Well-being

The Globe and Mail reported today that Canada is facing a jobless recovery, as businesses are not expecting to hire in 2010 and public sector positions are being eliminated.

The article quotes Sébastien Lavoie, assistant chief economist at Laurentian Bank Securities, who predicts that we will see employment restored to its pre-recession level in 2011. Read more »

According to national growth figures in Canada the recession is over and recovery is well underway. But do national trends give a clear indication of the state of families, households and individuals?

Yesterday the Vanier Institute of the Family released The Current State of Canadian Family Finances 2009 Report. As part of the Family Finances series, this report discusses the financial status of Canadian families based on household income, debt, employment patterns and living expenses. The 2009 Report contains an entire section illustrating the impacts of the recession on families, stating that it will be a long time before recovery fully reaches Canadians households. Read more »

On February 10, Ottawa City Council voted to adopt a municipal poverty reduction strategy. The plan, entitled Poverty affects us all: A community approach to poverty reduction, was presented to Council by the Community and Protective Services Committee which approved the plan in January.

However, the acceptance of the entire plan was a contentious issue for several councillors. Most were in agreement with about 90 percent of the plan. The controversy came from two recommendations in particular, 14 and 15. Read more »

Check out the photos from the Dish on Dignity, an event hosted by Citizens for Public Justice, Canada Without Poverty and the Dignity for All Campaign. The Dish on Dignity brought together parliamentarians, social justice advocates and low income folks for a conversation about the reality of poverty in Canada and ways to eliminate it. Read more »

Last week the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) released a report Is EI working for Canada’s unemployed? Analyzing the Great Recession, by Andrew Jackson and Sylvain Schetagne. The report, part of the Alternative Federal Budget project, evaluates the state of Canada’s Employment Insurance system. In preparation for the release of Budget 2010, the CCPA is calling for an extension of benefits for EI. Read more »

On Monday, January 25 I attended an all day seminar hosted by Metropolis called “Welcoming Communities: How could Canadian communities be more welcoming?” The focus of this seminar was on efforts from a variety of sectors to welcome newcomers into Canadian communities.

An important element in making newcomers feel welcome is engaging the general population. Public education and awareness campaigns or proactive efforts to connect newcomers with Canadian residents are important. Education can help people understand one another while addressing concerns surrounding growing diversity and multiculturalism in Canada. Both government and non-government sectors need to be involved. Read more »

Last year as part of Budget 2009, the government adopted a stimulus package to help boost the economy, which included increases to Working and Child tax benefits. However, the package was far from complete, especially concerning the most vulnerable Canadians - those living in poverty, many of whom have incomes too low to qualify for the tax benefits.  

Poverty was not even mentioned in the budget although these concerns are often most dire in times of economic crisis. Increased job losses coupled with already low incomes and insufficient social assistance has devastated so many across the country. Budget 2009 did not identify these specific problems, nor did it propose a strategy for poverty reduction in Canada. Read more »

Canadian TV and film star Mary Walsh is just wrapping up a feature documentary on Canada’s working poor called Poor No More. Produced and directed by award-winning team Suzanne Babin and Bert Deveaux, the film focuses on the challenges of the working poor, as well as ways to significantly reduce poverty. This is especially critical now, while Canadians are beginning the slow process of economic recovery in light of the recent crisis.

On Saturday January 16 in Ottawa, join Mary Walsh and the film crew for lunch and final discussion on these issues at St. Andrew’s Church (82 Kent Street) at noon, followed by a rally on Parliament Hill at 1:30. This will be the last instalment in the film which is scheduled to be shown in various places across Canada this spring. See the official website for more details on the film and a schedule for cross country viewing opportunities. Read more »

Affordable housing is an issue gaining critical attention at municipal, provincial and federal levels of government.

Ontario’s Auditor General criticized Ontario’s affordable housing initiatives in his report, released December 7, 2009. The report called for an effective strategy to assess the risks, costs and potential contributions of investing in affordable housing in Ontario.

  Read more »