Poverty Reduction Strategy Consultation Toolkit

Transcription

1 Pverty Reductin Strategy Cnsultatin Tlkit Fr Cmmunity Legal Clinics July 29, 2013 I. Pverty Reductin Backgrund and The Cnsultatin Prcess 1 a. Inf Sheet: The Pverty Reductin Act (2009) and the first Pverty Reductin Strategy (2008) 3 II. Ensuring Yur Cmmunity is Included 5 a. Cntact yur MPP 5 b. Get Cmmunity Members Invlved 6 c. Get Yur Lcal Media Invlved 6 d. What if There s N Cnsultatin in my Cmmunity? 7 III. Getting Ready fr the Cnsultatins 8 a. Engaging Yur Partners 8 b. Expanding the Organizing 9 c. Preparing Key Messages 10 d. Hsting Yur Own Meeting 11 e. After the Cnsultatin: Debrief 12 f. What Specialty Clinics Can D 13 IV. Suggested Key Messages 14 a. On Pverty Reductin, Austerity, and the Need fr Investment 14 b. On Pverty Reductin and Scial Assistance Refrm 16 V. Key Resurces

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3 I. Pverty Reductin Backgrund and the Cnsultatin Prcess The prvincial gvernment has just annunced that they are starting the prcess f cmmunity cnsultatins n the next five-year pverty reductin strategy. The annuncement is available here: The Pverty Reductin Act passed in 2009 requires that gvernment enact a pverty reductin strategy every five years. The current strategy expires as f December 4, Cnsultatins befre a new strategy is created are required by law. (See page 3 fr inf n the Pverty Reductin Act 2009 and the 2008 Pverty Reductin Strategy.) This tlkit is intended t help cmmunity legal clinics acrss Ontari push t ensure yur cmmunity is included in cnsultatins, make sure that peple living in pverty, allies, advcates and cmmunity grups are included, and prepare the infrmatin that yu and the individuals and grups yu wrk with will use t cntribute t the cnsultatin prcess. Cnsultatins will be taking place in cmmunities acrss the prvince, with lcal MPPs acting as hst alng with members f the Cabinet Cmmittee n Pverty Reductin. The cnsultatins will begin the week f August 6 and cnclude in Octber. We have been tld that a cnsultatin schedule will be available shrtly n the Pverty Reductin Strategy cnsultatin website. This website will als allw fr feedback frm the general public based n an nline feedback frm, and will include a tlkit t facilitate yur wn cnsultatin. See the cnsultatin website here: The timing is difficult and the timeline is tight, s we hpe this tlkit and the wrk that yu and ther grups cntinue t d in yur cmmunities will help yu t prepare. There have been many cnsultatins ver the past several years n pverty reductin, the lng-term affrdable husing strategy, the scial assistance review, etc. and peple in cmmunities, including yu, may well feel cnsulted ut. Yu may feel that gvernment knws what needs t be dne and shuld just get n with ding it. Hwever, cnsultatins n pverty reductin are, at least in part, an imprtant strategic pprtunity t reiterate the critical wrk that gvernment must take n t address the prblems that peple living n lw incmes in ur cmmunities experience. They are an imprtant pprtunity t ensure that the issue f pverty in ur cmmunities and the respnsibility f gvernment t deal with it effectively gets attentin in the public realm. And they re an pprtunity t tell gvernment where and hw the first pverty reductin strategy didn t d enugh, and what the secnd strategy shuld d. The cnsultatins will fcus n getting feedback n key aspects f a pverty reductin strategy like specific pverty reductin targets, initiatives that gvernment shuld undertake that will imprve the lives f Ontarians wh live in pverty, and indicatrs t measure the success f the strategy. The cnsultatin website indicates that cnsultatins will seek feedback n, but nt be limited t, the fllwing: 1

4 Elements f the current strategy that have wrked well r need imprvement; Refining executin f current plicies, prgrams and initiatives; Cntinued barriers t success; New mdels f cllabratin and partnership; Areas f special pririty and urgency Yu may wish t think thrugh these areas f fcus when preparing fr yur lcal cnsultatin meeting r when preparing t hst yur wn meeting. The 25 in 5 Netwrk fr Pverty Reductin has created Five Pririties fr the Next Pverty Reductin Strategy, which may be helpful in yur preparatins. These are: Bld pverty reductin targets fr adults as well as children and thse living in the deepest pverty; A cmprehensive actin agenda f strng plicy measures; A plan t ensure sufficient public revenues t make the required investments; Instruments t ensure a high standard f accuntability n prgress; Strategic, dedicated investments in every prvincial budget. Mre detail n the Five Pririties is available here: In additin, this tlkit includes suggestins fr key messages n issues that relate t scial assistance refrm and its relatinship t pverty reductin, but we are keeping these fcused n the big picture f mre general issues and cncerns. We knw that scial assistance will be discussed at the pverty reductin cnsultatins. But we als knw that yu will want t talk abut affrdable husing, transprtatin, health and dental care, child care, gd jbs, cmmunity prgrams, immigratin, issues facing First Natins (whether urban r n reserve), and a hst f ther cncerns. That s why we re keeping ur suggested key messages n scial assistance mre general. As yu knw, the gvernment received a reprt and recmmendatins in Octber 2012 frm the scial assistance review cmmissin. That reprt is highly uneven. Many recmmendatins reflect a brad-based cnsensus and shuld be acted upn immediately. Other recmmendatins may require further study. And sme recmmendatins shuld clearly nt be adpted such as thse that wuld negatively impact n peple with disabilities. See ur respnse t the Cmmissin s reprt fr mre detail ( While gvernment has made the cmmitment t refrming the scial assistance system, the critical questin is which refrms will be made. The gvernment cannt simply adpt the Cmmissin s reprt whlesale. The measures annunced in Budget 2013 were a small first step tward refrm. But the Budget als states clearly that the gvernment will engage cmmunities in further dialgue abut the Cmmissin s recmmendatins and next steps fr refrm. We understand that gvernment is pised t annunce hw this engagement will take place. This means there will be tw separate pprtunities t talk abut scial assistance at the pverty reductin cnsultatins and in anther prcess n the mre detailed issues. ISAC will als be prviding infrmatin n that prcess as we get mre infrmatin abut it. 2

