What Is the Real Poverty Reduction Agenda in Ontario?
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REPORT FROMNO NORTHEASTERNVEMBERSEPTEMBER 2012 ONTARIO 2013 B ULLETINBULLETIN, FALL 2015 NOVEMBERSEPTEMBER 2012 2013 B ULLETINBULLETIN What is the real povertyWhat is reduction the real poverty reduction agenda in Ontario?agenda in Ontario? Following last summer’s tour of northwestern Ontario, Put Food in the Robyn Peterson witnesses the lack of political Robyn Peterson witnesses the lack of political During her successful Liberal During her successful Liberal Budget spent two weekswill for real change in Ontario. this year visiting northeasternwill for realcommunities change in Ontario.. leadership campaign last January, leadership campaign last January, I attended the province’s poverty I attended the province’s poverty Premier Kathleen Wynne told Premier Kathleen Wynne told Organization for the tour began with an invitation to Sault Ste. Marie reduction “consultation” in Toronto on reduction “consultation” in Torontothe on Toronto Star that she wanted to the Toronto Star that she wanted to from Nancy Bailey, and was followed by invites from Irene Breckon and September 12. I was horrifed and September 12. I was horrifed and be “[t]he social justice premier. Social be “[t]he social justice premier. Social the Elliot Lake Antidisgusted and lef afer -anPoverty Committee. Chief Shining Turtle from hour – it was disgusted and lef afer an hour – itjustice was is what drives me; it’s why I’m justice is what drives me; it’s why I’m Whitefish Bay asked uclear that the government representativess to start our trip in his community, and clear that the government representativeshere.” here.” community legal clinics and health centres throughout northeastern were not interested in conducting an were not interested in conducting an On August 6, members of the Put On August 6, members of the Put Ontario offered to organize additional meetings. unbiased “facilitated” session, or in unbiased “facilitated” session, or in Food in the Budget campaign went Food in the Budget campaign went seeking genuine input from the 100 or so seeking genuine input from the 100to or Perth so for a public meet-and-greet to Perth for a public meet-and-greet people who had gathered. people who had gathered. The leadership of the Put Food in the Budget campaign set the Addison-Webster confronts the Minister at the with the newAddison-Webster premier. When confrontsMelissa the Minister at the with the new premier. When Melissa When Melissa Addison-Webster from consultation in Toronto. When Watch Melissa the exchange Addison-Webster Addison-Webster from of the PFIB following priority questions to ask during community visits: consultation in Toronto. Watch the exchange Addison-Webster of the PFIB the Put Food in the Budget campaign here: http://youtu.be/_q1J9azG-9Ithe Put Food in (video the Budget campaignSteering Committeehere: http://youtu.be/_q1J9azG-9I asked Wynne (video Steering Committee asked Wynne tried to protest the lack of real movement courtesy of Serenity)tried to protest the lack of real movementabout the needcourtesy to immediately of Serenity) about the need to immediately by the• provinceWhat is poverty like to help people, she in northern communities? H was by the provinceow does it to help people, she increasewas social assistance rates (as increase social assistance rates (as brusquelydiffer from poverty in southern Ontario? dismissed. Minister of something. Unfortunately, brusquely dismissed. most of the Minister of recommendedsomething. by the government’s Unfortunately, most of the recommended by the government’s Children• What issues are people organizing around? & Youth Services Teresa Priuzza people assembled,Children many & from Youth various Services Teresa Priuzzaown Commission people for assembled, the Review many from various own Commission for the Review haughtily• What will it take to make Premier Kathleen Wynne raise social assistance to a level tha declared that she had been a social agencies,haughtily seemed todeclared go along that with she had beenof aSocial Assistance),social agencies, t ensures the premier seemed to go along with of Social Assistance), the premier social workerpeople can live in health and dignity? in Windsor and knew all this charade. Presumablysocial worker they in were Windsor and knewagreed all rates thiswere charade. too low Presumably but said they were agreed rates were too low but said about the issues. • How could the proposed privatization of Hydro One affect people who are poor?looking for whateverabout the crumbs issues. they could the government looking could for not whatever afford to crumbs they could the government could not afford to Each table in the room had a glossy obtain from a reluctant government. Each table in the room had a glossyimplement suchobtain an increase. from a reluctant government. implement such an increase. brochure proclaiming the wonders of I’m rather impatientbrochure with