Poverty Awareness in York Region

YRMG's Era Banner needs to respect Grassroots Voices

Recently I had a call from The Newmarket Era Banner asking me to comment on the Ontario government's announcements regarding their latest poverty reduction methods. I'm reluctant sometimes to do interviews with the paper as at times they misquote me, and, for a number of years now, have not published any of my many letters to the Editor nor any pictures.

The pics one is odd, as another recent time they'd actually asked me to come for a pic, after being asked to comment about the fact that York Region Council had voted to raise transit costs again - they are already the countries highest for local transit. I came down, they did the pic and they didn't run it. No explanation, and the article went on to replace my statement of it being the among highest in the entire country  to "already high".

In the most recent article they quoted me fairly well, however in  the following issue in " Letters to the Editor", allowed to go unchecked a letter to by a writer claiming PACC was in lock- step with the government. One need only Google the terms ' Poverty York Region" to find that is far from the case. The letter writer had used it as a sedge-way to discuss their own pet peeve, non-related to the subject of homelessness agenda, and I / we were left without defense or rebuttal so I wrote a letter to the Editor. Again, no print.

Shelter behind schedule due to plans changes

My lock-step point had been they should simply raise O.D.S.P. - Ontario Disabilities Support Program and welfare rates as their 'anti-homelessness" strategy and they'd be able to eliminate most of the "need" for their 'programs and such a heavy reliance on food bank solutions. Hardly a "lock step" position, yet it made " Letter to the Editor" without question and left for all to surmise it true since the column it referred to with my quotes was not in the same issue which leaves the reader with a final false impression and notion about PACC. I wonder if any other groups get this kind of treatment, where no pics and no letters or no articles are ever written by the newspaper yet they still call you on occasion for controlled quotes because they must.
Funny PACC's work is recognized by the Region and by the community at large, as shown through the chair being nominated for and  receiving The Queens Jubilee Award for contributions to country and co-authoring the region's social audit.

PACC's expertise and experience gets us invited to consult with government and various departments in order to help steer the direction they take, not because of any lock-step arrangement. They recognize who we are. It's time YRMG did as well and allow our voices truly heard.

How about a feature on PACC and all they've managed to accomplish, without government funding, for over 10 years, despite the silo they've been given to work in at times.

This week on Ontario budget day I will be locked in prior to the announcement and able to see the budget before the public does and ask questions of the Ministers prior to the budget announcement. Prior to this budget being tabled, we were asked to participate in input sessions to examine the directions the government would / should take - often at odds with what we felt priorities should be.

We didn't attend to say how wonderful they were doing, we attended to try and influence the direction in a way that is fair, but we always come back to a simple deduction - raise the rates first to pre Harris-like levels, and then you'll eliminate most of your "at risk" population. Add real addictions services - including gambling and drug alcohol rehabs and you'll eliminate it even further.

Join Dan's Stroll & Roll to Freedom

Simple Math - A LOCAL ROOM FOR RENT AD - $525 is the only ad I see for shared accommodation in the the Era Banner I have now. Welfare rates top out at around $600. Food banks give 3 days rations per month.

We'll be locked-in for tomorrows provincial budget. Should anybody request a comment we won't be allowed until after the 4pm provincial budget announcement. I won't hold my breath.


You can show your support for a BETTER DEAL for those on disability support on the Stroll & Roll to Freedom.

TP out

Glenn in action

When asked by my buddy Glenn to accompany him along to a kick off for a Newmarket mayoral candidate, I wanted to say no, but, instead, the polite Glenn to "olive branched" me an out before replying by offering to call me the following day just prior to him going, and, if at that time I wanted to go with, we'd do so. Always the procrastinator, I agreed.

Mayoral Candidate Chris Campbell listens

As I say, my first reaction was no, mainly because I'd heard the candidate running against him was doing so only because no one else was, and that he did not expect to win. Also because I love politics but I hate the politics of politics, if you will. If I have no reason to be around it, I certainly don't want to just for the sake of it, but complacency in a mayor or council is the worst thing you can have in politics, and the need for adding "new blood" essential to maintaining civic order.

Obviously I chose to go, and was mildly surprised to see a fairly full room of would be supporters of this candidate a local lad come home to roost, but, always the skeptic, especially when it comes to politics, I arrived with both guards up.

