[homeles_ot-l] Today's Lunch at a Shelter for Federal Candidates - what they said to ATEH

Tue Apr 26 17:20:35 EDT 2011

Circulate widely 

Hello everyone - Here are the results of questions asked today by the Alliance to End Homelessness at its lunch at a shelter for Ottawa's Federal Candidates (attached). All candidates for the Conservatives, the Liberals, the NDP and the Green Party were invited. Please note that comments are provided in brief summary only; any inadvertent omissions or errors are ATEH's. The Media Release for today provides details on why the Alliance saw this candidates' lunch as an important undertaking in the context of homelessness and affordable housing in our community (below and attached).

Thank you, Lynne Browne

The Alliance to End Homelessness (ATEH) invited all Federal Election Candidates in Ottawa to join the lunch line-up at an emergency shelter on April 26, 2011

After dining candidates were asked what their parties had to say in response to three Yes/No questions.

Each party was asked for comments after the questions. 

(2 minute limit for remarks)

Question 1 

ATEH recommends creating a National Housing Strategy that includes, committing $2 billion per year on new social housing units, protecting the 600,000 existing social housing units across Canada, and reinvesting money from expiring social housing operating agreements. 

If elected or re-elected, will you commit to a national housing strategy that makes these three things happen?

Question 2

ATEH knows that the 2011 Federal Spending Estimates show the government making a 39% cut in Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation spending (Canada's national housing agency) from 3.1 billion in 2010 to $1.9 billion in 2011.  

If elected or re-elected, will you commit to reversing this 39% cut?

Question 3

ATEH knows that the 2011 Federal Spending Estimates show an 
11% cut in Canada's Homelessness Partnering Strategy from $124 million in 2010 down to $110 million in 2011.

If elected or re-elected, will you commit to reversing this 11% cut?

Each Party's Answers

Conservative

Not in Attendance

Not in Attendance

Not in Attendance

Not in Attendance

Liberal

Mauril Bélanger, 

Ottawa-Vanier

YES

YES

Added: the Liberal Party opposed the previous cuts too.

YES

NDP

Paul Dewar, Ottawa Centre

Trevor Haché,

Ottawa Vanier

Marlene Rivier, Ottawa West-Nepean

YES

YES 

Added: the mandate of CMHC needs to be realigned and strengthened with more access to affordable housing for lower income brackets. The NDP opposed the previous cuts too.

YES

Green

Jean-Luc Cooke, Nepean Carleton 

Mark MacKenzie 
Ottawa West-Nepean

YES

YES 

Added: CMHC needs to be expanded with an annual rate to build affordable housing so housing is no longer a factor in homelessness by 2019. Will also create 20,000 new units per year for 10 years. The Green Party opposed the previous cuts too.

YES

Comments*

(2 minutes of remarks after the questions)

Conservative

*    Not in Attendance

Liberal

*    An initiative to help create affordable homes must be acted on

*    The priority for the portion of the Gas Tax Fund for use in communities should be housing and transit

*    The social determinants of health - food, education and housing - show clearly why affordable housing is important 

*    While applauding the City of Ottawa's commitment to spend a new 14 million on housing and poverty reduction, it is very important that the city also commit to a percentage policy to ensure new housing that is developed includes affordable housing, e.g., 2% for affordable housing could have made a big difference in the amount of housing available in the downtown area. 

NDP

*    In the dining hall spoke with young women and men, seniors and others, all of whom need a national housing strategy now 

*    Will introduce a Bill for housing strategy like C304 and will ensure $100 million is spent on affordable housing

*    Will put efficiency plans in place to reduce energy costs in social housing

*    Wants surplus federal lands used for affordable housing, like Le Breton Flats and land around Bronson and Carling in Ottawa Centre

*    Everyone needs to be on board for it to work - federal, provincial and municipal governments. Work such as the information provided by ATEH in its Report Card needs to be supported to make it happen 

Green

*    Committed to making it easier for those with low incomes

*    Eliminate income tax for the impoverished

*    Add more low income housing for those with low incomes to help address homelessness and make that housing energy efficient

* Please note that comments are provided in brief summary only; any inadvertent omissions or errors are ATEH's.

