Fort McMurray Food Bank Candidate Questionnaire-Don Scott
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Fort McMurray Food Bank Association – Candidate Questionnaire Don Scott , Progressive Conservative Party Progressive Conservative leader Allison Redford has stated that a healthy society looks after the most vulnerable. 1. Several provinces have set in motion ambitious poverty reduction strategies. Does your party have a plan to address hunger and poverty in Alberta? A new Progressive Conservative government is committed to strengthening supports for Albertans in their time of need. Our Plan for Poverty Reduction will focus on a 5‐year plan to eliminate child poverty and a 10‐year plan to reduce overall poverty. This community‐led initiative will result in equality of access to the economy, better health for the impoverished in our community, stronger families, safer communities and increased civic participation. There are significant benefits to reducing poverty beyond the positive social impact for those immediately affected. Children raised in poverty are far more likely to have long term health implications and a difficult time in school, which is why early intervention is vital. Putting the department of Human Services through the Results Based Budgeting initiative will result in savings that will be directed to the Plan, which will build on Alberta’s Social Policy Framework, with consultations starting in May of this year." 2. Welfare rates in Alberta are far below the poverty line. What will you do for people with disabilities and for people in general, living on social assistance? Effective April 1, 2012 the maximum monthly financial benefit for Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) clients was increased by $400 per month to $1,588 The program also provides employment income exemptions to clients and their spouses, enabling them to retain a portion of their earnings. The thresholds for the employment income exemptions will double, from $400 to $800 per month for single AISH clients and from $975 to $1,950 per month for AISH clients with cohabiting partners or dependent children. Doubling the employment income exemptions for AISH clients will also come into effect April 1. About 17 per cent of AISH clients and/or their cohabitating partners (more than 7,500 households) report some form of employment income. Budget 2012 provides $271 million to cover the cost of increasing the maximum monthly benefit for AISH recipients by $400 per month and doubling the AISH program’s employment exemption thresholds. The total 2012‐13 budget for the AISH program is nearly $1.1 billion. Community agencies contracted by the Alberta government to provide services to vulnerable Albertans will benefit from increased funding over the next three years to help them recruit and retain staff. Staff in contracted agencies play a pivotal role supporting adults with disabilities in community and home‐like settings, and this
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Fort McMurray Food Bank Candidate Questionnaire-Don Scott
Transcript of Fort McMurray Food Bank Candidate Questionnaire-Don Scott
FortMcMurrayFoodBankAssociation–CandidateQuestionnaire
DonScott,ProgressiveConservativeParty
ProgressiveConservativeleaderAllisonRedfordhasstatedthatahealthysocietylooksafterthemostvulnerable.
1. Severalprovinceshavesetinmotionambitiouspovertyreductionstrategies.DoesyourpartyhaveaplantoaddresshungerandpovertyinAlberta?
AnewProgressiveConservativegovernmentiscommittedtostrengtheningsupportsforAlbertansintheirtimeofneed.OurPlanforPovertyReductionwillfocusona5‐yearplantoeliminatechildpovertyanda10‐yearplantoreduceoverallpoverty.Thiscommunity‐ledinitiativewillresultinequalityofaccesstotheeconomy,betterhealthfortheimpoverishedinourcommunity,strongerfamilies,safercommunitiesandincreasedcivicparticipation.Therearesignificantbenefitstoreducingpovertybeyondthepositivesocialimpactforthoseimmediatelyaffected.Childrenraisedinpovertyarefarmorelikelytohavelongtermhealthimplicationsandadifficulttimeinschool,whichiswhyearlyinterventionisvital.PuttingthedepartmentofHumanServicesthroughtheResultsBasedBudgetinginitiativewillresultinsavingsthatwillbedirectedtothePlan,whichwillbuildonAlberta’sSocialPolicyFramework,withconsultationsstartinginMayofthisyear."
2. WelfareratesinAlbertaarefarbelowthepovertyline.Whatwillyoudoforpeoplewithdisabilitiesandforpeopleingeneral,livingonsocialassistance?
