Welfare Legal

Will She Stay or Will She Go?

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Friday, October 25, 2013

The Gods Have Intervened

Harry represents one side—employees, tenants, trade unionists, women, the disabled, the poor and homeless, the young and aged. Blight represents bosses, big governments, major corporations, polluters and industrial magnates and perpetrators of discriminatory and unsafe practices in the workplace.

http://harrykopyto.ca/2013/10/25...

The Gods Have IntervenedIt’s hard to know where to begin. Once you jump through the rabbit-hole into the world of Big Law’s moral police, it’s a different reality. What others may give you a medal...

Friday, September 27, 2013

Behind Closed Doors The Merger

On Sept 17^th I received this from Cheri DiNovo’s office. The NDP hasn’t said much on the issue.

It is extremely interesting that the Liberal and Conservatives did not respond to my inquiry.

The evidence says otherwise.

I used bill 27 as a reference. Nothing from stopping the Liberals from introducing a bill that would be supported by the Conservatives and get passed with the NDP having no say.

The Liberals don’t want to make this public at this time. That’s politics for you.

I ask you this

a) Did the Conservatives make public the fact they were going to cut 21.6% from people on Ontario Works? (No but it went through)

b) Did the Liberals make it public that they were going to cut the CSUMB? (No but it went through)

c) Did the Liberals make it public that they were going to cut the Special Diet twice? (No but it went through)

The evidence that I see and hear is that the Liberals might very well merge ODSP with OW and they won’t make it public until its too late.

Hi Ron,

Right now, from what we have heard, there is no discussion about merging OW and ODSP. At least, that is what the government liaison officer has informed our office when we asked about it.

Regards,

Office of Cheri DiNovo

Ron Payne

Welfare Legal

Hamilton Ontario

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

What People On ODSP Are In For According to The Conservatives

Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak said

“Each person on social assistance should have a personalized plan that sets out certain activities they need to perform in order to receive their benefits”
http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/01/18/ontario-tories-to-cut-welfare-to-long-term-benefit-collectors-as-motivation-to-find-work/

Would someone kindly remind him that Ontario Works already has this in place? It is called a Participation Agreement. It was designed by his Conservatives.

This guy really doesn't have a clue does he.

Ontario Works Regulations state

Participation Agreement Required for Application for Income Assistance

18. (1) An application for income assistance, other than an application related solely to temporary care assistance, shall include a participation agreement for the applicant and for his or her spouse included in the benefit unit. O. Reg. 134/98, s. 18 (1); O. Reg. 32/00, s. 4; O. Reg. 294/05, s. 5.

(2) The administrator may also require other dependants included in the benefit unit to complete a participation agreement. O. Reg. 134/98, s. 18 (2).

Participation in Employment Assistance Activities

27. (1) Subject to subsection (2), every participant is required to participate in one or more employment assistance activities in accordance with sections 28 and 29. O. Reg. 134/98, s. 27 (1).

(2) The administrator shall temporarily defer the requirement under subsection (1) with respect to a participant who meets at least one of the following criteria:

1. The participant is a sole support parent with at least one dependent child for whom publicly funded education is not available.

2. The participant is a sole support parent with at least one child for whom,

i. temporary care assistance is being received, and

ii. publicly funded education is not available.

3. The participant is a caregiver for a family member and the administrator is satisfied,

i. that the family member requires daily physical assistance on an ongoing basis because of a disability, illness or old age, and

ii. that, based on documentation from persons providing support services to the household, the assistance required to be provided by the caregiver makes participation impracticable.

4. The participant is 65 years of age or older.

5. There are exceptional circumstances, approved by the Director, that apply to the participant.

Ron Payne

Welfare Legal

Hamilton, Ontario

Ontario Tories to cut welfare to long-term benefit collectors as motivation to find work

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

This Is The Real Story From The Conservatives

Put the disabled on Ontario Works and then kick them off’

TORONTO — Ontario should claw back welfare for able-bodied people who’ve been collecting benefits for a long time to motivate them to find a job, Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak said Thursday.

Other ideas include merging Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program into a single program, which would still be funded by the province but administered by municipalities. Another idea, taken from the United States, is introducing a debit card that could only be used to buy food.

Money could be saved by reducing “management layers” and supervisors to make the system more efficient, as well as allowing non-profits, charities and the private sector to bid on contracts to administer social programs.
http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/01/18/ontario-tories-to-cut-welfare-to-long-term-benefit-collectors-as-motivation-to-find-work/

news.nationalpost.com

Each person on social assistance should have a personalized plan that sets out certain activities they need to perform in order to receive their benefits

http://sareview.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Webinar-3-Merging-OW-and-ODSP.pdf

Information About The Merger.

For more information regarding the merger.

Scroll down to page 13.
http://sareview.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Webinar-3-Merging-OW-and-ODSP.pdf

sareview.ca

Ron Payne

Welfare Legal

Hamilton, Ontario

Ontario PCs aim to back Liberal bills in bid to set agenda

Will The Liberals Join The Conservatives And Merge ODSP with OW?

Will the Liberals join the Consevatives and pass Bill 27 that will merge ODSP and OW?
http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do?locale=en&Intranet&BillID=2744

I don't know but the stage is set don't you think.

Hudak stays leader and....

