Poverty Awareness in York Region

PACC's Vice-Chair (scooter) Kristine Carbis and Social Audit Co-Author Yvonne Kelly helped present and lead discussions This fellow is located a block from the social assistance reviewers' office

Mike Balkwell makes a point to Co- Commissioner Lankin via teleconference call

2 Bloor St W home to the Social Assistance Review Commissioners' office

Before I get to the meat and potatoes (for those who can afford them!) I'd like to mention that I had the unique opportunity to address a (Lutheran) church group called 'Slices of Justice" along with my Co-author Yvonne Kelly (York Region Food Network) of Behind The Masks testimonials from those marginalized by income - York Region's first ever social audit and a feather in our cap if you will...At any rate the social audit means nothing if it is not made available through these types of channels, especially since the audit was completed with direction from ISARC (Interfaith Social Assistance Reform Coalition) which advised us on our hosting of it and how it was conducted. I won't go too far into it but suffice to say it took a good 6 months of my time to complete (with others) and includes input from over 24 people living on the margins, as well as participation from about 35 agencies and 20 politicians...The presentation, similar to another I attended at Trinity United a week previous, was well received with attendees staying right to the end eager to ask questions and engage in discussion......The point I do push home at these events however are the facts such as dignity means providing for one's own self not from hand outs...Oh and they served pie...home made rhubarb..Mmmmm in slices too! Symbolic of their "Slices of Justice" I'm sure..Ha.. Ironically a chronically homeless 50 something man whom we'd given some paid work to through our " House of Hope" program having him help paint a new affordable housing complex, dropped in at the end...he had pie too.

Next up a trip to Toronto for myself and other "Put Food in the Budget" campaign members to meet with Social Assistance Review Commissioners Frances Lankin and Munir Sheikh. Embarrassingly when I first announced I'd be attending a meeting with them I mistakenly called Frances Lankin Boris Laskin - a famous judge I believe..Ha..At any rate I got both the name and sex correct today even though Ms. Lankin unexpectedly joined us all by conference call while her co-commissioner and staff, as well as our four PFIB members which included Nadia Edwards, Susan Bender and Director Mike Balkwill attended in-house. Our strategy was simple as each of us was assigned a portion of the presentation to make, followed by scripted questions to the commissioners making specific requests. The fact that Frances Lankin, our main ally we'd thought was not in the room physically could not deter us from making an impact because let's face it - from my experience we were not likely to walk out with many promises.

We started well with introductions made around the table and then Nadia opened the presentation with a call for the $100 healthy food supplement with a grass roots entry that made for an easy sedge-way to my bit as my portion came up following Nadia's. I picked up from her theme of the dire straits / need people are in right now and that that sense of urgency seems to be missing from the puzzle and a $100 healthy food supplement added to social assistance and odsp recipients cheques was the fastest and most widely accepted ( and most humane option on any option tables I've heard) way to make change with an immediate impact. Municipalities, churches and all sorts had already endorsed this, and surely 9,000 " Do The Math" surveys the public has done with most finding it takes $1300 plus a month to survive - when some get $592 - means something? Surely Rocket Scientists were not needed for any government review to see rates must go up? However we respect the integrity of the commission and process, and did not have overly high expectations at any rate going in.

Frances Lankin opened by saying for the record and the integrity of their review they could not at present say whether they endorsed the Healthy Food Supplement or not however prior to becoming one of the commissioners for the revue is already on record as endorsing it!! Of course the fact they wouldn't publicly endorse it now was not unanticipated, however the Commissioner's previous endorsement was a twist for me. Go figure...but we can't use that or they'd appear biased so...I guess it's times like these that a rock and a hard place come to mind! Ha! At any rate the discussion went on and we made our asks - Namely - Will you do the math? Will you publicly endorse the $100 Healthy Food Supplement and would you consider trying the "Do The Math Diet"?

In the end we got commitments to do the math - and Frances Lankin again has already done it - but not to publish results - that they'd have to get back to us on. Why? That's my question..too late now.Ha. I did manage to ask them to commit to Eating the math diet and got no commitment from either although Commissioner Lankin mentioned having done previous "food-bank" types of diets through various trials means.

Commissioner Munir Sheikh was a little more reserved but very articulate, and when he did speak chose his words carefully. Likely a good choice for a commissioner, if not decidedly optimistic that they will be listened to in the end. Some will remember him as the man who quit the census over the ending of the mandatory long form. You have to respect a man who stands up for his principles that's for sure. He is that second commissioner, not so in tune as Lankin with these issues perhaps and somewhat absorbed I thought with a "working poor" link, and as well both Commissioners seemed semi-consumed by the prospect of a housing benefit...to which I replied that I knew people already getting social housing and they still couldn't afford to put food on their tables, so that alone( a housing benefit) doesn't cut it..I cited a senior who recently attended the provincial budget lock up with me who has social housing and is a war vet and unable still to feed himself a month. I told them I thought there was something inherently wrong with a system that already gave every benefit its going to yet he can't feed himself.....still they persisted down this line but we reiterated again the wide spread support for the benefit and saw no reason that it should interfere with a long term overhaul of the system, but that short term this would help all people most in need right NOW!

In the end and reading between the lines a bit over the past several months of my dealings with this, I'm thinking it's a sexier sell for the government to sell "working poor" benefits ( like a housing benefit) that may also include some welfare recipients than assisting those most in need, most of whom have not chosen this life of misery in poverty which our governing good brothers and sisters don't often seem to get. Just like selling poverty reduction to the public on helping children ( poverty reduction strategy) , now by helping those hard "working poor" they will be doing their "sexy"thing again...and this will of course (sub text here) put everyone in line ...Sure will - the soup line...and Minister Broten's and Campbell's soup will be supervising at this rate! More on this wacky statement later..

Or maybe Nadia had it right in referring to the rent subsidies that the SA reviewers seem to be being steered towards , " Maybe it should be called a landlord subsidy, they are the ones that will benefit". Hmmm..I wonder how many behind this 'strategy" angle are themselves landlords?
Sad to note that Jackie from 25 in 5 crossed the floor ...more $ perhaps?..NO!!
Sadder note..upon arriving back in Newmarket from my trip downtown I dropped my cell phone as I got to Newmarket and the bus ran over it destroying it..and my contacts...Ahhhh!

Here is an interesting video I took during an invite only prov gov announcement and some funny add ons! Enjoy!


Tom Pearson