Poverty Awareness in York Region

Tom-a-Talk

This message is brought to you in part by the Tea Brewhaha Party of Canada.

The remaining part is available under the freedom of information act should you wish.

This message about the aforementioned message brought to you by the

Tea Brewhaha Party of Canada……Tea Brewhaha for all your party needs!

It should really come as no surprise that the NDP, and to a lesser extent the Green Party, are making a dent in the pre-election strategists theories…As some of you who have followed my blogs may know I have mentioned months and months back that Ignatief had better get out there and start branding himself because people just don’t know him enough or feel familiar enough with him (to prove a point I’m not even sure I’ve spelt his name correctly)…sure he started hitting the trail during the election but way, way too late…people already know and like Jack Layton, he’s a familiar and thus increasingly trusted face and as my astrology acquainted says, “He’s and cancer and actually does care”. Not that I take stock in astrological advice however I don’t discount the idea that he may actually care whereas Stephen Harper smiles sardonically and says little, using short answers like, “That’s just not true”.

That seems to be the element people are most disillusioned with, you can talk to your politician and it may seem as if their mind is elsewhere or they’re throwing back a rehearsed party line, but Layton seems to be able to convey a message that he’s listening and that he has some intelligent alternatives that resonate with all Canadians…and he has a platform that cares about and is inclusive of every day people and with more and more in dire straits financially or on the brink or knowing someone affected by a job loss, along with an aging population as well as a surging popularity in blue collar Quebec and Atlantic Canada suddenly they’ve thrust themselves into the mix like never before. The knock always is that the party is too left leaning…but in this day and age of “coalition” possibilities which would force parties in a sense to ‘collaborate’ in order to function, who knows? It’s actually possible Layton could be placed in as Prime Minister by the Governor General should the right conditions come to be. Yup then our 1st lady would be foreign born too. Wouldn’t that be egg on the faces of Bloc’s Gilles and Iggy who seem to like to toss at him that he’d never have a chance to be Prime Minister. In hindsight these comments from the two at their televised debate showed they were both scared of the NDP. As for Harper it might teach him not too be too smug and arrogant next time.

Locally I got a chance to hear the candidates debate – unfortunately no NDP rep could make it for me to critique – however I did get the sense people were looking for an alternative that night despite the heckling I received when asking incumbent Conservative MP Lois Brown (from obvious supporters section) why her office hadn’t replied to our request for a debate focusing on social issues…It actually took the Green party to bring some of the debate’s focus onto issues that more and more are affecting Canadians - in fact local candidate Vanessa Long stole the final show for the final statement if you ask me…Canadians are concerned about issues like poverty reduction, employment insurance benefits increases, skilled(green) jobs, national daycare, old age pensions, etc as these are issues that more and more Canadians are affected by and why I believe there is a surge in support for parties that include all Canadians – truly include them - and not with shell games and fancy talk that fools the general public but affects the most vulnerable most often and only speaks of inclusivity.

The Liberal candidate Kyle Petersen in fairness at the debate I attended did very well as he was knowledgeable and actually garnered the most applause from the packed hall during debate points, but to read the polls you have to wonder why the lag and again I come back to the fact that people just are not comfortable enough yet with the liberal leader.. He may indeed be the right guy but he needed to get out and brand himself so people could get comfortable with the idea and he has failed to do that.. and frankly he sounds like a politician…The Liberals should also have been using Justin Trudeau to brand themselves way, way more and remind people of the “tradition” of the party..

So alas I think what the polls may be reflecting is that Canadians are looking for a safe, secure, comfortable, and caring place…the question is do you think any of the parties can really deliver this? Me Neither..alas what to do?...Oh..I know….I just remembered I started an alternative mock Party!!!!

I urge you all to join the Tea Brewhaha Party of Canada today on Facebook.
Act now and you can become absolutely anything in any position within the Party..Hey?!! Whattaya Gonna do! Ha!

Join us May 5 to kick off a new movement called ‘Poverty Free Ontario”

povertyacc@gmail.com
tp

I got heckled (obviously by Conservative supporters sitting in a bunch) because I dared ask during question period (after first informing everyone that the Conservatives were the only ones who didn't agree or even respond to a debate focusing on social issues) who it was that didn't care about these people, was it her personally or was she just following the party line from Harper?..For this I was heckled to "sit down" that it was rude etc. Personally I think it's rude when someone doesn't respond to your inquiry, especially someone elected to hear your concerns and those we represent. Every other party did. It felt like they were a hired goon squad at the ready for anyone dissing them and if i didn't have a thicker skin i might have felt intimidated. No one seems to like/want the truth in politics except the people..well..too bad. Next time we go in numbers together and heckle back need be. I encourage everyone to attend all debates locally in YR and ask questions about housing, national daycare, poverty reduction efforts, unemployment ins, health care, seniors pensions and other issues that Lois brown and the her response was that these are all a provincial and municipal responsibility - wherein every other part sees it differently. They want to build jails but don't realize by helping these areas they'll reduce prisoner and health needs and costs.


