Archive for the ‘Social Security Debates’ Category
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How scarcity shapes our lives
Wednesday, September 25th, 2013
The Princeton psychologist outlined to an auditorium full of academics, policy-makers and non-profit leaders how scarcity – of food, income, time, sleep, security, friendship – impairs people’s judgment and locks them into patterns of behavior that compound their misery. And he showed how simple changes in the way they organize their lives can set them on a healthier path.
Tags: budget, disabilities, featured, Health, housing, ideology, mental Health, poverty, standard of living
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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 »
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
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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
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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
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CPP needs more than a ‘modest’ fix to help middle-income retirees
Wednesday, July 17th, 2013
If middle-income Canadians want secure and adequate incomes in retirement, voluntary plans won’t do… The most efficient and effective way… is to legislate the necessary earnings-based contributions to a broadly-based public fund; in short the CPP/QPP… Increasing the eligibility age to between 68 and 70 (up from 65 today) would be sufficient to maintain financial stability while expanding and phasing-in new benefits more rapidly – over 20 years
Tags: economy, ideology, pensions, standard of living
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Aboriginal ‘workfare’ program getting positive response on reserves, despite vocal critics
Friday, June 14th, 2013
… The government isn’t keen on calling it workfare… but that’s what it is. The unemployment rate in Saskatchewan is 4.4%. That compares to a dependency rate of nearly 50% on reserves… The new First Nations Job Fund, worth $109-million over five years, is aimed at offering personalized job training to native youths, whether it’s through upgrading education to Grade 12 levels, providing career planning, granting training allowances, or even giving wage subsidies to encourage employers to hire young natives.
Tags: budget, economy, Indigenous, participation, standard of living, youth
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Boosting CPP is highly popular
Tuesday, June 4th, 2013
… no one has said enhancing the CPP would be free. It is a pension plan — one of the best in the world. Both employees and employers pay into it… our scientific poll of small businesses showed majority support among small business owners for an expanded CPP… Our polling also demonstrates consistent and overwhelming support among Canadians for CPP expansion, in all provinces.
Tags: economy, ideology, participation, pensions, standard of living
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