Poverty Awareness in York Region

The recent spike in heating costs has sparked a dominoes affect for those stricken with disabilties and in particular those who are extra reliant on heat and hydro.

Dan Philion, featured in a CBC piece produced by an award winning documentary Producer and Hosted by Amanda Margison Sat Jan 25 on the affects of the rising costs of heat, is a barometer to that effect. in fact Dan is like a barometer on wheels, as he can reel off to you the various upcoming weather reports in seconds. Weatherman Dan. Ha

Dan incognito in happier times

Stricken with Muscular Dystrophy, Dan is affected more than "normal" people in reaction to cold and needs to keep a warm atmosphere to lessen his everyday pain, being that he's unable to take pain meds due to also having a heart condition.

He relies on not only having heat for which he uses natural gas, at a higher temp than most, but also hydro, to keep his powered chair and various lifts working for which he relies to get in and out of bed and shower and up and down his basement stairs and even his door. In the recent winter ice storms I can tell you he was more than a little concerned and there seemed no emergency plan in place for if power was lost. He'd have had to fend for himself,
especially since his care service providers refuse to supply someone to put him into bed at night.

Dan troops on though, and hopes to guest DJ in between band sets at an upcoming event which if the dances take off could lead to an ongoing part time job opportunity for him - doing something he likes too.

YRT transit costs are the highest in country

Until then, his ever dwindling left over money after paying his bills, will have to suffice for a proud guy who once walked and worked hard and who didn't ask for this life. Awhile back they actually took over his gas bill payments because he was in arrears as the costs escalated. Now they take it right off the top before he sees anything and after paying his bills he's left with about $150 - all for food, transportation, meds not covered etc. He puts on a brave front but I know he feels more pain and anguish than he lets on, and his diminishing physical health adds a dimension of insecurity an independent guy who raised two kids, mostly as single dad - and from a wheel chair - maybe we could all learn a little from him.

Please watch the CBC piece and support more than a 1% raise for ODSP recipients. If he can work he will. he doesn't need being forced and it took the Region 7 years to provide him transportation at night to even do so - precious time lost to use his ever receding physical limitations.

Room with a View

Happy New Year! I had a great time ringing in the New Year among friends, except Dan, who didn't come because, being in a wheelchair all day, all the holiday season, took a toll making him incapable physically of enduring the long night. Too bad. Before his partner of five years left him, she would assist him with this as well as getting into and out of bed at night and in the morning. Since then it's been a struggle for him having to rely on the possibility of getting a neighbour to assist him each and every night - something that should be done in dignity for those with disabilities and in this predicament - by a care provider.

Everyone deserves hope for the new year

About 3 am, New Year's night, after I got home, I had to go help Dan into bed as no one showed up to assist, who'd said they would. Of course, when it's a volunteer. you really have no recourse but to hope you can get someone else to help - and that your phone  / power works. Heck, he can't even be guaranteed his driveway will be cleared unless there is at least 4 inches of ice / snow and even then it's volunteer, so they may or may not show or by when you need out.

The system supplied someone to help him into bed for the first couple of weeks after his spouse left, but then told him they didn't offer the service past 7- 8pm. He explained he cannot go to bed then in his condition, especially when they cannot gurantee someone to assist him out of bed before 11am the next day.

" We don't have anyone at that time" he was told. That sense of helplessness beginning to take hold.

WELL GET SOMEONE THEN!

The system would rather he go into a home instead at exorbitant cost. He would rather they just supply someone between normal bed time hours of 11pm and 1 am to assist him into bed, which by the way, is already fixed with a pulley-like mechanism that allows him to be Velcroed in and raised / lowered with minimal effort. A child could do it. He then needs a couple of things plugged in. More rocket science. Yet they can't get anyone to do it? Replace them. P.A.C.C. will be happy to take over the service for them.

Make Wages, ODSP, and Assistance Rates an election issue

If C.C.A.C. wants to continue to be the chosen government sourced provider of care to our most vulnerable of our disabled and elderly, then they better be prepared to do it while offering them the best care possible,  including all care providers being able to speak English or the language of the attendee - and including dignity - and dignity includes feeling in control of going to bed at a time you are used to and a time that allows your body to physically handle it - being the intricate nature of your ever worsening muscular dystrophy.

