PFIB_Sept2013BulletinFINAL

7/29/2019 PFIB_Sept2013BulletinFINAL

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During her successful Liberalleadership campaign last January,Premier Kathleen Wynne toldthe Toronto Starthat she wanted tobe [t]he social justice premier. Socialjustice is what drives me; its why Imhere.

On August 6, members of the PutFood in the Budget campaign wentto Perth for a public meet-and-greetwith the new premier. When MelissaAddison-Webster of the PFIBSteering Committee asked Wynneabout the need to immediatelyincrease social assistance rates (asrecommended by the governmentsown Commission for the Reviewof Social Assistance), the premieragreed rates were too low but said

the government could not afford toimplement such an increase.

Premier Wynnes refusal tosignicantly increase social assistance

rates in Ontario forces us toquestion her commitment to hersocial justice ideal.

NOVEMBER 2012 BULLETINSEPTEMBER 2013 BULLETIN

something. Unortunately, most o thepeople assembled, many rom varioussocial agencies, seemed to go along withthis charade. Presumably they were

looking or whatever crumbs they couldobtain rom a reluctant government.

Im rather impatient with the constantplea by the government that there is nomoney when it comes to doing the rightthing or people on lower incomes or orthe disabled, and goodness knows orhow many others. Te question isnt theavailability o money; its the willingnesso politicians to do the necessarybudgeting. Tings can always be juggledinto position i the will is there.

...I would raise socialassistance rates by

a lot more than$100 a month.

-Ted McMeekin,

Minister of Community and Social Services

INSIDE: what other high-

ranking ofcials in the

Liberal government sayabout social assistance

reorms in Ontario.

Addison-Webster confronts the Minister at theconsultation in Toronto. Watch the exchangehere: http://youtu.be/_q1J9azG-9I (videocourtesy of Serenity)

I attended the provinces povertyreduction consultation in oronto onSeptember 12. I was horried anddisgusted and le aer an hour it wasclear that the government representatives

were not interested in conducting anunbiased acilitated session, or inseeking genuine input rom the 100 or sopeople who had gathered.

When Melissa Addison-Webster romthe Put Food in the Budget campaigntried to protest the lack o real movementby the province to help people, she wasbrusquely dismissed. Minister oChildren & Youth Services eresa Priuzzahaughtily declared that she had been asocial worker in Windsor and knew all

about the issues.Each table in the room had a glossybrochure proclaiming the wonders oOntarios poverty reduction strategy,with lovely photos and graphs.Nowhere, however, could I nd a copy othe strategy itsel. Tere was no apparentvision; no mission statement; no goals; noobjectives with clear achievement dates;no implementation plan.

In my view, the entire enterprise wasan exercise to make it look as though the

government were actually doing

What is the real poverty reductionagenda in Ontario?Robyn Peterson witnesses the lack of politicalwill for real change in Ontario.


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SEPTEMBER 2013 BULLETIN

What is thegovernmentstrack record on

poverty reduction?

Calculating changes tosocial assistance

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Ontarios 2013 budget eatured changes toOntario Works (OW) and the OntarioDisability Support Program (ODSP), most owhich came ino efect as o September 1. Changes include a 1% increaseor adult OW recipients and ODSP recipients, an additional $14 per monthor single OW adult recipients without children, asset limit increases, andearnings exemptions. For fact sheets and more information, visit theIncome Security Advocacy Centre website: www.incomesecurity.org.

Given the Ontariogovernments recordto date, the Put Foodin the Budget campaignbelieves that the currentpoverty reduction strategyconsultation process isa charade. The Liberal

government has:

NOT adequately raised socialassistance rates, letting them fallbehind ination.

NOT raised the minimum wage,leaving it frozen for years at $10.25.

CUT the Community Start-Up andMaintenance Benet, a lifeline forthousands of Ontarians.

MADE CUTS to the life-saving

Special Diet Allowance.

POSTPONED increases to themuch-needed Ontario Child TaxBenet.

On August 22, I attended one o theprovincial Path to Jobs & Growth

consultations in Belleville, hosted by theHonourable Charles Sousa, Minister oFinance. In his opening message, Sousastated, It is so important that we get inputand advice rom every part o the provinceto help build a prosperous and air Ontarioor everyone.