Media Release, for April 26, 2011

FEDERAL ELECTION 2011

Hungry? Join Federal Candidates as they dine at an emergency shelter

The Alliance to End Homelessness (ATEH) is calling on federal candidates to put their commitment to end homelessness and address the need for affordable housing on the table - a table at an Ottawa emergency shelter.

The "lunch date" will be with people who stay at the shelter or live in the community on very low incomes. Hundreds line up daily for such meals at emergency shelters and other programs across the city.

In advance of the federal election, candidates are invited to dine at the Shepherds of Good Hope, 233 Murray St., on Tuesday, April 26 at 11:30 a.m. to "enjoy good company and a meal with a side order of homelessness and housing."

"Federal spending provides significant and necessary investments in ending homelessness and in creating affordable housing in our community." said ATEH Chair Marion Wright.  "For instance, a new building project, Cornerstone's 42 new supportive housing units set to open in May, received 5 ¼ million from the federal government. The nine affordable housing projects now underway in Ottawa are funded in large part by joint federal/provincial money."

"Federal investment in our community covered 32% of the 21,557 households helped last year through programs like Housing Loss Prevention and housing searches or street outreach and drop-ins," said Ms. Wright. 

"When we think about how much more than these current efforts will be needed to meet targets to end homelessness by 2020, it's no surprise that we worry about each federal party's intentions," said Ms. Wright. It's also why we ask people to "Vote Housing" on May 2nd. 

         Event:              Candidates invited to lunch at an emergency shelter

         Hosted by:       The Alliance to End Homelessness

         Time:               Tuesday, April 26, 2011, 11:30 a.m.,

         Location:          The Shepherds of Good Hope, 233 Murray Street, Ottawa

After having lunch there will be an opportunity to ask the Candidates these three questions: 

Question 1, we know that creating a National Housing Strategy that includes, committing $2 billion per year on new social housing units, protecting the 600,000 existing social housing units across Canada, and reinvesting money from expiring social housing operating agreements will have a significant impact on reducing homelessness in Canada. We know this to be true. 
If elected or re-elected, will you commit to a strategy that makes these three things happen?

Question 2, we know that the Federal Spending Estimates for 2011 show the government making a 39% cut in Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation spending (Canada's national housing agency) from 3.1 billion in 2010 to $1.9 billion in 2011.  
If elected or re-elected, will you commit to reversing this 39% cut?

Question 3, we know that those 2011 Estimates also show an 11% cut in Canada's Homelessness Partnering Strategy from $124 million in 2010 down to $110 million in 2011). 
If elected or re-elected, will you commit to reversing this 11% cut?

All candidates in Ottawa are invited but specific invitations were sent to assure broad representation:

John Baird             Ottawa West-Nepean, CONSERVATIVE PARTY

Mauril Bélanger     Ottawa-Vanier, LIBERAL PARTY

Paul Dewar            Ottawa Centre, NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Jean-Luc Cooke    Nepean Carleton, GREEN PARTY

The Alliance to End Homelessness recently released its Report Card on Ending Homelessness in Ottawa, Jan-Dec 2010. It revealed that: 

*         7,156 homeless individuals stayed in an emergency shelter in 2010, including 1,408 children.

*         Homeless families with children are spending an average of 72 days in shelter before finding housing, a whopping increase of 9 days since the previous year.

*         Housing affordability is worse than ever, resulting in a first-ever "F" grade in this category.

*         While 344 new affordable housing units were added to housing stock in the past year, this falls far below the ATEH target of 1,000 per year, which would end homelessness in Ottawa by 2020.

ATEH is an Ottawa based non-partisan group that represents 75 community organizations taking action together to end homelessness.

-30-

Photo Opportunities at the Lunch

Out of respect for the people who eat at the shelter who are homeless or living in the community on very low incomes, permission to take photos of those individuals will be arranged with Public Relations staff at the Shepherds of Good Hope.

For more information contact:

Lynne Browne

Coordinator, Alliance to End Homelessness

lbrowne at ysb.on.ca 

Office 613-241-7913, ext 205

147 Besserer Street, Ottawa ON  K1N 6A7

2010 Report Card available on the Alliance website: www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca <http://www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca/>     

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