proclaiming the constant the wonders of We also asked people how the campaign can Premier support local organizing Wynne’s I’m rather refusal impatient to with the constant Premier Wynne’s refusal to Ontario’s poverty reduction “strategy,” plea by the governmentOntario’s povertythat there reduction is no “strategy,” plea by the government that there is no Outside the poverty reduction consultation in Toronto; photo courtesy of Serenity. of courtesy photo Toronto; in consultation reduction poverty the Outside against poverty. People urged us to share our findings, even Serenity. of courtesy photo Toronto; in consultation reduction poverty the Outside with lovely photos and graphs. money when itwith comes lovely to doing photos the and right graphs. rates in Ontariomoney forces when us to it comes to doing the right encouraging us to come back to present to city councils to reinforce rates in Ontario forces us to Nowhere, however, could I fnd a copy of thing for peopleNowhere, on lower however, incomes couldor for I fnd a copyquestion of her thingcommitment for people to heron lower incomes or for question her commitment to her the strategy itself. Tere was no apparent the their demands and help push for greater action. People also shared disabled, andthe goodness strategy itself. knows T forere was no apparent“social justice”the ideal. disabled, and goodness knows for “social justice” ideal. vision; no mission statement; no goals; no howhow vital it is for them to know many others.vision; T eno question mission isn’t statement; the that they are part of something no goals; no how many others. Te question isn’t the objectives with clear achievement dates; availabilitybigger. They want to know they are not alone; they want to talk with of money;objectives it’s withthe willingness clear achievement dates; availability of money; it’s the willingness no implementation plan. of politiciansand hear from people in other communities, and know they belong tono do implementation the necessary plan. of politicians to do the necessary In my view, the entire enterprise was budgeting.to something at a provincial level that is working to make change. Tings In canmy alwaysview, the be entirejuggled enterprise was budgeting. Tings can always be juggled an exercise to make it look as though the intoWe are position ifpleased that we an the exercise will is there. to makec itan look contribute to this connecting and as though the into position if the will is there. government were actually doing mobilizing work government– wereand to be part of the broader movement of groups actually doing and campaigns working for social justice in Ontario. “...I would raise social “...I would raise social INSIDE: what other high- assistanceLeft, graffiti in SaultINSIDE: rates Ste. Marie what inspibyring other people not high- to give up hope. assistance rates by ranking ofcials in the a lot moreranking than of cials in the a lot more than Liberal government say INSIDE:Liberal Throughout government this saynortheastern tour, we met with about social assistance $100people a livingmonth.”about in socialpoverty assistance and on low incomes,$100 and with a month.”service reforms in Ontario. providers-Ted McMeekin,reforms in their in communities. Ontario. The following pages-Ted highlightMcMeekin, Minister oftheir Community voices. and To Social read Services the complete dailyMinister dispatches of Community from thisand Social Services tour and last year’s tour of northwestern Ontario, visit our website at putfoodinthebudget.ca. “We need a real How would you live on a safety net.” daily food budget of $3.67? Close to 200 families are registered Chief Shining Turtle in Whitefish River First Nations on Manitoulin with the food bank in Elliot Lake, which Island spoke with us about how much money those who receive is open three days per week. People social assistance have to spend on food every month. can go once every month and receive three days of food. Band Councils administer social assistance on First Nations The Salvation Army serves 225 Reserves, and they can also receive funding from Canada Mortgage lunches, three days per week. They put & Housing Authority to build housing and rent it at a reasonable the soup on early and serve it to cost (Whitefish River First Nation provides a single person with an people who come early. As one 800 square foot home for a rent of $300/month). volunteer said, “When you are getting up to eat soup at eight in the morning, However, the Chief provides a breakdown for the personal needs it’s because you are hungry.” portion of a typical single person receiving Ontario Works ($280, separate from the $379 shelter allowance): At the Sally Ann lunch program and the Anti-Poverty Coalition dinner, we • $100/month for hydro – before using any hydro! This is the hear all-too-familiar stories. “Only monthly distribution cost before any hydro is used – and $100 a month to buy food after I pay hydro use is highest in the winter due to the cost of heating.