Maple Bacon Flavoured Chips eh? Lol

As Glenn dashed off to take his myriad of a million great pics, I asked some questions, wanting to know about this Chris Campbell who dared challenge the almighty municipal Lord Mayor Van Bynen for the town's mantle-head, and came away impressed.

Firstly, him being a local boy, to me anyway, shows he has some invested emotional interest in the town. As I explain it, someone who grew up around a special tree has an attachment that someone not growing up in the area may know enough about to appreciate. But I certainly needed more than that from anyone running, and, as I learned more, liked what I heard.

Watch Chris Campbell's campaign launch highlights here

Here was a mayoral candidate, actually talking about jobs and acknowledging that at 8 %, Newmarket is running unemployment a full percentage point above the national average - in one of the most prosperous areas in the country. Someone who dared say that Newmarket should be demanding a better deal from the Region, instead of rambling off googly gok, and understanding that businesses are hurting! He's also someone who is well schooled - specifically for politics too - so understands its complexities as well as the business side, through spending years as a successful business person and who is now willing to invest himself back into this town.

Newmarket Mayoral Candidate Chris Campbell

To me his words were a beacon of hope - someone who gets that it's a town full of people, and not a small group, who should be benefiting from everything this town has to offer. He even spoke about some hockey and soccer players having to play in other towns to afford it, something he found appalling - whereas Tony Van Bynen attended the grand opening of a car dealership last Oct 17, International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, ignoring for a third year in a row the invitation to attend, even to say hello. Asked if he'd be attending our youth road hockey event in 2014 he said to send his office an invite. I did. No reply. Complacent.

Diane Humeniuk, greeting people like old times!

So when Diane Humeniuk, a former Regional / Councilor herself, and long time personal acquaintance of mine, whom I had no idea was involved, spoke of Chris returning e-mails in her introduction of this candidate, I knew what she meant.

At this point, Campbell seemed far from just a guy  running for the sake of it, but instead a guy with substance, some smarts and maybe indeed the change this town needs to keep it from turning into whatever the region, province, feds, and corporate friends of the mayor tell it to be. He certainly impressed me in that regard and comes with much more credentials for the job of managing, a now small city than the former bank manager Van Bynen ever did. And photo ops of VB hob-knobbing with C.E.O.'s scare, not impress me.

Curious Newmarket residents attend

This is still our town. Other people than the status-quo can run it. Better. And before it's gone, and before council become too complacent, we best find someone else to lead - a leader, which Chris Campbell also spoke of - leadership - and this guy seems worth a look see. Don't take my word for it though check out his website for yourself - but he seems certainly qualified and genuinely seems to care, and that my friends makes him a serious candidate that I believe we can trust to tend for our town. More at least.Lol.

End of night shot!

Also on hand this night was Regional Councilor candidate Darryl Wolk whom I first met some years ago in relation to a sponsorship for our community youth award. The jixt of what I hammered home with Darryl, was that when it comes to municipal politics, I actually don't care what party you support provincially and federally, I want someone who is willing to work with anyone. That what I liked about municipal politics, is those party's flags are not needed, and, in fact, should not be paraded out at all in my opinion. Darryl agrees. Yay. Lol.

There was another person there I didn't so much agree with (surprise of all surprises! lol) - As I believing council members should be full time, especially now as the town grows out of control, we need full time conentration - and him believing otherwise...Arggg..politics again..Don't get me started! Gle-e-e-enn! Let's go!

Tom Out!

You know, I never understood the connection between Belinda Stronach and the proposed homeless single women over age 26 shelter (York Region already has 7 various shelters that take women in despite what's publicized including both Inns from the Cold), and now with the announcement  - simply handing the reigns over to the Salvation Army Religion to run it - I understand even less - being that it's all taxpayer and fund raised money that's paid the way thus far. Some almost $9 million approved so far I might add...and counting. So where's the big connection? How is it that the Belinda Stronach Foundation attached?

It also tells me their committee or board has no grass roots input whatsoever or are far removed from it - certainly none representing those in poverty because none of them would ever agree to a Salvation Army or any Church run shelter from past experience dealing with them, and as well, having any particular Christian based denomination religion outfit dish out care, instead of accountable professionals, is never wise and could be exclusive to certain religious women in need.

