Poverty Awareness in York Region

Seems 'tis the season for all things poverty lately and the most recent thing being a report released by York University, which was researched by the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness and the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness. Like anything report (follow the money) related it has truth mixed with supposition and ideology and conclusion finding solutions based on those, so you get what you get which is a mixed bag.

On one hand, it points out the obvious, on the other, it's solutions are slanted towards creating a two tiered rental market, or even three or four, with the end result being landlords creating slums and exclusive areas. And it's actual definition of 'affordable" housing I also have issue with, although they do use the term " at risk of " a fair number of times to confuse one would suppose, leading me to believe they are really branding this point home for some reason. To me, second suite apartments are not affordable either, whereas to them, they are.

Formerly Homeless. With supports, now a Poet

Some bullet points I took from the report, to highlight some previous rants of mine that I'm often maligned for locally by those on the peripherals, include the fact that about 75% of all those using shelters are single men age 26 and over. I ask, of the 7 existing full time shelters in York Region that we have, how many full time beds do we house these homeless men in - bearing in mind a population of 1.1 million people? Guess?.....try one shelter with 26 beds. Instead, 75% of our shelters house women - so the national numbers show we've obviously missed the mark in York Region. I've chirped it for years, but it's certainly nice to get some more supportive stats to back me. Meanwhile Y.R. boasts the least amount of rental housing  / owned houses ratios in the country and rates among the lowest percentile of occupancy availability rates in all of Canada already. Housing is but one element for what ails anyway, especially if they plan to roll out everything based on current broken models, and, in the case of rent subsidies, an experimental one.

YR Councilor given another chance

For example Dan Philion has subsidized housing and is confined to a wheelchair with limited mobility. In winter he suffers more-so and is naturally less mobile outside his home, but even if he wishes to, it is always a stress. Is the snow shoveled? Can I afford it? Do I have the energy today - but they'll charge me for cancelling a fare? Each trip out is calculated in worth vs value. Each month he begins it knowing he has only $100 plus dollars for after bills disposable income, regardless if he managed to earn more money somehow, as they simply adjust his check amount - first should he make "too much", then also adjust his apartment rental amount, either way he can't get ahead, and having trouble writing makes it more unlikely for him to try and get through it all anyway. None of their
solutions eliminate or address this reality, and it is a loophole that needs correcting, adjustments if you will, and believe it is within the resolve and power of the current Ontario government and York Region to make such adjustments, and should do so.


Out of desperation, Dan, who is also Vice-Chair of the Poverty Action for Change Coalition of York Region, the group responsible for bringing York Region its first ever social audit in 2011, "Behind The Masks", has spearheaded an idea for a type of march, to be held in the spring of 2015, to draw attention to the plight of those already housed but living lives of misery. Dan hopes others afflicted by similar circumstances propelled by poverty, and individuals or groups who support their right to a better existence, will come out.

Oct 17 event drew awareness

Says Dan, when informed of the recent 1% raise for those on O.D.S.P., announced by the Ontario government to be added on his check,

" 1%, are they serious? What are we supposed to do with that? That's 3 bus rides."

And with that being the catalyst, the idea for an event that would raise awareness to his / this issue began, the end result being  

Stroll and Roll for freedom.



Dan is tired of living like he's just existing, and says he didn't ask to live in a wheelchair and to have limited abilities and adds why shouldn't he have more money? Good question Dan, especially from many of the same group who voted themselves 30% raises not so long ago... And he's not shy, asking for a 50%  increase in his monthly disability support check, up from the current ceiling of about $1200 per individual. The hope action event will start at one destination - tentatively the York Region headquarters on Yonge St - and would peacefully roll and stroll down Yonge St, ending at the M.P.P.'s office in Aurora where the Liberal M.P.P. Chris Ballard would greet us and agree to take something to parliament on behalf. Something tangible. TBD& A'd.

Dan Philon wants a life!