5 Inf Sheet: The Pverty Reductin Act (2009) and the first Pverty Reductin Strategy (2008) On May 6, 2009 the Ontari legislature unanimusly passed Bill 152: The Pverty Reductin Act. All parties in the legislature the Liberals, Prgressive Cnservatives, and NDP supprted the legislatin, which is available here: ( The legislatin is significant because it acknwledges that pverty is nt inevitable and that gvernment can and shuld create plicy t reduce pverty. There are 3 key facets f the legislatin: 1. It requires bth current and future prvincial gvernments t set a new pverty reductin target at least every five years, and t create a new pverty reductin strategy after having cnsulted with lw-incme Ontarians, specifically including thse mst at risk f pverty. 2. It requires all pverty reductin strategies t include a specific pverty reductin target, initiatives that will imprve the lives f peple living in pverty, and indicatrs t measure the success f the strategy. 3. It requires the gvernment t reprt directly t the Legislative Assembly n its prgress n reducing pverty. In additin, all pverty reductin strategies must be based n eight principles: The language belw is taken directly frm the legislatin: 1. There is untapped ptential in Ontari s ppulatin that needs t be drawn upn by building and establishing supprts fr, and eliminating barriers t, full participatin by all peple in Ontari s ecnmy and sciety and, in particular, persns wh face discriminatin n the grunds f their race, ancestry, place f rigin, clur, ethnic rigin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual rientatin, age, marital status, family status r disability. 2. Strng, healthy cmmunities are an integral part f the pverty reductin strategy; their ptential must be brught t bear n the reductin f pverty. 3. Nt all grups f peple share the same level f risk f pverty. The pverty reductin strategy must recgnize the heightened risk amng grups such as immigrants, wmen, single mthers, peple with disabilities, abriginal peples and racialized grups. 4. Families must be supprted s that they can play a meaningful rle in the reductin f pverty and in prmting pprtunity. 5. All peple in Ontari, including thse living in pverty, deserve t be treated with respect and dignity. 3

6 6. Ontarians, especially peple living in pverty, are t be invlved in the design and implementatin f the strategy. 7. A sustained cmmitment t wrk tgether t develp strng and healthy children, yuth, adults, families and cmmunities is required t effectively reduce pverty. 8. The third sectr, including nn-prfit, charitable and vluntary rganizatins, are integral t a pverty reductin strategy by delivering the prgrams and services that matter t peple, by strengthening cmmunities and by making a psitive cntributin t the ecnmy. The Pverty Reductin Strategy (2008) The prvincial gvernment s first pverty reductin strategy was entitled Breaking the Cycle. This first strategy included: a specific target f reducing child pverty by 25% in five years; a number f initiatives in varius areas including ; a series f indicatrs, including a lw incme measure, a deprivatin index, and thers. The 2008 strategy is available, alng with annual reprts, at this website: 4

7 II. Ensuring Yur Cmmunity is Included We dn t yet knw hw extensive cnsultatins n pverty reductin are ging t be this time arund, but we d knw that cnsultatins are unlikely t happen in every city and twn acrss Ontari. Ensuring a cnsultatin takes place that peple in yur cmmunity can participate in will help t ensure that cmmunity vices are heard. It s as imprtant nw as ever t take advantage f the pprtunity t restate and reinfrce what we re all fighting fr in ur advcacy and cmmunity rganizing wrk. Peple cntinue t live in pverty and deep hardship acrss Ontari. They and their allies need t be heard by their elected representatives. Here are sme tips n ensuring that a cnsultatin takes place that yur cmmunity can participate in. Of curse, these are generic tips that may r may nt apply in yur cmmunity use them and / r adapt them as yu see fit. 1. Cntact yur MPP This initial cntact whether by phne r is t find ut frm yur MPP: When the cnsultatin fr yur cmmunity is t take place; Whether it is scheduled in a lcatin and at a date and time that makes sense in yur cmmunity and gives individuals and grups the time they need t prepare; Whether apprpriate resurces will be prvided s that lw-incme peple in yur area can participate. Yur cnversatin may include items like the fllwing: If they are a Liberal MPP, let them knw that yu knw that a schedule fr cnsultatins is being drawn up, and yu want t make sure yur cmmunity is included; If they are an NDP r Cnservative MPP, let them knw that the gvernment is cnducting cnsultatins n pverty reductin. Remind them that their party supprted the Pverty Reductin Act in the unanimus vte in the Ontari legislature n May 6, Tell them that they therefre have a respnsibility t make sure their cmmunity is heard; Ask them what their utreach strategy is ging t be; Offer t assist their ffice with utreach t make sure that lw-incme peple are included; Make sure that they include imprtant grups in yur cmmunity that shuld be cnsulted e.g., yur lcal municipality, service grups, pverty reductin rundtables, scial planning cuncils, shelters, ethn-racial cmmunity rganizatins, etc.; Press them t prvide funding fr lw-incme peple t participate (e.g., transit/transprtatin mney, child care, etc.) and/r t hst mre than ne meeting if yur cmmunity is gegraphically dispersed; 5