He's has to call the ambulance guys a few times, more indignity, to put him to bed when he had no other choice. One guy told him,

" You need to go in a home".

"You go live in a F@@#$ home!" Dan yelled, just me in the room; wishing it upon the insensitive attendant.

Dan assisting community clean up best he can

The March of Dimes has a program that would assist in this case, however they have a five year waiting list. Should this guy have to disrupt his life, friends, home & supports he has because they would rather have him in a home? Or does it make more sense to provide a service to put him to bed? The answer is obvious. Meantime he's worrying about who will help tonight....and tomorrow night...and tomorrow night...and....

Frankly he's had it with our system and life in general. The little income he does get from ODSP - reduced further now as a single person with subsidized housing - leaves him little and relying on kindness sometimes for a good meal. It's outrageous. Anyway don't count a hunger strike out as at this point Desperate Dan is a nomer that fits the bill.

Politicians..over to you!

Tom Pearson

Interesting where inspiration on on the fight against poverty comes from at times. Certainly New York City was the last place I'd have thought of, however with the recent voting in of Mayor Bill de Blasio, who unlike Toronto's Rob Ford, ran his winning campaign on closing the gap between the millionaires and everyone else after 24 years of straight Democrat rule (like the Conservatives in Canada), I'm inspired. He not only won, but decisively, with 73% of the vote.

Why is this so inspirational you ask? Because it seems all trends, political or otherwise, always seem to gain traction south of the border before it does here, so if it's becoming trendy or sexy to actually fight the poverty gap, it's bound to happen here next.

Healthy eating in dignity does not mean special food depots

That means all the politicians locally such as York Region Councilors - who recently smugly announced a  budget surplus "because of the cancelling of the Start up anti-homelessness fund"transferred down from the previously distributed from provincial government, M.P.Pfrank.kleesco@pc.ola.org.'s, M.P.'s and the like, who typically leave these issues out of the discussions or announced "plans' during election campaigns, will now have to adjust and embrace the groups working on solutions should they hope to have a chance of winning. This " movement" could indeed fester a political atmosphere just ripe enough to do something concrete about it, and make no mistake it starts with giving people enough money to cover the basics.

When a guy who already has subsidized housing and is bound to a wheelchair with limited use of his hands and limbs says to me,

Food by Deli House Catering. Nothing fresh at food banks.

 "Why do they do this Tom? Why don't they give us enough money to buy food? They have enough money right? They could lift everyone in Canada out of poverty if they wanted to couldn't they?"

Yes they could. Tell them here.

" I'm not kissing anyone's ass just to eat" he continued regarding food banks, 

"Some people can't eat canned food either, what are they supposed to do? These people don't care"

Indeed.

Tom Out.

I just fielded a call from a 61 year old man being targeted for eviction because his landlord doesn't like him. He has mental health issues and, as such, had a concerned friend make the initial contact call for him to me as he stood by. It was explained that this landlord, who owns only the one rental property as I understand it, just informed him he wants him out of his $500 per month rental room by Sept 1st. It's already August 21st..so in a matter of days.

I asked him why? On what grounds is he asking him to leave?  And from what I could gather - nothing - other than he just wants him out and "if he didn't get out, He wouldn't believe the shit he would tell the cops he had done". The guy contends he's done nothing but doesn't want the hassles and doesn't know what to do. He doesn't know anyone local and didn't know who to call.

Hmmm.. my thoughts are that the landlord just doesn't want this big 6"1 guy who seems "different" living there and therefore is pushing him out. "Well",  I advised him as he got on the phone with me, "You don't have to leave". And even if he did, he could leave on his terms - when he's had adequate time to get another place.

Seems the landlord had a bit of 'buyers remorse' upon renting to the hulking gentle giant, or something, thinking he can just move people in and out whenever he feels like it because the guy wasn't the perfect fit to his mold...well it doesn't work that way I advised him, and that actually he didn't have to leave at all since his rent was up to date and he's not bothered other tenants or anything, "but if you really want to move still,  Tell him you'll do him a favour and move out by Oct 1st"..

In the York Region Social audit, Behind The Masks, completed in 2010, we identified major gaping holes in York Region's social net system, including much around inadequate housing, and highlighted an almost lack of supports for men.


