday, February 8th, 2016
… a GAI would avoid the discrimination and stigmatization suffered by many welfare recipients. Also, it would increase personal freedom because use of the money would not be directed in a specific way. And it would compensate those involved in unpaid care work (mostly women), unlike current income-support programs that tie eligibility to labour market attachment.
Tags: budget, economy, globalization, ideology, poverty, standard of living, tax
Posted in Social Security Debates | No Comments »
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