8 Give them ideas fr when t best schedule the meeting t ensure the mst participatin pssible. Clearly, cnsulting ver the summer is nt ptimal, s try t make sure that they find the best time t include as many peple as pssible, especially peple wh are living n lw incmes. Use this Accessibility Checklist t press them n when, where, and hw t hld the meeting: Will there be sufficient pprtunity fr peple frm disparate gegraphic areas in the cmmunity t attend? Will there be mre than ne meeting? Is it in a lcatin that is easily accessible by transit (if it s available)? Are there ther ways, like rganized carpling, t ensure peple can attend? Is the space accessible fr peple with physical disabilities? Will mney / tkens be prvided fr the transprtatin necessary t get peple t the meeting? Will translatin services (French / English / ASL / ther languages), attendant care, and child care be prvided? Will there be refreshments? Is the space scent-free? Are there ther issues that culd limit the participatin f peple living n lw incmes, and what will be dne t reslve them? Wrk with yur MPP s ffice as apprpriate and, ptentially, bring ther grups int this wrk t make sure the cnsultatin is as inclusive as pssible. 2. Get Cmmunity Members Invlved Yu ll want t engage yur cmmunity n the substance f the cnsultatins that is, making sure peple in yur cmmunity are prepared t participate in the cnsultatin meeting. We re prviding tips fr that prcess in Sectin III. But yu may als need t get yur cmmunity engaged t press yur MPP int actin. If yu re having difficulty reaching yur MPP, if n cnsultatin is being scheduled in an area that yur cmmunity can participate in, r if yur MPP is refusing t respnd t yur cncerns abut accessibility, bring in thers t help cnvince him / her. Talk t leaders in yur cmmunity. Tell them that the next five-year pverty reductin strategy cnsultatins are abut t happen. Tell them that it s imprtant that yur cmmunity has a vice in the planning fr Ontari s secnd pverty reductin strategy. Ask them t cntact yur MPP t make sure yur cmmunity can participate. The leaders in yur cmmunity can als prvide imprtant resurces t ensure as many peple as pssible are engaged in the cnsultatin energizing their wn cntacts, reaching ut t lw-incme peple, etc. 6

9 3. Get Yur Lcal Media Invlved Cntact yur lcal media. Tell them that the prvincial gvernment is hsting cnsultatins n pverty reductin. Remind them that peple in yur cmmunity cntinue t live in pverty. Tell them that serius actin t reduce and eliminate pverty is nt nly needed, it s pssible. Tell them that gd public plicy cupled with serius investments can make the difference. Tell them that pverty and inequality are nt inevitable. They are a result f chices we make in public plicy. They are a result f business chices abut paying peple enugh fr the wrk they d. They are the result f chices we make abut whether we build inclusive cmmunities r allw divisin t grw. Pitch them n writing a stry r series f stries (ptentially ver the summer) t highlight pverty in yur cmmunity. They culd cver things like: the persnal stry f an individual (r series f individuals) in yur cmmunity wh is/are living in pverty; the cntributins that lcal grups are making t address pverty in yur cmmunity, and the challenges they face in ding s; the pressing issues (like husing, transprtatin, child care) that peple in yur cmmunity are facing; the imprtance f making sure the prvincial gvernment and the Oppsitin parties take their cmmitment t reducing pverty in Ontari seriusly; Tell them that they shuld cver the pverty reductin cnsultatins and the wrk yu and ther grups are ding t engage with it. Nte that, as requested, we will be prviding a sample press release and generic p-ed in the cming days that yu may wish t use. 4. What If There s N Cnsultatin in My Cmmunity? If yu find that there is n cnsultatin scheduled in an area that will allw peple in yur cmmunity t participate, and yur MPP isn t being helpful n this frnt, yu may want t hst yur wn meeting t engage yur cmmunity and prvide feedback in ther ways. See page 11 fr tips n hsting yur wn meeting. 7