EffectiveApril1,2012themaximummonthlyfinancialbenefitforAssuredIncomefortheSeverelyHandicapped(AISH)clientswasincreasedby$400permonthto$1,588Theprogramalsoprovidesemploymentincomeexemptionstoclientsandtheirspouses,enablingthemtoretainaportionoftheirearnings.Thethresholdsfortheemploymentincomeexemptionswilldouble,from$400to$800permonthforsingleAISHclientsandfrom$975to$1,950permonthforAISHclientswithcohabitingpartnersordependentchildren.DoublingtheemploymentincomeexemptionsforAISHclientswillalsocomeintoeffectApril1.About17percentofAISHclientsand/ortheircohabitatingpartners(morethan7,500households)reportsomeformofemploymentincome.Budget2012provides$271milliontocoverthecostofincreasingthemaximummonthlybenefitforAISHrecipientsby$400permonthanddoublingtheAISHprogram’semploymentexemptionthresholds.Thetotal2012‐13budgetfortheAISHprogramisnearly$1.1billion.CommunityagenciescontractedbytheAlbertagovernmenttoprovideservicestovulnerableAlbertanswillbenefitfromincreasedfundingoverthenextthreeyearstohelpthemrecruitandretainstaff.Staffincontractedagenciesplayapivotalrolesupportingadultswithdisabilitiesincommunityandhome‐likesettings,andthis
newfundingwillhelpcontractedagenciesattractandretainqualifiedstaffsothatourmostvulnerableAlbertansgettheexcellentsupporttheydeserve.Wewillalsobuildasinglepointofentrytoallseniorshousingandhealthservicesandprograms.Aportal,builtintotheministry’swebsite,wouldincludeinformationsuchaswaittimestogetintoasupportiveliving,continuingorlong‐termcarefacility,aswellasinformationonaccommodationcostsandservices.Thecommitmentsthathavebeenmade,whicharepartofPremier’sRedford’sbusinessplangoingforwardinclude:Apropertytaxdeferralprogramtoassistseniorswiththerisingcostsofhomeownership;TheAgingPopulationPolicyFrameworktohelpgovernmentandcommunityorganizationsmakesounddecisiononprogramsandservicesforseniors.Afully‐refundableSeniorsActivityTaxCreditofupto$500peryear,supportingseniorswantingtopursuemoreactivelifestyles,andabetterqualityoflifethroughparticipatinginthecommunity,orengaginginawiderangeofsocial,artistic,craftsandphysicalactivities.SinceAlisonRedfordwaselectedpremier,thegovernmenthasprovidedsubstantialsupportforAlbertanfamilies.InBudget2012,morethan9,000AlbertafamilieshaveneworincreasedfundingtooffsetchildcareunderthechangestotheProvincialChildCareSubsidyprogram.Thatistheapproachare‐electedPCgovernmentwillcontinuetodelivertoAlbertans.Becauseofthevitalimportanceofactingdecisivelytoprotectvulnerablechildrenandfamilies,anewPCgovernmentwillensurethattheMinistryofHumanServicesworkswiththenewlycreatedChildandYouthAdvocateOfficeoftheLegislature.TheProgressiveConservativepartywillalsocontinuetodeveloppreventionandearlyinterventionservices,includingearlychildhooddevelopment,parentingprograms,andprogramsgearedtowardpreventingdomesticviolence.Aspartofthe$53millionincreasetoChildInterventionServicesfundinginthisyear’sbudget,30newchildinterventionpositionswerecreatedtostrengthensupportforfrontlinecaseworkers.Thismovewillhelpassurebetteroutcomesforat‐riskchildren,youthandfamilies.
3. Whatisyourparty’splatformonfoodsecurityinAlberta?
Albertashouldbealeaderinadvancesinagriculture,andweneedtoexplorenewavenuestoadvanceagriculturalandbio‐technologies,andsustainablyraiseproductioncapacity.Weneedpoliciesthatwillsupportandencouragefarmerstocontinuetoleadthewayinproductiveandhightechagriculturalpractices.Weneedpredictablefundingfortechnologicaladvanceswithafocusonresearchandinnovation.Albertashouldbealeaderintheareasofanimalandhumanhealthandwelfare,foodsafetyanditstraceability,wateruseandgeneticimprovementto
cattle,grainsandcrops.Wemustexplorenewavenuestoadvanceagriculturaltechnologyandsustainablyraiseproduction.
