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Alex Beasse, on the left, receives
her MSW from Yeshiva University
in New York City
ISARC intern Alexandra Beasse receives distinction at Yeshiva University Social Work Graduate School...
Alexandra has just received her Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from Yeshiva University in New York. Many ISARC supporters will remember the role she played in the ISARC 2010 Social Audit while engaged in a practicum under ISARC Executive Director Brice Balmer's supervision. Alex was a major player in the creation of the 2010 audit kit and also in the special emphasis on the study of the impact of rural poverty. In recognition of her excellence in the practicum, Alex was awarded the Elaine Schott Award for Advocacy for her work during her field placement on rural poverty. Alex, her husband, also Alex (McGilvery) and their son Nicholas, are now in process of moving to Flin Flon, Manitoba where husband Alex will take up ministry with a United Church congregation. All of us at ISARC want to offer our best wishes and congratulations to Alex for her work for ISARC, her graduate school achievement and her family on their appointment. Alex's report for the ISARC newsletter at the time on rural poverty can be found here.
Social Planning Network Ontario releases study...
A Recovery-Free Zone: The Unyielding Impact of the Economic Downturn on Nonprofit Community Social Services in Ontario
Read the full report...
July 16, 2010
Carol Goar of the Toronto Star: Charities forced to turn away clients...
Read more...
A Social Audit Follow-up in Halton Hills...
The hidden side of poverty surfaces in this presentation to the Halton Hills regional councillors following the participation of author Crystal Orvis in both the ISARC Social audit and the Religious Leaders' Forum. The presentation was made on July 6, 2010.
Over the last couple of months, I’ve been fortunate to have been given the opportunity to not only speak up and out about the issues of poverty, but moreover—the opportunity to be ‘heard’.
Read more here and an article from Inside Halton Hills from the event.
Dignity for All Campaign - An initiative of Citizens for Public Justice
Poverty Elimination Bill Introduced!
On Thursday, June 17, NDP MP Tony Martin tabled private member’s Bill C-545, An Act to Eliminate Poverty in Canada. Not only does this bill speak to a tremendous need in this country, it also reflects significant civil society consultation and multi-party collaboration. Congratulations to Mr. Martin, and thanks to MPs Mike Savage (Liberal) and Yves Lessard (Bloc) for their support of this legislative initiative.
Built on a strong human rights framework, the bill emphasizes income security, housing and social inclusion as core priorities. “The purpose of this Act is to impose on the federal government the obligation to eliminate poverty and promote social inclusion by establishing and implementing a strategy for poverty elimination in consultation with the provincial, territorial, municipal and Aboriginal governments and with civil society organizations.”
The introduction of Bill C-545 marks a significant step towards fulfilling the second goal of the Dignity Campaign (a federal poverty elimination act). The campaign and all of its supporters now have the summer to begin rallying public awareness of and support for the Bill, prior to its reading in the fall legislative session!
Dignity for All support continues to grow. 350 groups and over 5500 individual Canadians have endorsed the campaign. Among these supporters are 57 MPs and 12 Senators, representing 17% of all Parliamentarians. Special thanks to Alderman Joe Ceci and the City of Calgary for leading the effort to secure the recent endorsement of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities!
Please take some time to spread the word about Bill C-545 (Poverty Elimination) and make sure your MP is ready to get behind Bill C-304 (Housing) in the fall.
CPJ Website
Dignity for All
Campaign 2000 urges you to put the heat on your MP this summer!
Learn about C2000 Summer MP lobby and if you want to join a lobby team in your riding contact us at 416 595 9230 x 244 or liyugu@familyservicetoronto.org Make an appointment with your MP!
This summer Campaign 2000 is coordinating a cross-Canada lobby of MPs of all political parties to raise the profile of poverty reduction and eradication on the federal radar screen. As partners and supporters of Campaign 2000, we need each of you to remind your MP that on November 24, 2009, 20 years after the 1989 resolution, the House of Commons unanimously resolved to “develop an immediate plan to eliminate poverty in Canada for all.”
Read more...
Wed, July 7,
2010:
TELLING OUR STORIES: Disability Should Not Equal Poverty Report Released
236 people from all over Ontario who receive ODSP shared their struggles to survive with the ODSP Action Coalition. Their stories are summarized and quoted in a report released today, July 7 2010, at Toronto's Metro Hall.
The report is organized around the themes of
* Adequacy: Living with Dignity;
* Aspirations: Education & Employment
* Stress & Social Interaction
* Beyond the Basics
* Program "Service"
* Program Design
Running throughout the six categories are overlapping values and needs expressed: independence, choice, health and dignity.