Dan feels he deserves to live each day, not worrying about if he'll have enough to last the month and feeling a real pinch from mid month on. We believe he also has a right. A penny pincher as is, he doesn't smoke and has an occasional beer, mostly at home if he does unable to afford much more than cheap karaoke night out once in awhile should he choose to, and even then, his home table-menu then suffers later on in the month.

As we "speak", we're having logo design's looked at so Watch for Stroll and Roll for freedom online and on FaceBook!

Darryl Wolk, left, at his campaign kick off

The municipal elections are coming up, and with that comes all the nastiness and rearing of ugly heads, as each wannabe candidate scraps it out for a piece of the prize - serving the community in government.

Mayoral hopeful Chris Campbell

I was dragged to one opening event for someone running for mayor but wouldn't have gone if a friend hadn't asked, mostly because often municipal politics would not be the level of government we'd be communicating with on most issues but also because I despise the whole process that seems to always include personal attacks too often and not the issues. However I was glad I went in the end as it gave me an opportunity to hear someone new and it was refreshing.


To me, the issues are what has been done in recent times, by who, and do we need new members to keep things honest and on track toward better standards for all? I don't see that now, so I'm looking toward some changes.

First, Region-wise, money fought to get back from Toronto, for social programs, have instead mostly been used for paying infrastructure costs - not what we lobbied those funds back for. Regional Council also sat on their hands for 3 months during a transit strike - 4 months for some living in  semi-isolated communities - and had no plan in place to assist them during this time, and seemingly, no thought about the aftermath. Some never recovered, and got no compensation. All the mothers that needed transportation for food and diapers and - through Christmas time no less - and yet no accountability. This was the 2nd longest transit strike in Canadian history by the way, resulting in user costs among the highest in the country, and, yet, hardly a press blip. Council owed more than a months free transit in that fiasco to transit riders. Chairman Fisch they gave an award for this. Wheel-chair trans users were affected as well, with an overload on services, and many people were unable to meet critical medical appointments that took months or years to get, as well senior or aged, 50 plus workers, who lost jobs as employers used their absences an excuse to be rid of some.

Darryl Wolk kicks off his campaign for Newmarket's Regional Councillor.

I attended a kick off party for Newmarket Regional Councillor hopeful, Darryl Wolk, having been invited to and having known him for some time, but, to be honest, I liked him as a person through my dealings with him - a community group he was associated with had approached about our youth road hockey event - but was not sure he had what it took to be a serious contender - and ended up being quite surprised. His experience spoke for itself through an intro provided by his campaign manager, but it was his speaking and articulated messages that impressed me. I've always known him to speak in more hushed tones sitting across tables from me, but as a front man he really articulated well and knew his stuff  and he includes a focus on poverty and youth and families in a way I can work with I believe.

Lack of jobs and construction woes plague Newmarket

My first experience with the incumbent Regional Councillor, John Taylor, was during The Square Table on Poverty, an initiative I naively coerced all levels of government into participating in through use of the media, hoping it would make a difference. Back then, they actually printed and put us on tv a bit here and there including an infamous live CBC TV news interview by yours truly, to promote International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, but ended up mentioning how Belinda Stronach was then out pushing African mosquito nets while we now had 50,000 people using food banks in York Region. CBC were likely stunned at what came out of my mouth
but it worked, and got her and all the rest to the table, albeit Belinda showed in person only once.

I recall one of the first ST meetings, we spoke of affordable housing and John Taylor got upset that I criticized ads in the paper for Y.R. Habitat for Humanity, claiming to be builders of " Affordable Housing". I dared say that that was misleading, as they hadn't built any at the time in the area for over  5 years and it gave those not so in the know a false impression that housing was being taken care of by them, and that people had to become a face for them too, which we consider degrading.

