25 in 5 Network for Poverty Reduction
Quote of the Day: On the Toronto Community Housing Corporation
“Poverty works very effectively to camouflage a person’s worth and ability, especially when there is no real effort to bridge the gap, to sit down and listen to the individual, really listen with an open mind and open heart. Instead, we have manipulation and tokenism, not hard when people are so hungry and dependent for any recognition, for any position that says, ‘I am better than all the other tenants, the staff like me.’ Shame on those who have allowed this culture of entitlement to take such deep roots, who settled comfortably in offices — bedbug free, I’m sure — and no doubt felt they were acting charitably toward their charges.”
Who said it? Pat Capponi, in an op-ed in the Toronto Star about the betrayal of the public trust at the Toronto Community Housing Commission.
Toronto community housing tenants voiced their concerns Monday over remarks made by Mayor Rob Ford on privatizing social housing in the city. […] Although not condoning the TCHC actions, the tenants say privatization of social housing would be detrimental to them. “We’re not for sale,” said Susan Gapka, a social housing tenant. “Mayor Ford’s comments make us feel like we’re commodities to be bought and sold.”
Who said it? From an article in the Globe and Mail on Monday, March 7
“After the clamour, one of the tenant reps asked how they might fight privatization. That’s the only question in my mind now. But it is hard for anyone to see clearly when visions for the future of community housing are clouded by blood lust. And at the moment, not many voices are speaking for tenants. But as the meeting ended, something happened that I have never seen before: the building super was called in, and everyone gave him a round of applause for doing such a good job. That’s the future. Do a good job. ”
Who said it? Joe Fiorito, in a column in the Toronto Star about a meeting between a current TCHC board member and current tenants.
Urgent
Mayor Ford has called an emergency meeting of Toronto City Council for 5:30pm on Wednesday, March 9, to ram through the removal of all remaining TCHC Board Directors and replacing them with one person to rule with complete authority.
Rumour has it there be a motion to amend the Shareholder Agreement to enable heavy handed tactics.
Tenants of TCHC held a press conference yesterday warning of privatization. They are now mobilizing to fill City Council chambers on Wednesday afternoon and evening.
Please do everything you can to spread the word and urge people to go to City Hall for 5:00pm.
Hunger Crisis: Report of the Hunger Inquiry
Shocking testimony about hunger in Ontario is contained in the latest report from the Recession Relief Coalition (RRC), entitled Hunger Crisis: Report of the Hunger Inquiry (2011).
Based on the evidence presented at an all-day Hunger Inquiry held on November 23, the report also contains a number of recommendations to help resolve this preventable crisis.
Panelists agreed that the principal way to address hunger in Ontario is to raise incomes, and made a number of recommendations toward this end. The RRC has responded with a focus on social assistance rates, which must be raised immediately to stave off a drastic increase in serious health concerns stemming from widespread hunger and malnourishment among the poorest Ontarians.
Ontarians have just been informed about a new lengthy review of Ontario’s social assistance programs. But the situation is critical for many people and immediate action is required.
The RRC now joins the call for a 55% increase in social assistance rates for singles and for increases in all other social assistance rates to restore the buying power they had before the cuts made by Mike Harris’ provincial Progressive Conservatives in 1995.
Many – including the Liberal and NDP opposition parties – protested bitterly at the time of the 21.6% cuts. Restoring rates has been a widespread goal since then. The increase would cover the past 16 years of inflation, and would raise the income of a single person on welfare, for example, from approximately $600 to $900 per month.
Any less of an increase and a recipient’s ability to eat and pay the rent is severely compromised.
For more information and a copy of the report, go to www.recessionreliefcoalition.org
Do you think poor people fall into poverty because they’re lazy?
If so, sorry to be the one to inform you, but most Canadians disagree with you. In fact, according to a recent poll, you are among a small minority of Canadians – 23 per cent, to be precise.
But if you – like me – work to keep poverty reduction on the public agenda and you read this story about what the public thinks of poverty, you might be forgiven if you despaired at the thought that Canadians hold harsh judgments against the poor….
In her latest “Framed in Canada” blog post, Trish Hennessy examines a recent poll done by Angus Reid for the Salvation Army’s Dignity Project.
Read Trish Hennessy’s analysis of the Angus Reid poll here.
Links to media stories about the poll can be found in the analysis.
Upcoming Events Around the Province:
1) Hunger Situation Critical: Put Food in the Budget!
On Thursday thousands of citizens are expected to gather at Queen's Park in Toronto to stand up for the poorest of the poor.
Join them and Anglican Bishop Linda Nicholls to urge Ontario’s government to include a $100/month Healthy Food Supplement for social assistance recipients in the 2011 Ontario budget.
RALLY at Queen’s Park
10 a.m., Thursday March 10, 2011
Over 80 Anglican parishes representing over 30,000 Anglicans have backed this call, along with people in 30 communities across Ontario. Add your voice! JOIN US!
Supporters plan to show with props what foods people could add to their kitchen tables with the proposed $100 a month. That added benefit would help those in Ontario who are struggling to survive on welfare.
Sponsored by the Anglican Diocese of Toronto and Put Food in the Budget.
See an announcement of the event here
About the 25 in 5 eBulletins
The 25 in 5 Network is steered by a coalition of Ontario organizations including Campaign 2000, The Income Security Advocacy Centre, The Interfaith Social Assistance Reform Coalition, The Colour of Poverty Project, the Ontario Coalition for Social Justice, Voices From the Street, among others.
This is a bulletin from 25 in 5 to its contact list of supporters and interested parties across the province. The Bulletin is intended to keep you up to date on the implementation of a poverty reduction plan for Ontario and to let you know how you, your organizations and networks can help make it happen.
For more information visit www.25in5.ca
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Click here to sign up for this e-Bulletin.
The 25 in 5 Network runs exclusively on volunteer contributions from our partners. Any financial contribution that you or your organization is able to provide to the Network would be most appreciated. To make a financial contribution to 25 in 5, please contact John Campey at jcampey@socialplanningtoronto.org.
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