Archive for the ‘Social Security’ Category
« Older Entries | Newer Entries »
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 »
Is it time to bury the idea of a universal basic income?
Wednesday, February 17th, 2021
… the real issue with basic income is a public commitment to an adequate income floor below which no one should fall when factoring in all income sources. A range of income support programs can provide universal coverage without being uniform in delivery as the recent B.C. study indicates… Highly diverse needs by age, gender, (dis)ability, family status, education, employment status, etc. suggest that income supports should be tailored to a wide variety of living circumstances within our population.
Tags: budget, economy, featured, ideology, jurisdiction, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Policy Context | No Comments »
Instead of a universal basic income, governments should enrich existing social programs
Monday, February 15th, 2021
… while UBI is desirable in principle, it’s not a magic solution to the intricate and perennial problems of poverty and income inequality. Furthermore, its implementation in Canada is not financially, administratively, politically or constitutionally feasible.
Tags: economy, featured, ideology, jurisdiction, participation, poverty, standard of living, tax
Posted in Social Security Debates | No Comments »
‘Basic income’ isn’t the ticket to a fairer society
Sunday, February 14th, 2021
… what sense does it make to give everyone the same amount when some already have property and some don’t? When some live with disabilities or other problems, and others don’t? When some live in areas with a high cost of living, and some can live quite well on a lot less? … The authors of the B.C. report make a powerful case for working towards greater equity (including less poverty) through smarter, targeted measures.
Tags: budget, economy, featured, ideology, jurisdiction, participation, poverty
Posted in Social Security Policy Context | No Comments »
All-Party Anti-Poverty Caucus Advances Guaranteed Livable Income as Part of Economic Recovery for All
Sunday, January 31st, 2021
This week, the All-Party Anti-Poverty Caucus joined together, across the country and across the aisles of both chambers, to consider how to move forward toward Economic Recovery for All. Central to discussions was the common commitment to moving forward with guaranteed livable income, in coming budgets and other parliamentary and intergovernmental initiatives.
Tags: economy, Health, ideology, jurisdiction, participation, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Policy Context | No Comments »
Food banks don’t reduce food insecurity, so why did the federal government give them $200 million in emergency aid?
Wednesday, January 27th, 2021
… the emergency food sector… “started quite innocently and very thoughtfully and from a very caring and compassionate place, but … it has zero impact on the overall problem.” … their respective annual reports repeatedly call for policy changesto reduce poverty, from raising social assistance rates to implementing universal child care… While food charities can play a meaningful role in building community… it’s more important than ever to be clear that they’re not the answer.
Tags: budget, economy, featured, Health, housing, ideology, mental Health, participation, poverty, rights, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Debates | No Comments »
CERB controversy should spur basic income development
Tuesday, January 12th, 2021
Political leaders have the opportunity of a lifetime in 2021, and Canada has the brains, capacity, and experience it takes, to create a legacy of income security for all that is comparable to universal health care. Basic income will get us a faster, more inclusive recovery and lasting progress toward a healthier, happier society for everyone.
Tags: budget, featured, Health, housing, ideology, participation, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Debates | No Comments »
The Ford government says it’s committed to poverty reduction. That’s hard to believe
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2020
… this is the government that killed the planned rise to $15 in the minimum wage as soon as it was elected. It also rolled back two-paid sick days for all workers, equal pay for exploited temporary agency workers and other measures to protect precarious workers from being misclassified and stripped of their labour rights… The government cut funding for specialized school programs that provided after-school jobs for needy teens, classroom tutors and supports for racialized youth, calling it “wasteful spending.” … Soon after coming to power in 2018, the government also cut in half a planned 3-per-cent increase to social assistance.
Tags: featured, ideology, participation, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Debates | No Comments »
Ontario Modernizing Application Process for Social Assistance
Friday, December 4th, 2020
The Ontario government is launching a new, easy to use, online application and streamlined process to apply for social assistance, providing critical financial supports to those affected by COVID-19… The centralized intake process will process applications more quickly and reduce time-consuming paperwork for caseworkers, giving them more time to support their clients and help them get back to work.
Tags: featured, jurisdiction, participation, poverty
Posted in Social Security Delivery System | 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 »
Recent Comments