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Violent, militarized park encampment clearings won’t end homelessness in Toronto. Here’s a human rights approach
Monday, July 26th, 2021
While encampments are not ideal, and are not a permanent solution to the crisis of homelessness, they must not be criminalized or removed until the governments can provide reasonable alternatives. When the City of Toronto cites health and safety concerns as a reason for encampment removal, we must remember that this is the result of a societal failure to provide access to housing, let alone running water, bathrooms, and other basic necessities needed to ensure the right to life — and good health during a pandemic.
Tags: budget, crime prevention, Health, homelessness, housing, ideology, mental Health, poverty
Posted in Inclusion Delivery System | No Comments »
The future of work in Ontario is at a crossroads. Will we ensure decent employment for all?
Monday, July 26th, 2021
The government has indicated the temporary wage enhancement for personal support workers will be made permanent, which is great news. It should also be expanded to include front-line housing, shelter and child-care staff — all of whom are inadequately compensated for their essential labour. Prioritizing investment in the non-profit sector — a feminized workforce that employs more than 800,000 women across Ontario — would also be a sensible policy decision
Tags: economy, ideology, participation, philanthropy, poverty, standard of living, women
Posted in Debates | No Comments »
The politics of math curriculum
Thursday, July 22nd, 2021
While mathematical theory is objective, teaching mathematics in our educational system and how it is experienced is complicated by layers of identity. This is true for mathematics, science, history, and all other curricular subjects. Math has also been used to normalize racism and white supremacy, which undergird systemic inequities, including biased algorithms and the disproportionate educational streaming of Black and Indigenous students.
Tags: ideology, Indigenous, multiculturalism, youth
Posted in Education Debates | No Comments »
Those who care about math education for all should focus on results, not rhetoric about colonialism
Tuesday, July 20th, 2021
To the government’s credit, it took a big step in that direction vowing to end streaming in Grade 9 — making young teenagers choose between “academic” and “applied” tracks in high school. There are stacks of evidence that this has had a disproportionate impact on Black, Indigenous and poor students, limiting their opportunities for the future… The real test will be if the government follows through and makes sure the intent in that paragraph is translated into action and results.
Tags: ideology, Indigenous, multiculturalism, participation, standard of living, youth
Posted in Education Debates | No Comments »
Appointment of new Governor General demonstrates the difference between symbols and tokenism
Wednesday, July 14th, 2021
The fact that we now have an Indigenous woman in the highest position in Canada, which before this week was inconceivable, suggests that Canadian society may be ready for change… We will no longer be window dressing, invited to functions as decorations to set the stage for the authority in the room. An Indigenous person will now be the authority in the room, representing Canada and all that we stand for to the never-ending stream of dignitaries and leaders.
Tags: featured, Indigenous, participation
Posted in Governance Debates | No Comments »
Why Canada’s COVID recovery needs to include international students
Thursday, July 8th, 2021
While these temporary, one-time initiatives certainly provide interim relief for international students… we need to consider more sustainable measures… Our governments should also provide additional funding to colleges and universities to make it easier for international students to access better institutional support. Decades of government cuts to post-secondary funding has arguably made these institutions far too reliant on international tuition fees.
Tags: economy, immigration, multiculturalism, participation, rights
Posted in Education Debates | No Comments »
Evidence suggests there was no benefit to Ontario closing its schools
Wednesday, July 7th, 2021
By comparing the experience of Ontario with that of other provinces it is now clear that provinces that kept schools open longer had outcomes that were no worse and, in many cases, better… To this end, the government must solicit advice from a deeper bench of experts, from economics and other social science backgrounds, who can provide a more nuanced approach to the costs and benefits of keeping schools open.
Tags: child care, Health, jurisdiction, mental Health
Posted in Education Debates, Health Debates | No Comments »
Doctors’ focus on ‘missing patients’ is just first step in leading the pandemic recovery
Sunday, July 4th, 2021
Through the OMA’s public survey, a series of round tables and consultations with other health-care providers and community leaders, doctors are developing a plan that will recommend the bold ideas necessary to take us through the recovery phase and well into the future. We encourage everyone to speak up. Have your say at www.betterhealthcare.ca, and help shape the future of health care with us.
Tags: Health, jurisdiction, mental Health, standard of living
Posted in Health Debates | No Comments »
Releasing residential school records is a crucial step toward documenting Canada’s genocidal legacy — but the effort will face considerable challenges
Sunday, July 4th, 2021
Huronia housed children and youth with intellectual disability diagnoses, whose parents were pressured to give up custody. Like residential schools, Huronia was a site of poor living conditions and brutal mistreatment. Like Kamloops, St. Eugene’s and Marieval, Huronia’s on-site cemetery houses many unmarked graves. We have worked with institutional survivors to document Huronia’s legacy. Here are some lessons we learned along the way.
Tags: ideology, Indigenous, mental Health, rights, youth
Posted in Inclusion Debates | No Comments »
For Canada’s immigration detainees with disabilities, even fewer rights are afforded
Sunday, July 4th, 2021
Canada should stop holding people with disabilities in immigration detention… Canada should redesign the role of designated representatives by requiring them to provide support for decision-making. This could mean providing information in a simple and easily understandable way, in order to enable immigration detainees to follow the process and directly participate.
Tags: disabilities, globalization, ideology, participation, rights, standard of living
Posted in Inclusion Policy Context | No Comments »
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