10 III. Getting Ready fr the Cnsultatins Befre the Cnsultatin: Organizing and Preparing Key Messages Getting ready fr the cnsultatin includes ding any r all f three things, in varius cmbinatins: engaging with a grup yu ve already been wrking with (yur partners ) expanding the rganizing with ther members f yur cmmunity preparing yur key messages Ding this wrk in yur cmmunity is abut building a big tent t bring as many peple tgether as pssible t pressure gvernment t make the right plicy decisins and investments t reduce and eliminate pverty in Ontari. It s abut the nging wrk f building calitins in cmmunities and cntributing t building experience and skills with the lw-incme peple we wrk with. And it s als abut wrking t ensure that the issues that are raised at the cnsultatin aren t in cmpetitin but are cmplementary. 1. Engaging Yur Partners Yur clinic may be invlved with a grup that wrks n pverty-related issues. That grup may be made up members f the cmmunity wh have lived experience f pverty, may be agency-based, r may be sme cmbinatin f the tw. It may be a grup that was invlved in earlier cnsultatin prcesses n pverty reductin, affrdable husing, r the scial assistance review. Engaging with this grup may be a gd place t start t rganize tward the pverty reductin cnsultatin. Let yur partners in this grup knw what yu knw abut the cnsultatins. Yu may want t make a few phne calls, send a detailed , r call a meeting t discuss hw t plan fr yur invlvement in the cnsultatins. Use the infrmatin in the Backgrund sectin (page 1) as required. Talk with them abut hw t prepare fr the cnsultatins and hw t get ther cmmunity members invlved, and particularly peple wh are living n lw incmes and thse frm grups wh are systemically disadvantaged. If yu haven t engaged with partners in yur cmmunity fr a while, here are sme things t remember: Think bradly abut wh the imprtant grups are in yur cmmunity wh have a stake in reducing and eliminating pverty. Even if yu dn t knw them well, reach ut t them t engage them in this prcess. Cnsider including: Peple wh have lived experience f pverty; Casewrkers in ther legal clinics that are als lcated in yur MPP s riding; Casewrkers in yur lcal cmmunity health clinics r ther service prviders; Ethn-racial cmmunity rganizatins; Husing rganizatins; 8

11 Wmen s shelters, men s shelters, sup kitchens; Scial justice rganizatins; Agencies serving immigrants; Scial planning cuncils; Faith-based grups; Senirs grups; Activist rganizatins and labur unins / labur cuncils; Unusual suspects thse wh might nt be expected t partner with yu n this issue, such as dctrs r ther health care prfessinals in yur area (less pverty means a healthier cmmunity) r business peple (reducing pverty means increasing the ecnmic health f their cmmunity, and they als have a rle t play by prviding emplyment pprtunities t peple in yur area). Dn t frget t include members f the Bard f Directrs f yur clinic. Specialty Clinic Organizing Specialty clinics, wh ften have a client grup that is dispersed gegraphically acrss many cmmunities, can play an imprtant rle in rganizing fr the cmmunity cnsultatins. Specialty clinics can rganize with and supprt their clients t attend meetings in their wn lcal cmmunities acrss the prvince. Specialty clinics can als hst their wn meetings. Check page 13 fr tips. 2. Expanding the Organizing Yu have likely dne a lt f rganizing in yur cmmunity, whether arund previus prvincial cnsultatin prcesses r fr varius lcal actins and activities. Here are sme tips t cnsider: What strategies have yu used t rganize with cmmunity members befre? What wrked and didn t wrk? Wh did nt participate last time and why? Hw can yu get them invlved? Hw can yu take an equity apprach t yur rganizing? In ther wrds, hw can yu ensure that peple wh are the mst disadvantaged (wmen, peple frm racialized grups including Abriginals / First Natins / Metis, new immigrants, migrant wrkers, peple with disabilities, etc.) are included in yur wrk and in the cnsultatin prcess? Think abut bth the usual and unusual suspects when rganizing with cmmunity members, and hw t get in cntact with them. Think abut hw many f the grups and rganizatins listed abve can cntribute t the rganizing yu want t d. Yu may want t hld a meeting with yur partners grup t develp a strategy t utreach t and engage with peple in yur cmmunity t get them invlved in the pverty reductin cnsultatin. 9

12 3. Preparing Key Messages Tgether with yur partners and members f yur cmmunity, prepare the messages that yu want t raise at the cnsultatin meeting. Call a meeting with yur partners and cmmunity members t help create, review and apprve these key messages. If yu like, yu can use the key messages that we ve included in the next sectin as a guide, adapting them as necessary. Create yur wn key messages abut issues that are particularly imprtant in yur wn cmmunity. Fr example, if husing is an imprtant issue, the key message might be The next pverty reductin strategy must include a cmmitment t prvide X number f affrdable husing units in cmmunities acrss Ontari. T create yur key messages, yu may wish t g back thrugh any submissins yu made t cnsultatins n the previus pverty reductin strategy, the scial assistance review, r the husing strategy. Yu may want t review dcuments prduced by yur clinic r ther grups in yur cmmunity wh have identified key issues facing peple living n lw incmes in yur area. Use these dcuments and thers t blster yur key messages with whatever facts, figures, and statistics yu need. Sme thers might include reprts prduced by yur municipality, grups in yur cmmunity, the prvince, Statistics Canada, etc. Remember that the cnsultatin website will prvide a cnsultatin tlkit, which might help yu with yur preparatins. In additin, the website says that cnsultatins will seek feedback n, but nt be limited t, the fllwing: Elements f the current strategy that have wrked well r need imprvement; Refining executin f current plicies, prgrams and initiatives; Cntinued barriers t success; New mdels f cllabratin and partnership; Areas f special pririty and urgency Yu may wish t think thrugh these areas f fcus when ding yur preparatins. Yu may wish t cnsult the 25 in 5 Netwrk fr Pverty Reductin s Five Pririties fr the next pverty reductin strategy fr ideas (see the link n page 2). Share yur key messages with everyne yu re wrking with and thse wh will be attending the cnsultatin in yur cmmunity. Assign smene t take ntes during the cnsultatin. This can help with any infrmatin sharing yu want t d t ther grups and with any debriefing yu want t d after the cnsultatin takes place. A few days befre the cnsultatin meeting actually takes place, yu may wish t send ut an r make sme phne calls t yur partners and cmmunity members t remind peple f where the cnsultatin is taking place and at what time. 10

