[homeles_ot-l] Fwd: [odspaction-on] ISAC Summer Update

[Terrie]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: odspaction-on at povnet.org <odspaction-on at povnet.org>
Date: 06-Jul-2007 16:59
Subject: [odspaction-on] ISAC Summer Update
To: Dana Milne <milned at lao.on.ca>

 *ISAC Summer Update*
**
 Les liens pour les mises à jour et la documentation en français se trouvent
dans le texte de ce courriel.

*1) Ontario Election 2007*

Join ISAC in pressuring candidates in the upcoming Ontario election on
October 10th, 2007. Use ISAC's election kit to lobby candidates in your
community to reduce poverty and improve the lives of low-income people in
Ontario.



ISAC Election Demands:
http://www.incomesecurity.org/campaigns/OntarioElection2007.html

En francais:
http://www.incomesecurity.org/campaigns/electionprovincial2007.html



ISAC Election Materials:
http://www.incomesecurity.org/campaigns/ISACElectionMaterials.html

En francais:
http://www.incomesecurity.org/campaigns/troussepourlelection.html



Other Election Campaigns: http://www.opicco.org/campaigns/index.htm#10

En francais: http://www.incomesecurity.org/campaigns/autrescampagnes.html



Referendum on Electoral Reform:* *
http://www.incomesecurity.org/campaigns/ReferendumonElectoralReform.html




*2) Hands Off! Campaign has ended:*
**ISAC's Hands off! Campaign against the clawback of the National Child
Benefit Supplement (NCBS) from families on social assistance has ended,
although the struggle will continue in other ways. ISAC will focus on
getting increases to social assistance rates for everyone on OW and ODSP and
getting improvements to the new Ontario Child Benefit. Read ISAC's
evaluation of the Hands off! Campaign and our current focus:
http://www.incomesecurity.org/campaigns/documents/HandsoffCampaignEvaluationMay2007.pdf
En francais:
http://www.incomesecurity.org/campaigns/documents/HandsoffCampaignEvaluationMay2007.FR.pdf
**
ISAC would like to say a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who supported the
Hands off! campaign, from the organizations that helped us strategize, to
the unions who provided us with funding, to the legal clinics,
organizations, faith groups, anti-poverty groups and individuals who
mobilized to get postcards signed, meet with their MPPs, and bolster public
and media support.

We would also like to acknowledge the hundreds of people on social
assistance who supported the campaign. Speaking at public events and to the
media about the impact of the NCBS clawback on you and your children's lives
took courage. Getting postcards signed and meeting with your MPPs was key to
the gains we were able to make and will be key as we move forward. Your
voice is important.

The Hands off! Campaign made a difference. The provincial government was
pressured to: 1) allow all new increases to the NCBS to flow through to
families on social assistance; 2) let families keep the new Universal Child
Care Benefit that was announced by the federal government in July 2006; and
3) ensure families on OW and ODSP will benefit from the new Ontario Child
Benefit that will be implemented in July 2008.


For more information:
http://www.incomesecurity.org/campaigns/HandsoffCampaign.html

En francais: http://www.incomesecurity.org/campaigns/Baslespattes.html





*3) ISAC's NCBS Clawback legal challenge continues*

The implementation of the Ontario Child Benefit, and the resulting
restructuring of social assistance that will happen in July, 2008, reduces
the clawback of the National Child Benefit Supplement (NCBS) but doesn't end
it. So ISAC's NCBS clawback legal challenge against the provincial and
federal governments continues. For more information:
http://www.incomesecurity.org/challenges/ChokomolinLancePrincev.HerMajestytheQueeninRightofCanadaetal.html




*4) Ontario Child Benefit*
The Ontario Child Benefit was announced in March 2007 and will go to all
low-income families with children between the ages of 0 - 18, whether they
are working or receiving Ontario Works (OW) or the Ontario Disability
Support Program (ODSP). In July 2007, all eligible families will receive a
one-time only cheque of up to $250 per child. Families will begin receiving
monthly cheques in July 2008. The amount will grow gradually from $50 to
$92/month/child by 2011.

Many of the details regarding who will be eligible for the Ontario Child
Benefit and how it will be integrated with social assistance are still being
worked out. ISAC will continue lobbying the provincial government to ensure
all families on OW and ODSP benefit and is calling on supporters to push all
of the parties to roll out the new Ontario Child Benefit more quickly.
**
*For more information*:
http://www.incomesecurity.org/campaigns/OntarioChildBenefit.html
En francais:
http://www.incomesecurity.org/campaigns/Prestationontariennepourenfants.html

*Ontario Child Benefit Q & A* (Newly updated - June 2007):
http://www.incomesecurity.org/documents/ISACOCBQandAjune07_000.pdf
En francais:
http://www.incomesecurity.org/campaigns/documents/OCBQandAApril2007.pdf

*Ontario Child Benefit Election Backgrounder* (NEW):
http://www.incomesecurity.org/documents/OCBbackgrounder_000.pdf
En francais:
http://www.incomesecurity.org/campaigns/documents/OCBbackgrounder.FR.pdf

**
*5) 2% increase to social assistance rates*
The 2% increase to OW and ODSP rates will appear on November 2007 cheques.
The new rates have been released by the Ministry of Community and Social
Services. Read ISAC's new social assistance rates sheet to compare the
current rates to the new rates for several categories.

Social Assistance rates:
http://www.incomesecurity.org/documents/Socialassistanceratesw2increaseNovember2007.pdf



**
Dana Milne
Provincial Organizer
Income Security Advocacy Centre
425 Adelaide St. W., 5th Floor
Toronto, ON M5V 3C1
Tel: 416-597-5820, ext. 5151
Toll-free: 1-866-245-4072

Fax: 416-597-5821
Email: milned at lao.on.ca
Website: www.incomesecurity.org



-- 
Terrie ( mocharebyl at gmail.com )
"If you see an injustice being committed, you aren't an observer, you are a
participant." June Callwood
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
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