Wild life needs a home too

Taylor, at that point, told me that he wasn't there to put down organizations etc but that's exactly what we were there for. To discuss reality, in real terms, without the bullcrap. We wanted to talk about building real housing, not a corporate charity that can tell you anything in their ad messages, but have little accountability to results - which our government should be holding charities more accountable. I found out later, his father and former Newmarket Mayor, Tom Taylor, had an attachment to Habitat for Humanity, and it just never set right with me. To me, H.F.H. are still part of a highly paid U.S. parent corporation, making money using our poor people and real estate, with few real tangibles but an exaggerated value. There hasn't been a habitat house built in Newmarket in over 10 years now. So, yea, to me, their claims of being builders of affordable housing are way off base. I don't care what their ads tell me, and the few they do build here, don't get them those bragging rights.

Wolk engages

People also seem of the belief that if something is built here, it must have been "needed", yet the region tore down an existing building on an existing site already zoned for and serving as sites for shelters, only to say they needed now a new site for a another brand new shelter - even though the opening of a family shelter had just taken a burden off existing women's shelters actually showing lower usage (backed by stats) at the time as the men, most in need as pointed out in York Region's own social audit, got no consideration or programs.

The same York Region council supposedly endorsed it's recommendations, but went on to ignore them mostly, instead budgeting the available funds for housing / shelters into a new women's shelter - now approaching 10 million dollars. Tony Van Bynen ran the last election on the dire need for this. By now we should have hundreds of women dead on our streets from homelessness if there was such a need.

Former and council hopeful Victor Woodhouse

As I walked along the railway tracks taking photos by Newmarket's Riverwalk Commons, where we hope to hold the Oct 17, International Day for the Eradication of Poverty event, I saw a homeless guy lying near a steel garbage bin on a cement parking block. I wondered if he'd been inside the covered bin somehow earlier and now outside for warmth or if he was a shelter dweller who would be typically sent out during the day, and remembered this is a transitional time for them, summer they can sleep outside need be but as colder, not, with winter shelters not open for some months yet.

Mayoral hopeful Rev Dorian Baxter

So, to me, the women's shelter sounded wonderful, but at $10,000,000 so far and counting to house single women without children, age 26 and up (the only possible shelter category not covered yet)  who will mostly be from outside the region by the way (we have agreements with Toronto and elsewhere to take them), was not a priority - but a manufactured one - and therefore been a colossal waste of your money.

The reality is, we don't have women on our streets like this, but we do men. The same men we don't mind sending to war to die and to now live and defend a violent life on the streets, while being expected to be a contributing member, without any support programs - another glaring missing social service / charity. But would a mayor look good fighting for a men's shelter? Or is it sexier if it's vulnerable women? Stiff price those men are paying for that decision.

Council hopeful Wasim Jarrah

It took some years, but I think Darryl Wolks understands - in fact he claims it was me who inspired him to join the Peel anti-poverty initiative which helped toward affording him a better understanding of the issues, and that sometimes it is possible to make changes for the better through little things - like grass roots representation on committees, whereas John Taylor, always civil, has delivered nothing but excuses to me for too many years now. Newmarket's mayor has an even worse record, skipping important once a year poverty events in favour of photo ops. At least Councilor Taylor shows up.

Ward 5 hopeful sign

I was further perturbed by the whole election thing when I posted a video of Wolk's intro at his kick off party, only to have it get the "anti-anybodynotthem" set come out in force, stating, on my posting btw, that he was no good etc, to which I'd replied that I respected his desire to run and he impressed me. At that point the piling on started, with people obviously for certain people, but all against Darryl and when I defended his courage to run, and dared make a negative comment about their horse, I was again maligned and scorned with one guy offering that if I wasn't going to say something nice on that particular FB group then he'd have me removed. Ha. Obviously not aware of my web reach.

Blast from the past - Diane Humeniuk

The biggest opposition to Darryl Wolk seemed to stem from other candidates who once supported him, but a decision he made while working behind the scenes during the provincial election when he, to some accounts, changed teams, seems to have labelled him as a traitor in their eyes. I like to think he just couldn't support some of the harsh or ineffective directions that party took on issues such as addressing poverty, and that some of that reasoning, and, having to look guys like me in the face, meshed with his evolving beliefs, resulting in a tough decision. Perhaps a conscience, and for me that's good. That means he has values and principles and decided they were best served representing a different party at that time. Yet, I see those same people having no qualms attaching themselves to anything Belinda Stronach.