13 Specialty Clinic Key Messages Preparing key messages is a great way fr specialty clinics t be invlved in the cnsultatins. If each specialty clinic prepares a brief set f key messages n their area f expertise (e.g., senirs, children and yuth, ethn-racial cmmunities, envirnment, etc.), thse key messages can be shared with cmmunity clinics and their partner grups, wh can raise them in the lcal cnsultatin prcess. Mre details n hw specialty clinics can be invlved are n page Hsting Yur Own Meeting Regardless f whether r nt a cnsultatin is scheduled in yur cmmunity, yu may want t hst yur wn meeting, particularly if yu are partnering with ther grups wh can help share the wrklad and get mre peple invlved. The prvince s cnsultatin website says an nline feedback frm and a tlkit t facilitate yur wn cnsultatin will be available n August 6. Yu may chse t use the cnsultatin tlkit t fcus the discussin at yur meeting. ( And remember that the cnsultatin website als says that cnsultatins will seek feedback n, but nt be limited t, the fllwing: Elements f the current strategy that have wrked well r need imprvement; Refining executin f current plicies, prgrams and initiatives; Cntinued barriers t success; New mdels f cllabratin and partnership; Areas f special pririty and urgency. Yu may want t fcus n these elements at yur meeting, r take anther apprach depending n what yu and yur cmmunity partners want t fcus n. Use the list in the Partners sectin abve t think abut wh t include in the meeting. Try t include many different grups and peple in yur cmmunity as pssible (thse that deal with areas like, fr example, husing, child care, wmen s issues, racialized grups, new immigrants, Abriginal and First Natins issues, health care, labur, incme supprt, etc.). Make sure t think abut equity in planning yur meeting. Thse wh are ften left ut f gvernment and rganizatin cnsultatins are usually thse wh are mst vulnerable. Find ways t supprt them t get invlved. Make sure the date and time f yur meeting is scheduled t be as accessible t everyne as pssible. Think thrugh ther issues f accessibility see the Accessibility Checklist n page 6 fr mre ideas. Think abut using a webinar t engage yur cmmunity, if they are dispersed gegraphically. Clinics may be able t get technical supprt fr a webinar thrugh CLEO s Yur Legal Rights prject ( 11

14 Make sure t invite yur MPP t attend yur meeting, as well as ther imprtant partners in yur cmmunity. Yu may als want t invite the media. Cnsult the gvernment s cnsultatin website (see the link abve) t dwnlad the tlkit in advance f yur meeting. Think abut the frmat f yur meeting ften starting with a plenary, dividing the larger grup int smaller wrking grups t tackle separate questins r aspects f pverty reductin, and then recnvening in the plenary t reprt back frm each f the small grups can wrk well. Yu may want t start yur meeting with an intrductin that talks abut why it s imprtant that any prvincial gvernment sets pverty reductin targets, as a fcus fr plicy actin and investment. Yu may want take sme time t remind peple abut the variety f gvernment prgrams and services that can cntribute t pverty reductin and eradicatin scial assistance, husing, health care, child care, gd quality jbs, emplyment equity, the minimum wage, etc. Yu may want t then mve int small grups t discuss the questins in the gvernment s materials, r yur wn questins r issues. Gather the results f the discussins at yur meeting and write them up in a reprt. Submit the reprt n the website, r t the cnsultatin at pvertystrategy@ntari.ca. Yu may want t use ther means f cnveying the pints yu want t make. Make vides with lcal peple in yur cmmunity. Use art prjects t engage peple in telling their stries. Distribute the materials yu prduce n websites and thrugh scial media t share and amplify what yur cmmunity has t say. 5. After the Cnsultatin: Debrief Whether yu have participated in the cnsultatin hsted by yur MPP r held yur wn meeting, it may be helpful t debrief with yur partners and cmmunity members. This can help yu determine what yu learned frm the cnsultatin, hw peple felt abut the cnsultatin prcess, and what yur next steps culd be. Questins that culd guide this cnversatin include: What did we d well? What can we d better next time? What did we learn abut hw the MPP s psitin n pverty reductin and/r the issue f pverty in ur cmmunity? What did we learn frm ther participants? What are imprtant next steps that we as a cmmunity can d in the next few mnths leading up t the release f the next pverty reductin strategy? What are the fllw-up activities that will maintain the mmentum f ur lcal rganizing effrts? Hw can we cnnect ur wrk in ur cmmunity with what ther cmmunities are ding acrss Ontari? 12