This is Canada, not Conservativille or Harper Town. They( governing parties) have to listen to us even if they don't agree because they are supposed to be representing the people's wants in the house not the parties first, and this is the fundamental change needed. If they don't think that a national poverty line or strategy or housing strategy is their responsibility then lets talk about it and see what WE the people want...and we can start with the truth...Lois brown claimed that 100% of the jobs lost during the recession have been returned. Really? Then why an increase of 28% in food bank users in York Region if we have all these jobs back and funny I don't see all the local manufacturers up and running again. More crock talk.

I believe PACC's next focus should include Senate reform - meaning we want to change parliament so that the peoples voices are better represented as opposed to having to accept the various oddball policies and directions government takes without our will behind it - usually something THEY want but not necessarily WE or the majority of people want and this needs to change. It can be done through what is called senate reform and we should ask MP's who supports it as an election issue.

Tom Pearson
http://www.povertyacc.com/

The all candidates Fed debate is tonight at The Newmarket Theatre ... come ask Lois Brown ( Conservatives ) why she does not respond to social issues and has not responded to an invite to a debate on it.


Do we need politicians who refuse to hear what their constituents want to hear about!?

--
Tom Pearson
http://www.povertyacc.com/

Are we living in a police state? Why are they building jails without call for any? I'm beginning to wonder.


Yesterday I set out in the AM by transit(some know I shed my vehicles shortly after accepting the PACC Chair) to pick up meds for my son - a new prescription that the doctor made clear needed to be taken as soon as he wakes up.

I got on the bus and was given a transfer. Transfers / fare info states the riders are entitled to 2 hours for transferring and when taking a system where connecting buses often run HOURLY every minute counts so when the driver tried to estimate my transfer forward 15 mins instead of back 15 it irked me and I asked for a transfer that gave me the full time advertised.

The driver then began a diatribe that she didn't have to, and if I didn't like it to call York Region transit, so I did while standing there. At the exact same time she began calling a supervisor I think. As my stop came up I stepped off and she said "my supervisors coming and you can speak with them" and I relayed that I didn't need her supervisor since I was now on hold to speak with their office.

I then spoke to someone and told them the same thing -" I don't care how you guys estimate your times but you cannot take time away from people because you advertise 2 hours transfer times and on a system running every hour , often late and costing more than the TTC which runs every few minutes, YRT riders need every minute and shouldn't have to go through a hassle to get it.

I left it at that, and went about my shopping, picked up my sons medication and some groceries and a Road hockey sign left roadside that I'd collected and made my way back to the stop for the return ride home but as I stepped on the same driver said you can't ride "my" bus. I hadn't said one word to her just showed the transfer and sat down.

"Really?" I asked incredulously, " Well I'm not getting off I need to get home".

"That's fine, my supervisor is coming." She seemed real determined throughout to have this "supervisor" get involved so now she'd get her chance I guess. She was also already running 10 minutes late on an hourly route. It would have been much easier I'd thought to give the full time like every other driver has done in the past, and this was two days in a row that she'd tried to short me and so of course I spoke up - for everyone's rights.

There is nothing quite like actually being a cog in the "system" to know how people on the ground level are being treated and it isn't pretty. First they change VIVA by adding a "goon squad" of security cops which were never needed / seen just a couple years ago. I wonder how much it costs to pay them? Why the goon squad? Mostly because people can't resist getting warm in winter at bus stations and now the VIVA allows people to just walk on to supposedly "improve service". Really? There was nothing wrong with the old system. Young kids are now becoming 'criminalized" for taking a chance getting on with no money and ruining their credit ratings for life and anyone who's ever been homeless will tell you it's awfully tough to say no to walking in / on somewhere warm in winter. It's like dangling a glass of cold water to someone in a desert when someone is freezing but this system that allows for no payment but a "trust" system policed by security goons and allows for no interaction with drivers anymore and I guess employs cops. Oh and the money from fines collected is what is used for the VICTIMS of CRIME fund. Hmmm..interesting isn't it, a system that relies on the poorest people (those who can't afford bus fare) to pay this fund - This is absolutely OUTRAGEOUS! Maybe tell the YRT boss and Regional governors this isn't the states (he was recruited from Boston transit)

Back to my story. So the supervisor comes and says she'll give me a ride home and I hop into her van. By this time its getting late, I'm worried my son is up, and happening on a Thursday I had food and supplies also that had to be distributed to some in need, so I was happy to get going...but wait..I get partway home and the supervisor receives another call and tells me her supervisors would like to also speak with me and could she bring me back to the stop again.At that point I told her look I don't have time to speak with anyone anymore and to just take me home, but no, she said she had to return there so we pull up and two transit police await.Ha. Unbelievable. The supervisor jumped out to have a word with them, likely informing them I had a valid point, but they still were bound by procedure I suppose.

So the goons asked me to step out of the van because the "needed" to speak with me.

I replied that that was nice but i don't "need" to speak with anyone and needed to get home right now with the medication for my son.

The goons - well the main goon - then informed me in a harsh tone that depending on my conversation with him will determine whether I leave on my own or with them.