Since the time of that audit - which took over 6 months of my life to help produce and considerable amounts of other people's - I've seen no noticeable changes made, and the status quot has continued on as if there was no input from the people at all. When questions were raised about certain programs nothing changed, and the same programs continued along receiving funding with the same proprietors as if they were doing a great job.

The local mainstream media continues to spin the feel good stories about these various organizations who are apparently filling all these wonderful "needs" and promote their fund raisers and 'programs" for their niche clientele - whilst those most in need people who don't fit their mold or are not interested to, fall prey to the other wolves of society  supported by entities like the Era Banner with storylines that create a false impressions like that we had a dire immediate need for another women's shelter .

Meantime men here die on our streets. No stories about them though.

What other type of "business" would ignore the voices of the users of their end products such as housing providers, shelter providers, assist programs and the like do, and get away with it? Would any be in business if it were up to the "clients" and there were more dignified options in place? I doubt it.

Since the time of the audit - which did not call for more women's shelters but did highlight the complete lack of men's beds / programs - Y.R. has allotted 9 million dollars towards building this new women's shelter (we have 7 in various forms already) including also transitional housing, with more proposed to come, attached to the Belinda Stronach Tribute being built currently, and originally slated at $5 million , which will be filled when it opens with women not coming from York Region no doubt. 9 million tax dollars and counting to house out of towners. Great idea! And what of the costs to maintain it? And who decided B.S. should get her name attached to it? and why doesn't she pay the cost of it then?  I mean what possible connection does she have to single "homeless" women without children over 27 - the only possible category left the women can make a shelter for!? Please.

But what do you mean we already have enough women's shelters?..It can't be! The Mayor of Newmarket ran as part of his platform.....that we had none!

As the social audit report noted we have a Y.R. Women's Centre already, single mom programs, young girls programs, mom-preuneurial programs, abused women's shelters in Richmond Hill, Markham, Vaughn, Aurora, and Georgina, shelters for families including single  moms and married moms, single women up to age 26, religion run single women / shelter program (Aurora), and as well both Inn from The Cold and Out from the Cold include beds for all women - and then many of these women move to the top of the affordable housing list which the men are not afforded any comparable opportunity. In fact men have none of the aforementioned programs in York Region and therefore denied opportunities to access many waiting lists of opportunities. Of course there are no Abused Shelters for Men to escape the dangers of the streets to either. This is what can happen to men like that.

If it were any other group they'd be calling it discrimination.

With the rising cost of food and transportation in Y.R. - local transit costs $3.75 vs T.T.C. $3.00 - and the rising trend of "temp" or non-full time jobs, more and more aging men are getting caught in the trap. An aging out of work labourer for example would have a hard time competing for a job at the best of times against an able bodied younger person. As these men age and others strive to get a foothold in life, we cannot afford all our limited Y.R. social services resources to be spent in one area - and clearly with only 26 full time beds for men in York Region who make up 90% of our homeless here, something's out of wack.

Do we want that here? I hope not. Thank goodness I fielded that call from that senior tenant otherwise he'd of gone like a sheep to the street and become a statistic, not knowing his rights, and without likely a shelter bed since Y.R. has so few for guys like him, especially this time of year with but one shelter.  

I'm certainly not saying we should ignore our women and children but clearly we're not. We don't mind our men going to war and dying in disproportionate numbers for this country, we can at least give them some support. Stop ignoring the reality York Region, and pandering to the whims of some connected vocal committees with influential backers, and start building what's actually needed

affordable, single unit housing.

it lacks credibility to call for more consultation in the absence of action on what the community has recommended to date. We believe Premier Wynne needs no further consultation to reduce poverty in Ontario. The Liberal government can respond now to the core demands that people from communities across Ontario have been making for five years. PFO participation in any consultations on a new poverty reduction strategy will be to assert three core demands.

Here's some related links that will inform you.

Wow! Talk about working a rough' hood! PACC had to work magic to convince youths to drop their weapons in lieu of hockey sticks for a day! Ha. Getting kids to participate in this day and age of computer games can prove tough as is but with a little assist you can do it! It was tough going to make an event this year but with a focus on fun participation and some faith it seems to be working out!

The "cache"

Hot dogs and hot chocolate..mmm..

 

Join TP Saturday Mar 16

Neighbourhood kids are seen here preparing for Sat March 16th's event being held off main St at the Newmarket Community Centre parking lot!  The Annual Friendly Neighbourhood youth tourney is open to all ages too! 