Now this woman is grass roots knowledgeable and stayed in shelters in Ontario recently,

York Region male's shelter day program

" The Ontario's civil service says it does not keep homeless records as other provinces, i.e. Population region by region, etc. Those records are strictly "what the municipalities collect" and the information isn't needed by the Province!

Yes, folks, what we have here is a willingness to belittle and obfuscate other people's lives. Fellow citizens, people anyone of us may have lived beside or shared a sand box with, is willing to kill me or you, by the slowest and most torturous method they can - homelessness!

Recently the provincial government split the portfolios for the women and children's shelters from the men's shelters. Why? The division of data makes it harder to know the whole truth, is one reason.

I saw a fifth building with Salvation Army's logo, and wonder how much money Ontario funnels to them, too. The other night I was able to speak with one of the male residents in the local men's shelter.  He told me he pays $640 a month for a room and board. He also said they shut down the detox section of the building, and he's worried they'll shut the whole shelter down." Poetryontv ( woman shelter user)


So whatever happened to accountable York Region Housing's Blue Doors Shelters running it?

And has its namesake Belinda ever even stepped foot in a S.A. shelter or any shelter? I doubt it. Same with everyone tripping over themselves to do fundraisers - and where are they btw for a men's shelter which meets a much higher threshold for actual immediate need according to our own social audit, Behind The Masks, which its reccomendations were endorsed in principle by Y.R. Council, but which was completely ignored by even building this shelter? There certainly was no problem referring to an official plan to change zoning for them.


Excerpts from the 2010 social audit, prior to the new women's shelter build decision:

Male in Newmarket, Behind The Masks, Y.R. Social Audit

I could go back even further to before they built the family shelter (btw they accept women too), which at the time, I reported they already had an existing building suitable to use, but the Region still tore it down citing a construction company report deeming it " too old" and that the foundation couldn't be fixed, yet the men's Porter Place Shelter, which is much older, was deemed fine? They then built a family shelter on the same property nearby. More $.

Even the local Y.R.M.G. media played into the misrepresentation publishing wording that lead people to believe there were no women's shelters in York Region (not true) whatsoever, by reprinting quotes claiming no women's shelter beds existed, or transitional housing, for any single women (also not true - youth shelters up to age 27 took single women as does Cross Links house all qualified single women).

Heck, the mayor of Newmarket ran the his election on it's coat tails quoting the misinformation at every opportunity he could, yet I noticed this past several International Days for the Eradication of Poverty events he couldn't make it - but could make a same day grand opening for a car dealership. At least he's open about what he is. I can almost respect that.

Homeless home eerily still in place after John Fletchers death

It's like everyone wants the glamour part of the slick websites, marketing campaigns, publicity and fundraisers, construction contracts, photo ops and election fodder but as it gets close to the nitty gritty of running this manufactured need ( majority need men still have only 26 full time beds in York Region shelters) it's dished off to someone else to run anyway - regardless what the people who will be using it think. Who need's the clients' input?

What happened to this being a special place with programs and the like designed by the Belinda's Place think tank..and what of all that wonderful collaboration talk we heard about as this was being sold on us all?

A former Newmarket Golden Gloves Boxer died still living here

Well, wear it proud York Region, because you bought it, and I guarantee you this mausoleum shrine you've built to worship whatever it is you blindly worship about Belinda Stronach, will be here long after she's gone for the winter...but..if there is a silver lining in all this - like York Region's housing, which doesn't mandate to provide for Y.R. residents first before those from outside the region, this new shelter will be the same - filled with women not from York Region. That my friends is their self declared 'hidden homeless", hidden out of town!
 

Here's a link to the video Behind, Behind The Masks, showing our politicians and workers are / were working towards making things better.Who knows, maybe they'll get on track yet!

Now we'll wait and see who 'champions" a shelter for men so they don't continue to have to be shipped out away from their families and support services if any and die young or homeless.. Although word up on the street is that Porter Place for Men, YR's only full time men's hostel, recently brought someone in who cares and is making a difference. Of course that's not anywhere near as trendy a sell as women's programs, nor is what is actually needed - which is affordable housing for all.

PACCMan 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!