My rst thought was that i this were true i our government truly wanted to createan environment that is air or everyone no one in our province would be livingbelow the poverty line; our society would

be inclusive and air. I this were true, Iknew that what I had to say would be metwith wholehearted agreement.

My condence in the consultation rosehigher when I saw Sousa moving romtable to table, talking individually witheach person. Tis seemed to validate thestatement that the government wantedinput and advice rom everyone, soperhaps it truly also desired a provincethat exemplies social justice. Perhaps thisgovernment was nally going to listen to

the cries o the poor.I started my discussion with Sousa by

talking about how PFIB representatives hadattended consultations with Deb Matthewsand ed McMeekin, in which both statedthat they couldnt aord to raise socialassistance rates. Sousas response was, Iknow. Ive heard this rom ed. Im gettingthe bad rap on this.

Tis wasnt the response I had hopedor, so I moved to the recommendation bythe Commission or the Review o Social

Assistance in Ontario to raise rates by$100 a month. o that Sousa stated, Wedid listen to the Report, and added $14 amonth. We also eliminated some o therules to make it better or people on socialassistance. I agreed that they did boththose things, but emphatically stated, Itsnot enough!

I then told him about the new roo ourhome needed several years ago. It wasntsomething our household budget could

aord, but we knew it had to be done toprevent urther problems down the road

so we ound the money. I told the nanceminister that the government could ndthe money or the increase i itreally was a priority to createa prosperous and air Ontarioor everyone. I then stated thata lot can be revealed about asociety by the way it treats itsmost vulnerable, that this budgetrevealed where the governmentspriorities were ... and that theywerent with the most vulnerable.

One might think he would react towhat I had said, but my words were metwith complete silence or several seconds.Te table was quiet -- and the truth washanging there or Sousa to digest.

I le the consultation encouraged. Justknowing that Minister McMeekin hastalked to Minister Sousa about PFIBsdemands, and that the nance minister iseeling hes getting the bad rap on this isa good sign that our cries are being heard.Maybe not listened to yet but they are

being heard, and pressure is being elt.And his silence? Tat really says it all.

For i there is no argument, then at somepoint the government will be orced tolisten and to act on the demands, sothey can honestly say they are creating aprosperous and air society or everyone.

We are making a dierence. Lets notgive up the ght!

Charles in charge?By Ruth Ingersoll, Executive Director, Community Development Council of Quinte


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Ted talks who decides?ed McMeekin, Ontarios Minister o Community

and Social Services, is responsible or improvingsocial assistance. At a community consultation inPeterborough on July 3, he stated: I it were up tome, I would raise social assistance rates by a lot morethan $100 a month. But its not up to me.

While we are encouraged that Minister McMeekinrecognizes the inadequacy o current social assistancerates and supports a signicant increase, why does henot have the power to raise the rates?

I the Minister o Community and Social Serviceslacks authority to signicantly increase socialassistance rates, important questions arise. Who canmake that decision? Why is ed holding consultations i he is just amessenger to someone who has yet to be convinced that poverty inOntario is a crisis? Why should we talk to ed McMeekin instead o

Deb cant afford to rest on her laurels

On August 14, our representatives rom EPIC (EmpoweringPeople in the Community, the social justice club aliated with TeLocal Community Food Centre in Stratord) attended an earlymorning community consultation in London with Deputy PremierDeb Matthews. Such consultationsare mandated by legislation to take

place every ve years as part o theprovincial governments povertyreduction strategy.

But when the answers areobvious, it is insulting to ask thesame questions again and again.People need to be able to nd oodand shelter while maintaining theirhealth and dignity. In order to doso, social assistance rates must beraised. EPICs three demands werebased on a statement rom thePoverty-Free Ontario coalition:

1. Immediately add $100 to allsocial assistance cheques withoutcutting other benets.2. Increase the minimum wage to $14.3. Ten index social assistance and the minimum wage to thecost o living.Elizabeth Anderson, Te Locals community action coordinator,

asked Matthews i she would support ed McMeekin, Minister oCommunity and Social Services, in his earlier statement to the PutFood in the Budget campaign that he would back an immediate

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$100 increase to social assistance benets. McMeekin, however,insisted that it is not his decision to make, and placed the onus onthe poor to provide him with more convincing stories o povertyand hardship.