"Really?" I said flabbergasted and raising my tone to match his, " I don't think so. I guarantee you I won't be going anywhere with you since I haven't done anything other than ask for what you guys advertise..and if I do speak with you which I don't plan to at this point it will be because I choose to. I never threatened anyone or even call anyone a name, all I asked for was a transfer that gave me the full time you advertise and instead I'm going through all this crap. You want to arrest me? "Well go ahead then", and I dropped my bags, removed my coat and put my hands behind my back. "Go ahead". I was very pissed by now but reserved considering.

They humbled out and backed off of their tough- guy stances after that, but what if...what if...just like the protests in Toronto where your rights were suspended for "the good of the country"..I suppose them arresting me would be for the good of the system.

Suddenly someone from our Food drive called as I stood there and I told him to come get me and then I left the goons to mull over their important jobs of hassling people for complaining about their rights (as far as I'm concerned). " Just out of curiosity why wouldn't you want to show ID" the less aggressive transit-copper said to me after I refused them. " because I don't have to", I replied, "I'm a rights guy and I've done nothing wrong, and I just want to go home because I'm sure by now my son is up and his doctor was very clear that it was to be taken immediately when he awakes and you guys are wasting my time as I've already phoned all this in".

Later on that NIGHT someone calls me again in regards to it and I told them I'd spent enough of my day on this issue and didn't plan to spend another minute, before saying goodbye.

Last month at Toronto Union station as I awaited a transfer to head out to assist an elderly person being neglected by our system I decide to video someone making a presentation about the history of the old station and was descended upon by transit police and aggressively asked to destroy it..." technically you can't video out the window of the train coming into town" they told me..Really!...that story for another day..

I will continue to speak out as long as I'm able because I've been through it all and if they want to arrest me and throw me in to solitary confinement go ahead because frankly its worth fighting for at this point.

Don't let ANYONE dictate your rights people and speak out about any small variance of your rights because we are slowly becoming a police state unless we all speak out!

Tom Pearson
http://www.povertyacc.com/

Dear MP Brown,


We are interested to organize a candidates debate that focuses on social issues and hope you are willing to participate.

We are looking into a location at the historic "Quaker House" in Newmarket as we feel it fits the theme and would in addition attract the media's creative thinkers - tying in social issues to the election locally with more prominence. Barring that, a suitable spot will be found.

We are also awaiting word from Liberal candidate Kyle Petterson and others on their willingness to participate and at that time we will ask for a list of 3-4 dates / times when candidates are available.

This is an opportunity to address critical issues like daycare, poverty, income (supports), the elderly / vets treatment, newcomers etc, and show the media and affected voters, including increasing numbers of low income seniors, that you care about their concerns too.

Please let us know.

Tom Pearson
Chairman, Poverty Action for Change Coalition
http://www.povertyacc.com/
289-221-0928 direct

We are calling for a PACC meeting next week Wed 12:30 pm at Mulock Village Community Hall (Needler Cres at Maciver in Newmarket Ontario).


Agenda will include - Poverty Free Ontario intro - possibly replace Put food in the budget campaign as action plan group for PACC.

Youth Road Hockey Tournament - PACC event follow up.

Elections plans of attack - including organize / assist possible debate on social issues - to this end Canadians for Democracy (?) - a local group is meeting on Thursday April 7 at the Chocolate Cafe at 7-8pm ( Newmarket Giant Tiger plaza ); perhaps solicit some supporters to organize a debate involving social issues if anyone wanted to attend.

House of Hope update!

Tom Pearson
http://www.povertyacc.com/

SPNO members and anti-poverty colleagues across Ontario


The Social Planning Network of Ontario (SPNO) asks that you hold the date of Thursday, May 5 for an all-day meeting in Toronto (venue to be determined) to discuss how to make poverty eradication an issue in the upcoming provincial election in Ontario in October of this year.

SPNO is conducting a series of community events across the province to present the Poverty Free Ontario initiative (summary attached) and to discuss what must be done now and in the term of the next provincial government to eliminate poverty in Ontario by 2020.

Marvyn Novick and Peter Clutterbuck bring this discussion to community groups on behalf of the SPNO. The first two sessions were held in Oakville on March 8, sponsored by Poverty Free Halton and Community Development Halton and in Cambridge on March 18 sponsored by the Social Planning Council of Cambridge and North Dumfries.

The current Poverty Free Ontario community meeting schedule is attached. SPNO is open to receiving invitations from additional communities in the time slots available for April-May-June.

SPNO would like, however, to invite several leaders from communities across the province (including people with the lived experience of poverty) and provincial leaders from other sectors (e.g. health, education, faith, labour, civic, etc.) to our all-day meeting on Thursday, May 5 to discuss:

Perspectives on a poverty eradication policy agenda for Ontario;

Strategies for making poverty eradication a provincial election issue this year; and

Cross-community and cross-sectoral action in the upcoming provincial election campaign

The full agenda for the day on May 5 is now in preparation and will be sent to you soon. We wish, however, to get a sense of the interest in participating in this day. Please so indicate your community’s or sector’s interest by responding to Peter Clutterbuck at pclutterbuck@spno.ca and further details will be provided.

Peter C.
Social Planning Network of Ontario

Tel. (416) 653-7947 Cell (416) 738-3228
FAX (416) 653-4532