15 6. What Specialty Clinics Can D There are at least tw key ways that clinics that dn t have specific gegraphicallydefined cmmunities can be invlved in cmmunity cnsultatins n pverty reductin. a) Engage Client Grups Thse specialty clinics that have client grups that are dispersed acrss the prvince can wrk t engage their clients in the pverty reductin cnsultatins taking place in their cmmunities. Once the fficial prvincial cnsultatin schedule is available, specialty clinics can alert their clients t the time and lcatin f the cnsultatins and encurage them t take part. If the lcal clinic is taking part in the cnsultatin r if the lcal clinic is hsting their wn cnsultatin meeting the specialty clinic can cnnect their clients with the lcal clinic fr engagement, supprt and assistance. Specialty clinics may als want t engage their client grup by hsting their wn cmmunity cnsultatin meeting. There may be a client grup that yu wrk clsely with whse members are primarily lcated nearby and wh culd attend an in-persn meeting, r yu culd chse t set up a webinar t engage peple remtely. See page 11 fr tips n hsting yur wn meeting. Specialty clinics can als prvide their clients in ther gegraphic areas f the prvince with backgrund infrmatin and key messages, such as thse that are included in this tlkit r thse that are created t address the area f wrk f the specialty clinic itself. b) Prepare and Share Key Messages Specialty clinics can als prepare their wn Key Messages t share with lcal clinics and their cmmunity partners fr inclusin in cnsultatins. Specialty clinics culd prepare a brief set f key messages that cnnects their area f expertise (e.g., senirs, children and yuth, ethn-racial cmmunities, envirnment, etc.) with actin that gvernment can and shuld take t reduce and eliminate pverty. Keep the key messages brief, but prvide enugh backgrund infrmatin fr peple in lcal clinics, wh may nt have much familiarity with yur area, t understand the issues. Make sure t put yur Key Messages n yur letterhead, r prvide sme ther identifying infrmatin s that lcal clinics and cmmunities knw where the infrmatin is cming frm. Als, prviding yur cntact infrmatin will be helpful if peple need any additinal infrmatin r clarificatin. Share thse key messages n the clinics Cmmunity Develpment list. Lcal clinics and their partner grups can use these Key Messages when they are preparing in advance f their cnsultatin meeting, raise them in the curse f the cnsultatin, and/r include them in any feedback they are prviding thrugh the gvernment s website. 13

16 IV. Suggested Key Messages There are many issues that yu will want t raise at the pverty reductin cnsultatin, which will be driven by the pressing issues f pverty in yur cmmunity. Yu may want t fcus n husing r n the challenges arund child care. Yu may want t highlight the issues facing wmen, recent immigrants, r peple frm racialized cmmunities, r fcus n the challenges fr First Natins cmmunities r peple living in the Nrth. We re including sme suggestins belw fr sme key messages n investing in pverty reductin that yu may want t include. Suggestins fr key messages n scial assistance fllw. Yu may als want t cnsult the 25in5 Netwrk s Five Pririties fr the next pverty reductin strategy (see the link n page 2). On Pverty Reductin, Austerity, and the Need fr Investment 1. The next pverty reductin strategy must cmmit t reducing pverty regardless f the ecnmic cntext Ecnmic dwnturns are n excuse fr gvernments t renege n pverty reductin cmmitments The first pverty reductin strategy gave gvernment an ut it said that a rbust ecnmy was a pre-requisite fr the success f the strategy. It said that all bets were ff if the ecnmic situatin in Ontari went bad. In 2008, that s exactly what happened. We saw the biggest ecnmic recessin since the Great Depressin f the 1930s. In 2009, the prvincial gvernment kept true t its cmmitment by making investments that ensured that child pverty started t g dwn. But by 2010, the gvernment had changed curse, citing the lingering ecnmic dwnturn and resulting prvincial deficit as the ratinale fr pulling back n pverty reductin cmmitments. Instead f backing ff frm its cmmitments in tugh ecnmic times, Ontari needs t step up fr Ontarians. Prgrams t supprt peple are mst needed when an ecnmic dwnturn hits them with jb lsses and when peple wh are already living n lw incmes need mre supprt. An ecnmic dwnturn is nt the time fr gvernment t pull back frm their cmmitments it s the time fr gvernment t step in and prvide the supprts that Ontarians need. Cntinuing austerity will undercut pverty reductin effrts When gvernment priritises deficit reductin ver prgram spending, it stps fcusing n the needs f the peple it is suppsed t serve. Austerity in Ontari may nt be as bad as in places like Eurpe, but cntinuing t pursue 14