The Coalition will be using this report, based on the lived experiences of the people who shared their stories, along with our Disability Declaration, in our advocacy work to push for an improved system of income and employment support for people with disabilities.
Here is the full text of the report:
ODSP Action Coalition: A Proposal for ODSP Rule Changes:
'Stupid Rules' have consequences!
At our recent ISARC Religious Leaders Forum (June 2), the assembly called for an end to 'stupid rules' that hinder services to people in need. The ODSP Action Coalition has submitted a series of recommendation to start the needed reforms. While admitting the list is not exhaustive, the Action Committee has 15 page report to help us get started.
Read more...
Cutting through the Fog
Why is it so hard to make sense of poverty measures?
A report from the Metcalf Foundation (May 2010) authored by Richard Shillington and John Stapleton that seeks to clarify the various measures and often contradictory, or, at least, confusing statistics surrounding social policy debates. For the full .pdf file go to:
Read more...
Text of SARC Committee Report:
The report of the Social Assistance Review Committee was delayed and government response to the report appears to be somewhat in limbo.
Read the full report:
The Social Planning Network of Ontario underlines the urgency of response while reporting on the increased demand for social services facing the non-profit sector.
Read more...
25 in 5 Supports Call for Income Security Review
The 25 in 5 Network for Poverty Reduction is calling on the Ontario government to move forward on an income security review by September 1.
Swift action would show the government is serious about implementing the recommendations of its own Social Assistance Review Advisory Council, meeting the commitments it made to poverty reduction in December 2008 – and, especially, improving the lives of low-income Ontarians across the province.
Read more...
Hope and Resilience in the Face of Unthinkable Challenges 
by Mira Dineen
The stories from the social audits, along with the feedback and insights of those who attended ISARC's Religious Leaders Forum, demonstrate that significant work must still be done to eliminate poverty in Ontario.
However, the social audits also revealed stories of hope and resilience in the face of unthinkable challenges.
Read more ...
This is an article about ISARC's June 2 Religious Leaders' Forum on the 2010 Social Audit at the University of St. Michael's College, University of Toronto. This was a provincial gathering to hear and discuss the initial findings from our community hearings on poverty.
 Never Give Up!
by David Pfrimmer
Theological Reflection at ISARC’s Religious Leaders’ Forum
St. Michael’s College, University Of Toronto, June 2, 2010
Read more
...
 Social Determinants of Health:
The Canadian Facts
A report released by
York University health researchers offers Canadians the opportunity to
learn how their living conditions will determine whether they stay
healthy or become ill.
Social
Determinants of Health: The Canadian Facts shows why these
factors are so important for health and documents the state of these
living conditions in Canada in an accessible manner for the Canadian
public.
Read more...
Still Can't Pay the Rent and Eat Healthy
Response to Ontario's 2010 Budget
by
Brice Balmer, ISARC Director
The Ontario Poverty Reduction
Strategy did not receive significant financial support in the province's
2010 budget. Increase to Basic Needs and Housing Allowances was only 1%
which meant an increase of 11% since 2003 - increases that are less
than the inflation rate over the seven years.
Read more...
70% of Budget for Health Care is a Self-fulfilling Prophecy
Response to Ontario's 2010 Budget
by
Brice Balmer, ISARC Director
The Ministry of Health and Long
Term Care budget does not need to be 70% of the provincial budget.
Ontarians
and the Provincial Government can promote healthy living, but we need
to emphasize the social determinants of health.
Read more...
How will the HST affect the poor?
by Greg DeGroot-Maggetti¨
 Low income families and individuals, many members of First Nations and others who do not tend to file tax returns will be significantly worse off as they will derive no benefit from the credits or the PIT [personal income tax] cuts.
The caveat is that you need to file a tax return in order to receive the
refundable tax credits.
That means that without a clear strategy to make sure low income families and individuals actually receive the refundable credits, the HST could make them worse off.
Read more...
 Put Food in the Budget
Endorse an immediate $100/month Healthy Food Supplement as a first step towards a healthy diet.
Do the Math is a survey that calculates what it costs each month to live a healthy and dignified life.
 ISARC 2009 Prayer Vigil
Praying that you have mercy on the poor.
Queen's Park, Toronto
Tuesday, March 3, to Thursday, March 26, 2009.
Catch a flavour of what the month-long Vigil was like.
See the video - Praying for Politicians to help the Poor.
 Lives Still in the Balance
This timely book outlines a deepening crisis of poverty, hunger and homelessness in Ontario and what we can do.
Order now
Other books produced by ISARC - the findings from our social audits.
Taking Action
There are many reasons to take action and many ways to do it.
See how you can make a difference.
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