This morning I gave a presentation to an church group in Ottawa on affordable housing and homelessness. My slides can be downloaded here. Points I raised in the presentation include the following: -Though government provides subsidizes to some low-income households for housing, it is important to be mindful of the
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OPSEU Diablogue: Gone — Saying farewell to Perram House (video)
October 5th two artists known as the Department of Public Memory held a memorial service with a twist. Perram House used to be an 8-bed hospice where many of Toronto’s homeless and marginalized individuals went to spend their final days. That came … Continue reading →
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Homelessness Policy
This afternoon, I gave a presentation on public policy responding to homelessness in Canada, with a focus on the past decade. I gave the presentation at this year’s annual conference of the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association. Points I made in the presentation include the following: -Once inflation is accounted for,
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Real Crimes of Rob Ford
If you don't live in Toronto you probably know Rob Ford as the callous, vulgar, Con buffoon, who doesn't know what he is doing, and is always getting into trouble. But because he has no effect on your life, you can laugh, or shake your head, or shrug your shoulders at
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Pat Martin and the Rat Faced Cons
Golly. I have no idea why Pat Martin called the Cons rat faced whores.Martin launched into a Twitter tirade for the ages Wednesday night, calling the Conservative Party “rat faced whores” and attacking Public Safety Minister Vic Toews’ personal life to express his displeasure over not being invited to an
Continue readingCanadian ProgressiveCanadian Progressive: Elizabeth May calls for a “Guaranteed Livable Income” in Canada
by Obert Madondo (@Obiemad) Green Party leader Elizabeth May is calling for a “Guaranteed Livable Income” as a strategy to eradicate poverty in Canada. In a press release commemorating October 17, the United Nations Day for the Eradication of Poverty, the MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands said the Green Party of Canada was the only
Continue readingCanadian ProgressiveCanadian Progressive: Elizabeth May calls for a “Guaranteed Livable Income” in Canada
Today, October 17, is the United Nations International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. Elizabeth May, the leader of the Green Party of Canada and MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands, is calling for a “Guaranteed Livable Income” in Canada. “The theme of the 2012 observance is ‘Ending the Violence of Extreme Poverty’.
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: Canada Is Missing The Poverty Line
Canada is holding out its hands asking for change, our country is in poverty and it needs our help. Where other countries are working to reduce their poverty like responsible world citizens, Canada is doing nothing. And worse yet it can’t even hope to lift itself out of poverty because
Continue readingMontreal Simon: When Assaulting the Homeless is Funny
I don't know whether this video of some loser apparently urinating on an unconscious homeless person is real. The video that lasts 27-seconds shows a young man approaching a man sleeping on the sidewalk outside what appears to be Toronto's Eaton Centre. With his back to the camera he appears to
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Meilinomics I: The Little Boats
The following is an excerpt from Dr. Ryan Meili’s new book, A Healthy Society: How a Focus on Health Can Revive Canadian Democracy. There’s a family that comes frequently to the West Side Clinic; we’ll call them Lucas and Annie. Hardly a week goes by that I don’t see them
Continue readingThink It’s Okay to Feed The Homeless? Think Again!
New York City. Dallas. Houston.Las Vegas. Orlando. Philadelphia. All major US cities that have now BANNED distribution of food to the homeless in some form. Numerous reasons are sited such as; feedings lack both sanitary conditions and dignity( Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter), feeding “the indigent” (Las Vegas ordinance), stopping Christian groups from giving
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Rob Ford and the Big Lie
Well at least we know one thing eh? When Rob Ford called 911 because he felt threatened by the comedian Marg Delahunty. And then used the F-word when talking to a dispatcher, because police didn’t come quickly enough. It wasn’t because they didn’t know where he lived. According to numerous
Continue readingCanadian Progressive World: Quote of the year: “We are the 99 per cent”
Fred Shapiro, associate librarian at Yale Law School has declared “We are the 99 per cent”, the political slogan of the Global Occupy movement, the heavy weight champ of the quotes for 2011. It’s another unavoidable …Read More
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Housing in the Northwest Territories
Last week, I was in Yellowknife, where I released results of new research on affordable housing in the Northwest Territories (NWT). The research project was sponsored by the Social Economy Research Network of Northern Canada, and was a collaboration with the Centre for Northern Families. Research findings include the following:
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Occupy Movement and the Coal Mine Canaries
By the time I made it down to the Occupy Toronto campsite this weekend it was getting dark. There seemed to be more tents than ever, but although they were celebrating their one-month anniversary, the mood was definitely subdued.Maybe it’s be…
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Occupy Movement and the Marginalized
I see the Mayor of Vancouver is using a tragic drug overdose to justify evicting the city’s Occupy protesters.”I have directed the city manager to expedite the appropriate steps to end the encampment as soon as possible with a safe resolution being abs…
Continue readingOccupy Montreal: a lesson in dealing with itinerants and homeless
As the Occupy movement rolls on, it must deal with those who come not so much to share in the communal building of a new form of alternative resistance to the ills of our financial and governmental system, but for shelter and food. Mixing in with deter…
Continue readingThe real class warfare: law firm representing banks and mortgage servicers mock homeless at Halloween party
This is beyond sick. It may have been a 2010 party but one has to wonder what these folks are doing this year. So bank industry, so privileged, so American.
The media and economists wonder why Occupy is happening. It’s right in front your faces, assholes.
Between the crying billionaires, Erick Erickson’s “suck it . . . → Read More: The real class warfare: law firm representing banks and mortgage servicers mock homeless at Halloween party
Continue readinggay persons of color: One in four Massachusetts gay teens is homeless
The online American Journal of Public Health has published the results from a study indicating that 25 percent of Massachusetts gay teens are homeless, compared to 3.2 percent of their straight counterparts, reports AHN. Researchers at the Children’s H…
Continue readingParliamANT Hill: Harpers attend Ottawa animal shelter opening
Inspired by this story: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/07/06/ottawa-humane-society-harper.html
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