The Tories will offer to help fast-track several of Premier Kathleen Wynne’s bills, plus at least three of their own, party sources told The Globe and Mail Sunday. The plan would ensure Liberal legislation – on tanning beds, local food, co-op housing and mobile-phone contracts – would pass the assembly by the end of the year. PC bills that would be pushed through include a measure that would free construction company EllisDon from having to use unionized labour and a law to put carbon-monoxide detectors in all homes.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ontario-pcs-aim-to-back-liberal-bills-in-bid-to-set-agenda/article14459560/

www.theglobeandmail.com

One PC source said the aim is to clear away non-contentious legislation that is before the assembly

The Fight for ODSP: A Public Meeting & Meal

The Battle Begins, ODSP merging with OW.

The battle begins, regarding ODSP merging with OW.

By Parkdale Community Legal Services

The Fight for ODSP: A Public Meeting & Meal

The Ontario government intends to merge Ontario Works and ODSP. If they succeed, even more disabled people will be denied benefits and pushed into the lowest paying jobs. To stop them, we must organize our communities in Parkdale and beyond. Join us for a meal and discussion of how we can build a movement to defend ODSP and to raise social assistance rates.
https://www.facebook.com/events/160584520807939/

Parkdale Community Legal Services's photo.

Yesterday at 6:30pm

Parkdale Activity Recreation Centre, 1499 Queen St. West

You went

Welfare reform minister commits to changing system

Of particular concern is the report’s controversial call to merge Ontario
orks and the Ontario Disability Support Program and develop a single welfare rate. Eliminating a special dietary supplement and working supplement for the disabled are also controversial.
But McMeekin, a former community development worker who lead the Burlington Social Planning Council and worked for the United Church of Canada, is committed to pushing forward.
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/09/01/welfare_reform_minister_commits_to_changing_system.html

Welfare reform minister commits to changing system | Toronto Star

www.thestar.com

The job of reforming Ontario's $8.3-billion social-assistance system falls Ted McMeekin, a Hamilton MPP with deep commitment to social justice.

Is the Ontario Government Planning to Merge Ontario Works & ODSP? YES THEY ARE - and WE PLAN TO...

Trouble on the horizon! Merging ODSP With OW

It is our clear understanding, from a well-placed source within Queen’s Park, that we will see legislation being introduced in the fall on the OW/ODSP merger. It is a very serious attack and people should be very concerned. However, we want to stress that we are putting out this information because we believe that we can organize to defeat the Government’s plans and stop this merger from going through.

Trouble on the horizon!

ocap.ca

August, 2013 Disabled people who have to rely on ODSP know what an inadequate and discriminatory system it is. You have to jump through bureaucratic hoops to get onto it and the level of income it provides comes nowhere close to meeting your basic needs.

http://www.mcscs.jus.gov.on.ca/english/DeathInvestigations/office_coroner/PublicationsandReports/PDRC/2013Report/PDRC_2013.html#12a

Friday, June 7, 2013

The Evidence is here Part 7 Killing Our Kids

The Evidence is here Part 7 Killing Our Kids

Provincial Ontario government spends millions killing our kids but…

From Mary Janiga of CAS

17 deaths in foster care in ontario

107 deaths investigated by CAS under their supervision OMG

*************************************************************

Cuts by the province of Ontario have already started at the Children’s Aid Society and it’s because of this and other evidence, I would suggest more are coming.

The family court system and CAS are dysfunctional and the evidence is clear.

In a case I advised on, an alleged child abuser asked the court for visitation of his daughter. This case was sanctioned by CAS and paid for by Legal Aid.

CAS told him that he could have supervised visits.

When CAS was informed that their was a no contact order in effect, CAS ran for the hills never to be heard from again, as they were in fact attempting to breach a court order.

This case lasted more than three years in family court and in the end he lost.

What a waste of taxpayer’s money.

Ron Payne
Welfare Legal
Hamilton, Ontario
Email welfarelegal2004@hotmail.com

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2013/05/24/poverty-disease.html

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

The Evidence I Here Part 6 Treating poverty works like medicine

Adding to poor patients' incomes works to decrease the health effects of poverty, Canadian doctors are finding.

"Treating people at the low income with a higher income will have at least as big an impact on their health as any other drug I could prescript to them," Bloch said.

"I do see poverty as a disease," Bloch said.

For children in particular, the strong and frequent bombardment of "toxic stress" from living in substandard housing with adults who are also stressed can set the stage for lifelong damage, doctors say.

Ron Payne
Welfare Legal
Hamilton, Ontario
Email welfarelegal2004@hotmail.com

Sunday, May 26, 2013

The Evidence Is Here Part 5 First A Lawyer Then A Hostel

The Evidence Is Here Part 5 First A Lawyer Then A Hostel

B.C. woman may lose home over huge lawyer bill

Woman owes $180,000 despite winning lawsuit and being awarded costs

A B.C. woman stands to lose her home to her lawyer, who is moving to foreclose on her to pay his six-figure bill.

"My friends and family say this can't be happening. There's got to be a mistake," Dale Fotsch said.

Case dragged on

A decade ago, her common law ex-husband Leigh Wilson went after Fotsch, trying to get a piece of her property after their breakup. The case took nine years to resolve, which was years longer than her lawyer had predicted, she said.

"There was a three-week trial – three weeks! For my little place in the country. I mean, it just seems a little overboard and ridiculous," Fotsch said. "There were three tables of binders, with papers stacked sky high."

She said she had already paid thousands in legal fees when the case finally went to trial in 2007. As it advanced, her lawyer said he wouldn't continue unless she allowed him to secure a $100,000 mortgage against her property, at 18 per cent interest per year.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/11/30/bc-legalbills.html

Ron Payne
Welfare Legal
Hamilton, Ontario
Email welfarelegal2004@hotmail.com