4. Whatisyourparty’splatformonaffordablehousinginourregionandinAlberta?TheProvincialGovernmentofAlbertareleased“APlanforAlberta:EndingHomelessnessin10years”inMarch2009,anditsupportstheHousingFirstmodelastheapproachthatcommunitiesinAlbertawillusetoaddresstheissueofhomelessness.WithintheProvincialPlan,therearedefinitegoals,timelinesandfinancialrequirementsfortheProvinceofAlberta.Thekeyelementsarecenteredonfivepriorityareasforaction:betterinformation,aggressiveassistance,coordinatedsystems,morehousingoptions,andeffective.Inaddition,theAlbertaSecretariatconstructed‘basiccriteria’thatshouldbeconsideredandincludedincommunitymulti‐yearplanstoensurealignmentwiththeprovincialplan.PremierAllisonRedfordhasstatedthat"Weareproudofouraccomplishmentswiththe10‐yearPlantoEndHomelessness,andAlbertaisnowrecognizedasaleaderinCanadainitsapproachtoaddressingthisissue.WeplanonbuildingonthissuccesswithourPlanforPovertyReduction.”TheRegionalMunicipalityofWoodBuffalo(RMWB)PlantoEndHomelessnessalignswiththeProvincialPlaninitsemphasisonhousingfirstandthebeliefthathousingisabasichumanright.Informationaboutthemunicipalplantoendhomelessnesscanbefoundat:http://www.woodbuffalo.ab.ca/living_2227/Social‐Support‐Services/Asset1316.aspxTheRegionalMunicipality’sapproachtohousinghasevolvedandtheWoodBuffaloHousingandDevelopmentCorporationwasestablishedtobringaffordablehousingsolutionstoallWoodBuffaloresidentsinneed,fromsingleincomefamiliestoseniors;servicesectoremployeestothehomeless.Throughaffordablehousingdevelopmentsandtheadministrationofprovincialhousingsubsidyprograms,theyprovidepeopletheopportunitytoestablishinthecommunity.InformationaboutWoodBuffaloHousingcanbefoundatthefollowingsite:http://www.wbhadc.ca/Additionally,helpinglow‐incomeseniors,individualsandfamiliestomeettheirbasichousingneedsisapriorityfortheAlbertagovernmentandincludesthefollowingcurrentapproaches:
1.TheCommunityHousingProgramprovidessubsidizedrentalhousingforlower‐incomefamilies,seniorcitizens,wheelchairusersorotherindividualswhocannotaffordprivatesectoraccommodation.2.TheRentSupportProgramprovidesassistancetohouseholdsinneedtoobtainandmaintainaffordableandsuitablerentalaccommodation.3.TheSeniorsSelf‐ContainedHousingProgramprovidesaffordableapartmentaccommodationforlower‐incomeseniorswhocannotaffordprivatesectoraccommodation.Functionallyindependentseniors,withorwithoutthehelpofexistingcommunity‐basedorganizations,areeligibletoapply.
5. Ifelected,whatwillyourpartydo(or,whatisyourpartydoing)toenablewelfare
recipientstoentertheworkforcesuccessfully?
Currently,AlbertaWorksisadministeredbyAlbertaEmploymentandImmigration(E&I)andhelpsunemployedpeoplefindandkeepjobs,helpsemployersmeettheirneedforskilledworkersandhelpsAlbertanswithlowincomecovertheirbasiccostsofliving.Moreinformationcanbefoundatthissite:http://www.employment.alberta.ca/FCH/3171.htmlAlbertaWorksachievesthesegoalsthroughitsfourprogramareas:EmploymentandTrainingServices,IncomeSupport,HealthBenefitsandChildSupportServices.PeopleinthreegeneralsituationsmayqualifyforIncomeSupport:
Peoplewhohavedifficultyworkingbecauseofachronicmentalorphysicalhealthproblemorbecauseofmultiplebarrierstoemployment(BarrierstoFullEmployment)Peoplewhoarelookingforwork,workingorunabletoworkintheshort‐term(ExpectedtoWork)Peoplewhoneedupgradingortrainingsotheycangetajob(Learners)
PeopleareencouragedandsupportedtoworkwhilereceivingIncomeSupport.Employmentcanincreasetheirtotalincomeandprovidevaluableworkexperience.Whenpeoplereceiveongoingfinancialassistance,theykeepalloftheirwages,andonlyaportionoftheiremploymentearningsaretakenintoaccountwhentheirbenefitsarecalculated.Thisiscalledanearningsexemption.
6. Ithasbeencommentedthatsomepartiesmaybeplanningtoprivatizesocialassistanceandchildwelfare?isthissomethingyourpartyplanstodo?
IunderstandthattheMinisterofHumanServicesindicatedinOctober,2011thattheprovincialgovernmenthadnoplansatthattimetoprivatizeorshifttheprovince'smanysocialprogramsandservicestomunicipalities.
7. Ifelectedhowdoyouandyourpartyproposetoassistnonprofitsandcharitiestospendlesstimeraisingfundsandmoretimedoingtheworktheirorganizationswerecreatedtodo?
IhavebeeninvolvedwithnonprofitsasIwasaboardmemberandpastpresidentoftheUnitedWay.Ihaveseenboththeadministrativeburdenandthefinancialchallengestheyface.Ibelieveineliminatingduplicative,redundantandineffectiverulessothatournonprofitscanfocusonthecriticalworkthattheydo.PremierRedfordbelievesintheimportanceofAlberta’svibrantnon‐profit/voluntarysectorandactivelysupportsitsworkthroughtargetedprogramsandcapacitybuildinginitiatives.Financialsupportforcommunityorganizations,non‐profitorganizationsandpublicusefacilitieshasbeendeliveredthroughadiverserangeofprogramsandgrants,includingtheCommunitySpiritProgram,theCommunityInitiativesProgramandtheCommunityFacilityEnhancementProgram.
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