Archive for the ‘Social Security’ Category
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Kathleen Wynne should take fast action on welfare reform
Tuesday, January 29th, 2013
Jan. 28, 2013
It could take years to tackle high unemployment among young people (hopefully not as long for extra-curricular activities) but social assistance reform has the potential for some quick and valuable fixes, with most at little cost. They would help many welfare recipients take a much-needed step toward the goal of employment.
Tags: budget, featured, ideology, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Policy Context | No Comments »
Panel proposes sweeping change to Ontario’s child welfare system
Tuesday, January 29th, 2013
Jan. 23, 2013
Queen’s Park should raise the age of financial and emotional support for former Crown wards to age 25 from age 21 within the next three years, says a government-appointed panel… It would cost about $26 million to extend support to age 25 for youth in the child welfare system, according to a study released by Elman last year. But he said the cost would be more than recouped through reduced jail and social assistance costs and increased tax revenue as young adults are better able to complete their education and get good jobs.
Tags: budget, standard of living, youth
Posted in Social Security Debates | No Comments »
Beyond expanding the CPP, the challenge of population aging presents an opportunity to reform it
Wednesday, December 19th, 2012
Dec 17, 2012
Suppose an additional levy were tacked onto CPP premiums. Only instead of going into the regular CPP pot, the funds would accumulate in the contributor’s own personal fund — like an RRSP, only compulsory. To avoid wasting money on management fees, funds would be invested strictly passively (ie buying the indexes), with the particular asset mix varying as the investor aged: more stocks when younger, more bonds when older.
Tags: ideology, pensions, standard of living, tax
Posted in Social Security Debates | No Comments »
Time to put Flaherty on the spot [ CPP ]
Sunday, December 16th, 2012
Dec. 15, 2012
“Canada’s current social security contributions and payroll taxes are relatively low compared to other OECD countries”… Currently, Canada allocates a mere 5.5 per cent of its economic activity (GDP) to social security and payroll taxes. If all the improvements outlined in the paper were phased in, the percentage would rise to 6.3 per cent… Canada’s contributions would still be low by OECD standards — and remain at the very bottom of the G-7 group of industrialized countries.
Tags: economy, pensions, tax
Posted in Social Security Debates | No Comments »
CPP reform back on the national agenda
Friday, December 14th, 2012
Dec. 14 2012
A calmer economy, continued concerns over lack of savings and new leadership in Alberta and Quebec appear to have changed the political dynamic that had pushed CPP reform onto the back burner of the national agenda… The resistance to CPP changes appears to be weakening.
Tags: economy, ideology, pensions, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Debates | No Comments »
Time to jettison outdated welfare system and start afresh
Friday, November 2nd, 2012
November 01, 2012
… a 10-year plan to replace the province’s overloaded, barnacle-encrusted safety net with a program designed to get people the right kind of help — mental health and addiction services, affordable housing, accessible child care, post-prison reintegration programs and practical employment training — to become as self-sufficient as they can. Many social assistance recipients are employable and want to work. All can live purposeful lives.
Tags: budget, featured, Health, homelessness, ideology, mental Health, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Policy Context | 1 Comment »
Frances Lankin and Munir Sheikh give Ontario an affordable plan to modernize social assistance
Wednesday, October 31st, 2012
October 30, 2012
Not only did the two commissioners… come up with a way to transform Ontario’s social assistance system from an $8.3-billion program that perpetuates poverty into an $8.6-billion strategy that reduces it; they won endorsements from business leaders, health professionals, community activists and social analysts. That is a monumental achievement — but not enough to guarantee its success. Four daunting hurdles stand in the way:
Tags: budget, disabilities, featured, ideology, participation, pensions, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Policy Context | No Comments »
Ontario welfare reform plan is on the right track
Friday, October 26th, 2012
October 24, 2012
…the existing system doesn’t accomplish either of its goals – making sure the poorest Ontarians have a decent minimum income, and helping those who can work start supporting themselves as quickly as possible. Even those inclined to blame people on welfare for their own misfortune should agree that if we’re going to spend billions, let’s make sure it’s for something productive.
Tags: budget, featured, ideology, participation, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Policy Context | 1 Comment »
Poverty reduction strategies are wrong-headed
Tuesday, October 23rd, 2012
Oct 23 2012
Studies are clear: the savings from eliminating poverty would be enormous, reducing costs associated with health care, addictions, policing, and so on… with greater funds, people living in poverty… require fewer social services, are more motivated to achieve greater education, and have more resources and better drive to seek better jobs… a basic income through a negative income tax that would give money directly to people who need it… but “community leaders” too often ignore this idea.
Tags: budget, Health, ideology, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Policy Context | 1 Comment »
Consider guaranteed annual income to reduce poverty
Tuesday, October 23rd, 2012
Oct 19 2012
“If you go out and work, you should be better off than on social assistance.” A guaranteed annual income works with, rather than against, low-wage earners, and removes the “welfare wall” — that point when there is no financial incentive to working. The guaranteed annual income challenges our assumptions about motivation and personal responsibility.
Tags: budget, Health, ideology, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Policy Context | 1 Comment »
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