Archive for the ‘Social Security’ Category
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The social safety net worked
Wednesday, September 18th, 2013
… during the recession in 2009, the poverty rate in Canada barely budged. There is no precedent for poverty not increasing during a recession… Some of the stability of low incomes during the recession relates to the functioning of the social safety net, to the point that the incomes of the poorest members of our society were almost completely insulated from the downturn in the economy. Market incomes of the lowest quintile of families fell an average of $600 in 2009, but after taxes and transfers the loss was only $100.
Tags: economy, featured, ideology, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Debates | 1 Comment »
Ontario welfare reforms roll out this month
Tuesday, September 3rd, 2013
people on social assistance will be able to keep the first $200 they earn before triggering welfare claw-backs…. An estimated 58,000 people on social assistance who have part-time jobs will benefit immediately from the changes… the goal is to encourage more of the 660,000 adults on welfare and disability supports to ease into the workforce… Increases to asset limits for people on Ontario Works… also take effect this month… people applying for welfare will no longer have to drain their bank accounts before becoming eligible for help and those already on welfare will be allowed to save.
Tags: budget, featured, ideology, participation, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Delivery System | 1 Comment »
Too little money for life’s basics
Sunday, August 25th, 2013
The city and the provincial government expect us who are on Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program to somehow out of the Basic Needs and Shelter benefits also be able to purchase the following sundries: laundry detergent, fabric bleach, household cleansers, deodorant, bandages, antibacterial cream, sanitary pads, lotion, toilet paper, body soap, shampoo… The cost of sundries takes money away from food and rent.
Tags: budget, housing, ideology, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Delivery System | No Comments »
How New Brunswick became a pension trailblazer
Wednesday, August 21st, 2013
Canada’s third-smallest province is a North American leader in pension reform. A year ago, it introduced an innovative retirement plan that guarantees its public employees a secure pension but makes allowances for market conditions. It takes into account the increased life expectancy of retirees. And it has the backing of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).
Tags: economy, globalization, ideology, jurisdiction, pensions, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Policy Context | No Comments »
With unavoidable costs looming, it’s time to re-examine seniors’ expendable perks
Tuesday, August 20th, 2013
… Public policies in Canada already go some distance to help people “age in place,” but the idea of keeping seniors in their “own” homes is often interpreted to mean staying in their “old” home. And I don’t think this makes sense… “They don’t engage with their contemporaries, because their contemporaries have either died or are in a condo or a care home.”
Tags: budget, housing, ideology, pensions, poverty, tax
Posted in Social Security Debates | 1 Comment »
It costs more to maintain poverty than eliminate it
Tuesday, August 13th, 2013
… the province would save $40 million per year in direct health costs if poverty were eliminated for the poorest 20 percent of Islanders. Most of this comes from hospitalizations for acute conditions that could have been prevented. Overall direct costs amount to $100 million per year. Add to that approximately $220 million in indirect costs to society… a huge bill that does nothing to alleviate suffering.
Tags: budget, Health, homelessness, ideology, mental Health, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Debates | No Comments »
CMA report linking poor health to poverty demands action, Senator Hugh Segal says
Thursday, August 1st, 2013
“It’s the combination of financial stress, the lack of nutritional balance, the lack of exercise (and) the lack of literacy often associated with people living poverty.”… there will be greater effects in the near future as a large part of the population ages… a guaranteed annual income would help… “It would cost a lot in the short term… [but] As a long-term investment strategy, I think it’s the most important thing we can do for the health and the fiscal sustainability of the country.”
Tags: economy, Health, ideology, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Debates | 3 Comments »
It’s time for action
Wednesday, July 31st, 2013
There are three issues that immediately need to be addressed before the government can, with any credibility, move forward with new consultations. First, social assistance rates need to be increased by at least $100 a month. Second, the minimum wage needs to be raised to the level where a full-time worker can make a living above the poverty line. Thirdly, both social assistance and the minimum wage rates need to be indexed to the cost of living so that we can take the politics out of poverty reduction.
Tags: budget, economy, poverty, rights, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Debates | No Comments »
Sound research needed in weighing pension options
Tuesday, July 23rd, 2013
My study cites how RRSPs offer greater flexibility for individual savings, but finds that the balance weighs in favour of CPP expansion… Unlike savings in an RRSP, the forced savings in the CPP are professionally managed, have minimal cost and excellent returns, and generate assured benefits that are inflation-indexed… apart from reduced flexibility, each dollar of savings via CPP is superior to each dollar of RRSP savings, even if the former were to fully displace the latter.
Tags: ideology, pensions, privatization, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Policy Context | No Comments »
Ted McMeekin talks but who can act on social assistance rates?
Wednesday, July 17th, 2013
… it is shameful for Ted McMeekin to suggest that raising assistance rates depends on the quality of stories we tell as people who are poor. If the plight of hundreds of thousands forced to go to food banks every month because of inadequate incomes is an inadequate “story” — what story would do?… We will speak our stories and our truth to Premier Wynne on our own behalf. And we’ll ask her the question that needs to be asked: Whose side are you on?
Tags: budget, disabilities, featured, ideology, poverty, standard of living, tax
Posted in Social Security Debates | No Comments »
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