Skills challenge 10:30 AM Sat Mar 16

"Put the kids back on the streets" - an after school activity - through road hockey beyond this event and help end obesity!

A "toddler area" will be set up  in Riverwalk Commons as well & you can get warm inside the community centre Lions hall!

As well as main stage entertainment and including ELVIS PRIESTLY! 

Hot Dogs! Hot Chocolate..all free for players! How can you beat that!?

 







Car! 

Big thanks to Newmarket Mitsubishi for their sponsorship!

Sponsor Newmarket Mitsubishi Motors has electric cars too!

Some of the kids

RoadHockey Mom

Dad has no chance!

Challenge Someone! 

Tourney and pick up games

10:30 AM All Ages Skills Contest  prizes by CanadaT.com

All Ages Games until 5PM

Bring a stick & join in! 

Or enter a youth team..


email us @ tpeproductions@gmail.com

It looks like we may have to either postpone or - egads - cancel the annual free Friendly Neighbourhood Youth Road hockey Challenge for 2013 or at least post-pone it.
 
Why?

Well we had a little last minute expense to take care of namely some fencing that I know isn't in our budget.
Yea..$225 a foot worth..to cross over playing areas of roughly 100 feet.

Oops they just informed me it was a small overlook - it's actually $2.25 a sq foot. Big Diff!!

Frankly I'm tired of trying to have this event carried without any support from the town to help promote or fund it. Geez they had no problem dishing out to an unknown out of town outfit for an ice hockey event supposedly for the homeless. Us? We get fencing, insurance, and location woes starting from the time they developed the new Riverwalk Commons area where our costs suddenly almost doubled in a year.

I guess activities for kids don't mean enough to enough people anymore. Boy oh boy where did all our priorities go so wrong?

I'll keep you posted. But things look to be a go for Mar 16!

Happy New Year! A message from me.

Since the provincial government announced restructuring(downloading) and cuts to anti-homelessness programs - such as the Community Start-Up Program - an influx of concern has been raised on the ground level. These funds also helped keep families on the brink in their homes and with winter now upon us, along with closer to home announcements that funds to the areas winter shelters have been cut as well, it seems we're going backward and not forward.

Although locally we did make some noise regarding wheeltrans times for transit users which allowed guys like PACCer Danny Philion to not only go out for New Year's Eve 2012-13 but work that evening to make much needed cash as well as now ongoing trans for those times beyond that night! PACCers efforts helped grease their wheels and move him into a paying job for the night - so he was coat-check and not Djing this time!- and possibly beyond since he can now simply actually get home!

Watch for Kiddy Korner at RHockey Challenge.

From that evening he connected with someone who's going to perhaps assist him raising funds for MD of which he's afflicted and was invited to join a car club - even though he doesn't drive in his condition. Dan's a car buff though, and his new found connection seems to have breathed new life into him. All because he could get there and back - and through noise part of which was made by P.A.C.C..

But the fact that I got a national honour, with the awarding  of a Queens Diamond Jubilee medal, and no mention in the local papers, speaks volumes to me. Not that I care about the accolades, but it should matter to you too that my / our work / voice is muffled locally.

Although I believe I have been affective through online work, campaigns, and blogging to truly reach the masses you need also some mainstream press / support and to that point, their boycott of our message can likely be attributed to my outspokenness.

Yes, I've been critical of local media in the past and a number of organizations - but critical in order that true accountability and facts can be represented - and not just spoon-fed organizational boosting stories that some turn out to be. If I've felt a program(s) or statement or shelter need was a farce I've communicated it, but only after feedback from users and some research. Still with no "letters to the Editor" getting in, they are winning. Others need take up the struggle.

Dan and PACC fought for right to transportation on Rogers TV

Perhaps a new voice need be at the forefront in order to make more in-roads.  I do not know. All I do know is after the upcoming youth road hockey event I will reassess my position with PACC, and likely ask to continue on but in a more supportive role not as chair.

Maybe I'll concentrate on creating a division that offers real programs/training/hope and include those from experience at all levels. Even youth programs using our community building experience to work. We've dabbled in that and I've had interest but PACCers can decide.

At any rate, with your support, I look forward to trying to pull off a successful 2013 Friendly Neighbourhood Youth Road Hockey Challenge this March !!