Deb Matthewss answer was, as expected, that her governmentdid not have the money. Shecongratulated hersel on her

accomplishments with regards tothe Child ax Benet, and seemedcontent to rest on her laurels orthis single act. It is unortunatethat the Community Start-Up andMaintenance Benet had to be cutto accomplish this success.

Te Child and Youth Networkand the United Way London& Middlesex are hosting theirown community conversation,specically inviting people withlived experience o poverty andsocial exclusion. Tis communitydiscussion on September 25, with

EPIC in attendance, will urther inorm the government o theneeds o Ontarians.

In addition to the Poverty Reduction Strategy communityconsultations, EPICs three demands were clearly stated onSeptember 5 at a public orum to discuss the Dra Housing andHomelessness Plan or Stratord, Perth County and St. Marys.Aordable housing would not be in such demand, it was stressed, isocial assistance recipients had enough money to pay market rent.

directly with those who have the power?Te 14 members o the cabinets poverty reduction

committee include 10 ministers, three parliamentaryassistants, and ormer speaker Alvin Curling. WithMcMeekin as co-chair, how could this committee lackthe clout to persuade the rest o the cabinet to raise therates?

Perhaps only the Minister o Finance or Premiercan make this decision. I so, we shouldnt waste timeconsulting with ed or other committee members. Weshould instead ocus on Finance Minster Charles Sousaor Premier Kathleen Wynne.

Or does someone outside government hold thepower? We know that CEOs on Bay Street are notinterested in greater income equality or all.

HowtoreducepovertyinOntario:publiccom

mentsataconsultationinHamilton.

Actually, we know the answer to our own question.Premier Wynne has the real power to raise social assistance rates.But i ed McMeekin is going to talk, he must publicly supportraising Ontarios social assistance rates now.

By Patti Miller, Empowering People in the Community (EPIC)


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putfoodinthebudget.ca

@putfoodinbudget

Put Food in the Budget!

Diabetes test strip funding reduced

Te Ministry o Health has reduced its unding o diabetes test strips, limiting the allowable

number o strips or people living with diabetes, according to the governments denition o

what a person living with diabetes requires.

For inormation on these changes, visit the Ministry o Healths website

(http://tinyurl.com/ma43j), or consult your pharmacist.

A poem for Kathleen Wynne, Premier of Ontario


CONNECT WITH US!2nd Annual PFIB campaign meetingCampaign participants rom across the province will gather in oronto on September 27 and

28 to refect, learn, share and plan or actions in 2013/2014.

wo days o meetings will be punctuated by the Soulstice celebration and undraiser in

support o the campaign. Look or updates and photos on Facebook:

http://tinyurl.com/kulejwg

Povertys not dull: its colourul and bright,

like the cars whizzing past in a street persons night,like that empty stomach neon daydream/nightmare kind o State,

where a mom has to say theres no supper or our plates

and kids look up and smile and say thats alright

cause they dont want mommy cryin when they sleep again tonightso they try to make her laugh but it only makes her sad

cause she thinkin o the things that she wishes that they had

like supplies or their school and clothes to keep them warm;a sae way to get to a good job; a lie lived ar rom harm-

away rom the restrictions and prescriptions o here,

away rom all the stigma and this constant stress and ear.She wants a resh new start, with a caseworker who has the time to care,

about the needs that she cant meet, the burdens that she bares,

cause in this world shes struggling but she eels invisible:

Cause no one makes the hardest changes; exerts the political will,and puts the power behind the voices, that say HIS ISN RIGH!,

No child should be hungry in Ontario tonight;

nobody live in ear or the people that they love;nobody le homeless, on the couches o relatives;

no addict should lack or treatment; nobody have to beg and plead,

or the basics o this lie, which we should all be guaranteed.Will you tackle the depths in challenging the problems o poverty?

Are you the party and leader who will end this marginality?

I you are please give us concrete action as evidenceAnd well help you get re-elected i we have reason and the chance

So that something more than leaky band-aids can nally arrive

And then all Ontarians can know a unique sense o sustainable pride-

that comes rom Doing thehardestwork, doing everything we can,to remove the blight o poverty rom all environments.

Poetb!WILDerpresented the following to Premier Kathleen Wynne in Perth on August 2. Reuse only with permission of the author.

A placard outside the poverty reduction consultation in Toronto; photocourtesy of Serenity.

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