Ward 5 hopeful John Heckbert listens

Recently, in the media, there has been some focus on accountability for charities which have very little. What you know / believe about them is a message they are often writing in ads and websites themselves, and are not necessarily wholly true, but who's to judge? This is an area I too would like fixed, with far too many charities claiming to do far too many wonderful things getting away with far too little accountability. Want to claim you do business in dignity in commercials? Prove it! Claim you shovel snow for everyone in need? Do it. Claim you are going to be the only women's shelter in York Region, when there are 6 existing already? Well that one is okay apparently now as it seems to have been removed. Claim you have programs assisting youth or women or people to find housing? Let's see the tangible proof and not more this type like this quote taken from a Y.R. Website offering services for women, which is a manipulation of true facts, and typical of many charitable organizations' claims;

"400 women are turned away annually from Violence Against Women shelters because they don't meet the criteria." Not exactly the full picture.

2018 end date now?...

construction + trans strike = chaos

In reality, even if a call results in a recommendation to call another type of shelter, like a family shelter, they mark them as not getting shelter as a stat. If the same woman calls 4 times to get someone on the phone, each call not ending with placement counts as a person not getting shelter - even though it's one person. Or the same person calling dozens of times a year. So it is misleading, and does not let you know the real story of how many got placed. The winter shelters for women are never full - in fact mostly empty - while the men's is ALWAYS FULL- is all I do know so I'm not sure where they get their stats from. Maybe the Salvation Army which is now slated to run Belinda's Place - after all the hoopla about how BP's would have special programs for women while raising funds - no mention of S.A. then, and I can tell you they don't have a good rep with the street people for running them or distributing programs. But no one asked, and since no one of experience is on the board to help advise them on these things, we get what we get.

Newmarket, at 8%, is a full percentage point behind the national average for unemployment and paralyzed with construction that seems very poorly planned at best. And as we lose more and more control of our green areas and privacy, we have to wonder who is in charge? How can Newmarket get a better deal and have a bigger voice in Regional decisions - that Newmarket wants? You decide.

Long time Newmarket printing shop gone @ Timothy Street

At any rate, this whole rotten thing actually helped me make up my mind about the need for change even more. Pick people who have experience yes, but look for a candidate who truly cares about the people first, and the town, and not just personal interests, parties, or legacies if you can.

Vote! Do not assume anything. And make sure you are registered. No candidate is unbeatable, and, sometimes, if enough people dislike a candidate enough to vote against them, combined with supporters, can win the day...but only if they actually vote! Every vote counts in municipal elections and sometimes a complacent mayor or councilor are ripe for the pickings - before they get too fat.

Do it! Do it now!
pacc man out

I just got back from a stop in at Dan's - you might remember Dan Philion who is confined to a wheelchair by muscular dystrophy and whose simple request over Christmas to have someone put him to bed at night, as he cannot do it unassisted, has been ignored by the government appointed "caregivers" who claim they "don't have anyone available" to do this at night time. That confused me since most people go to bed at night, and if they are the community care access centre in charge of putting our disabled to bed, then you'd think they'd do that. Apparently not?

After personally assisting Mr Philion myself for the past month to bed, because his service providers apparently cannot and he has no immediate family able to,  I got fed up with the various excuses they've been feeding him. For one, if they don't have someone for that time I suggest they get someone, as obviously there is a need, and if it's happening to Dan - where people's dignity is being controlled by some company claiming they don't have the staff and "get what we give" you types of attitudes - then you can bet it's being done to others - and especially the most vulnerable who may not have anyone speaking up for them like Dan does.