17 plicies that restrict spending in rder t pay dwn the deficit means we re nt spending what we need t ensure the health f peple and f the ecnmy. The 2013 budget restricts gvernment spending ver the next three years t maintenance levels. This restricts gvernment s ability t invest in the initiatives that are required t reduce and eliminate pverty. The budget says eliminating the deficit is the single mst imprtant step the Prvince can take t grw the ecnmy and create jbs. But restricting gvernment spending t eliminate deficits culd actually stand in the way f grwth. This apprach cntributed t a duble-dip recessin in the UK and cntinuing ecnmic stagnatin in Eurpe. The Internatinal Mnetary Fund is nw cautining cuntries the UK, Greece and mst recently the US that reduced gvernment spending culd reduce grwth. The gvernment has prudly declared that Ontari has the lwest prgram spending per capita f any prvince in Canada. This is nt smething t be prud f it demnstrates an unwillingness t d the hard wrk required t reduce and end pverty in Ontari. If gvernment is serius abut pverty reductin, it must abandn its fcus n austerity and refcus n investing in Ontarians. And it can d this by cmmitting t raise the revenues necessary t make the required investments. 2. The next pverty reductin strategy must include firm cmmitments t make the investments required The investments that the prvincial gvernment made in the first years f the 2008 pverty reductin strategy investments in the Ontari Child Benefit and the HST rebate, in particular were respnsible fr reducing child pverty by 6.6% between 2008 and 2010 right at the height f the recessin. This means that investments can get results. The need fr investment is great. Fr example, a recent reprt frm the Ontari Nn-Prfit Husing Assciatin and the Cperative Husing Federatin estimates that thse Ontari husehlds in the mst pressing husing need require an extra $290 per mnth, just t affrd husing that s the right size and in gd repair and there are mre than 500,000 f these husehlds in Ontari. The Ontari Calitin fr Better Child Care estimates that Ontari needs t spend $300 millin just t stabilize the current child care system let alne prviding gd quality, affrdable child care fr everyne wh needs it. And investments are needed in many ther plicy areas as well. Reducing pverty can t be accmplished by ding mre with less r by simply rerganizing existing prgrams. Sme prgram rerganizatin culd help, but the nly real way t meet the target is t invest resurces. The next strategy must identify hw much mney gvernment is ging t invest in each f the prgram areas that the strategy cntains, and in what year f the strategy these investments will be made. 15

18 3. The next pverty reductin strategy must identify any new revenue tls that are required t ensure pverty reductin effrts actually pay ff Since the 1980s, public plicy has been driven by the belief that tax cuts prduce ecnmic grwth. But the evidence has shwn that this is nt the case. Instead, dramatic tax cuts t the wealthiest and crpratins have cntributed t increasing levels f pverty and inequality. It s time fr gvernment t recgnize that this apprach isn t wrking. Unless there is sufficient revenue t invest in pverty reductin, any targets that are set simply wn t be met. In the same way that the gvernment has made a cmmitment t finding the revenues required t imprve public transit acrss Ontari, gvernment must cmmit t find the revenues required t reduce and eliminate pverty. The amunts f investment that are needed t get the jb dne must be identified whether frm current resurces r frm new revenue surces. The surces f revenue t invest in pverty reductin must be identified and a plan must be created t raise them. On Pverty Reductin and Scial Assistance Refrm 1. The next pverty reductin strategy must make the cmmitment that scial assistance refrms will have the explicit bjective f reducing pverty The cmmitment t review scial assistance was made in the 2008 pverty reductin strategy. In ther wrds, the review was dne because gvernment made a cmmitment t reducing pverty. Refrms t scial assistance shuld therefre have reducing pverty as their primary bjective. Whether refrms are fcused n changing the structure f benefits, refcusing the utcmes f the prgrams, r changing the way the prgrams are administered, they must all be judged by whether r nt they reduce pverty. N ne receiving scial assistance whether nw r in the future shuld lse mney as a result f refrm. In a prgram where the purchasing pwer f benefit rates has erded steadily fr nearly twenty years, refrms must be made t ensure mre mney fr peple n scial assistance. 2. The next pverty reductin strategy must recgnize that refrming the scial assistance system will require investment, and cmmit t making thse investments Scial assistance can t be refrmed in ways that reduce pverty by ding mre with less r by rerganizing the existing prgrams. Sme prgram rerganizatin culd help t save mney that culd be redirected int prviding better benefits and services. But the nly real way t make meaningful, psitive change is t invest resurces up frnt. If the right refrms and investments are made nw, savings will cme later. 16

19 The scial assistance system has erded fr the past twenty years. Fr example, OW benefits fr a single persn wuld have t increase by 56% and ODSP by 22% t have the same purchasing pwer as they had in We can t ensure peple have enugh mney t live in health and dignity withut making significant investments. Emplyment supprts and services and the variety f ther services that peple need like child care, mental health supprts and services, and many thers need t be imprved. This takes mney. Refrms must be accmpanied by sufficient resurces t get the jb dne. 3. The next pverty reductin strategy must cmmit t specific actins that will imprve the quality f jbs in the labur market A primary fcus f the scial assistance review was t find ways t help peple n scial assistance get int paid emplyment in the labur market. There was a particular emphasis placed n helping peple with disabilities find wrk. The OW prgram has t mve away frm pushing peple int the first available jb regardless f the quality f that jb r the amunt f mney they culd earn. Instead, the bjective f getting peple int a jb shuld be t get them int a gd jb a sustainable jb that prvides enugh mney t live n. A recent study frm Flrida has shwn that welfare prgrams that push peple int the labur market by threatening t take away their incme benefits actually result in a higher rate f death amng participants than prgrams that supprt peple int and during paid emplyment. ODSP must nt becme mre like OW. Peple with disabilities dn t need t be pushed int lw paid jbs especially if this threatens their benefits. This nly creates mre hardship, health prblems, and desperatin. This is particularly true knwing that the labur market is nt a welcming place fr peple with disabilities, and that it s hard t find a jb that accmmdates a persn s disability. (See pint 5 belw fr mre infrmatin n this.) And emplyment supprts fr everyne have t imprve s that all peple are given the supprts and tls they need t get int the labur market. The prblem with the labur market, hwever, is that many peple wh have paid jbs in Ontari live in pverty. The minimum wage is currently $10.25 an hur. A single persn wrking full time at minimum wage wuld get a net incme f $19,490. That s including refundable tax credits frm the prvincial and federal gvernments. That s a lt mre than the amunt a single persn n Ontari Wrks receives in their ttal incme (i.e., including tax credits). But it s still $1100 belw the Lw Incme Measure that Ontari uses t track prgress n pverty reductin. Surely, wrking shuld nt mean living in pverty. The pverty reductin strategy must include specific cmmitments t increase the quality f paid wrk in Ontari. The minimum wage must be increased. 17