YR's $4 transit rates highest in Canada

But I can tell you right now I will not let up on this issue - this I promise you! As I watch the way our seniors and vulnerable disabled are treated and expected to have a certain level of suspended rights and dignity because of their conditions is just wrong. PACC hosted both the Square Table on Poverty which included MPP Frank Klees and MP Belinda Stronach (although she usually sent a pair of stand ins) and Newmarket York Regional Councilor John Taylor among some including the now Mayor of East Gwillumbury, and as well hosted and prepared a social audit report outlining these issues which the region endorsed, but has since ignored. Questions of dignity and treatment of clients was a number one reported issue but little has changed to address it still. All I hear is fluff about how wonderful the same charities and care givers are doing, whilst people like Dan cry out to no one listening or face waiting lists too long to wait for. People need to go to bed every night.

He's spoken up before, as a participant in both the social audit, while in proces of having his child taken at birth based on his disability, and as well as part of that "Square Table on Poverty" so many years ago now it seems. His issue then was that he couldn't work because he deejayed and they had no transit service to get him there and back. That was 7 or 8 years ago - in 2014 they just finally began offering service to disabled after 10 pm after more PACC noise.

One idea that sprang from the Square Table was that they were also going to help start up a non-profit business that Dan was instrumental in seeing a need for, which was the trend toward people throwing out returnable bottles and a service that would pick them up. At the time, during the Square Table on Poverty which included someone from every level of government, MPP Frank Klees had a restauranteur that was interested to have the service he'd said and Stronach's person insisted they wanted to help make it so and would arrange a meeting there. Well it never happened that's all we know. I don't care who walked across what floor politically; all I know is nothing got done from ther on in so we folded the group. For years Dan asked me about that business that never was and the meeting that never happened. I guess a guy can dream. Meantime we complained about transit so he could DJ at least on occasion.

Virtually the same crew still runs the ships he's complained to, and PACC's efforts have been ignored or stifled, so he's been feeling helpless, even depressed. Imagine losing all control of things around you, and none would be so if not for your disability. You'd even have privacy for the most basic of needs like going to the bathroom.

HE STILL GET'S NO ASSISTANCE TO BED TODAY.  DEC - Jan 19 2014

THAT'S OKAY I'M KEEPING A TAB AND WILL BE BILLING THE COMPANY LATER FOR MY 'TEMP' SERVICES AND THEN DONATING THE MONEY TO DAN SO HE CAN MAYBE BUY SOME GROCERIES.

Dan relies on charity organizations just to get out his door. Well, guess what? They've shown up once all this desperate winter and he's now, in addition to that dilemma, had to deal with getting to bed, but today was a last straw for me - for this service provider company to now tell him they can't have anyone come and get him out of bed until 12:30 pm Sunday, when offering a to bed service time at 7pm, is outrageous and cruel. They don't give him a choice either, he is simply informed they don't have anyone today and that the end of it. Not today!

I referred Dan's dilemma once again to MPP Klees' office and as yet have heard nothing back. MP Lois Brown told Dan exactly what I told him she would whixch was that "it wasn't her department but she'd make some calls". Regional Councilotr John Taylor - the one with the most influence on the issue at hand and it's state - has thus far informed Dan about the new later service available for transit now and will get back to him regarding the CCAC / Caregivers issue and getting to bed. I hope he figures it out soon because I'm sure Dan is not the only one being forced into these vulnerable and inhumane conditions. This is Canada for Gosh sakes have we forgotten everything we stand for in our rush towards the " Canadian Dream?" And what pray tell is that dream anyway? To make excuses for everything wrong we do? Or to make results? I don't know anymore.

I plan to take action to raise a petition to have this company removed as care givers of our disabled. It is disgraceful, and when clients or patients tell these companies they are not being treated with respect - by repeat offenders - we also expect action not reward with new contracts because they are the cheapest. Shop around. You want to be in the human care BUSINESS you better be into it for the right reasons or get out!

Too much charity...not enough care.

Stay tuned!