20 Emplyment Standards have t be enfrced. Ontari needs a Gd Jbs strategy. And Ontari needs a labur market strategy fr peple with disabilities. 4. The next pverty reductin strategy must direct all apprpriate ministries t be invlved in scial assistance refrm Many peple end up n scial assistance because f failures in ther systems like the health care system, WSIB, child services, Emplyment Standards, etc. Fixing the failures in these ther systems wuld mean many peple wuldn t have t end up relying n scial assistance. And when peple are n scial assistance, they ften experience prblems frm the way that scial assistance rules interact with rules in ther prgrams like rules arund husing charges, rules in ther incme supprt prgrams, child care rules, rules in benefits delivered by the Ministry f Health, and thers. And sme f the scial assistance rules result in prblems in ther systems that are administered by ther ministries. Health is a gd example. Giving peple n scial assistance the incme and supprts they need wuld almst certainly reduce csts fr the health care system. Gvernment has t think bigger than just scial assistance when making refrms. Making sure that peple have adequate incmes and are treated with respect and dignity depends n all apprpriate ministries wrking tgether. 5. The next pverty reductin strategy must recgnize that peple with disabilities face special barriers and need a specialised prgram There s a reasn that there are tw separate scial assistance prgrams, ne fr peple with disabilities and ne fr peple wh dn t have disabilities. Peple with disabilities have unique needs and many need lng-term, nging supprt. Peple with disabilities face particular barriers cmplex scial, envirnmental, and attitudinal barriers that restrict their ability t participate fully in sciety, including the labur market, and t be understd, respected, and accmmdated. They need a specialised prgram that understands these barriers and addresses them effectively. A particular prblem fr peple with disabilities is the barriers in the labur market. The labur market is nt a welcming place fr many peple with disabilities, and disabilities aren t ften nt prperly accmmdated. These barriers ften cmprmise the ability f peple with disabilities t fully supprt themselves frm paid emplyment. And cmpeting fr jbs in the labur market is harder fr peple with disabilities than fr ther peple. Having a disability may mean facing these barriers fr an entire lifetime. While gvernment is taking steps t make the labur market mre welcming (like the Emplyment Standards under the Accessibility fr Ontarians with Disabilities Act, r AODA), we re still in the early days. Peple with disabilities need incme security and a prgram that will prvide it. 18

21 The lack f accmmdatin in the labur market and the ften lifelng nature f disability mean that peple may mve in and ut f the labur market, and n and ff f assistance. Gvernment must take respnsibility fr ensuring that peple wh experience this kind f relatinship t wrk are guaranteed an adequate incme and the additinal supprts they require. 6. The next pverty reductin strategy must cmmit t equity and justice, nt sameness and benefit reductins. Acting fairly means ensuring equity. The Pverty Reductin Act explicitly recgnizes that nt all peple have the same risk f pverty, that sme grups f peple face barriers t full participatin in sciety, and that sme grups face discriminatin. This recgnizes that different supprts and services are needed fr different grups, t address the particular barriers that peple face. S it s nly fair that sme grups f peple get sme services that ther grups f peple might nt need. And that s nt just fairness. That s equity and justice. Sme peple say that peple n scial assistance shuldn t get certain benefits because ther peple peple wh aren t n scial assistance but wh als have lw incmes dn t get them. They say that peple n scial assistance shuldn t get benefits that peple wh are wrking fr minimum wage dn t get. They say that s nt fair. But yu dn t make things mre fair by taking benefits away frm ne grup just because anther grup desn t have them. That s just makes things bad fr everyne. That s nt what fairness shuld mean. Peple wh receive scial assistance, whether frm OW r ODSP, have a variety f needs. They re nt all the same. Sme need mre help and sme need less. Sme have particular challenges, and sme dn t. Everyne shuld get the help they need even if ther peple n scial assistance dn t get that help. That s equity. And peple wh aren t n scial assistance peple wrking in lw incme jbs shuld be able t access the same benefits that peple n scial assistance can get. Dn t take away benefits frm peple n OW r ODSP. Give mre benefits, t all lw incme peple in Ontari. That s fair. The prvincial gvernment signalled what culd be the start f an imprtant trend in scial assistance plicy in the 2013 Budget they prvided a little bit mre mney t single peple n OW than they did t thers. While the amunt f mney prvided is nwhere near what advcates and the scial assistance review cmmissin were recmmending, this apprach recgnizes that sme peple need extra help. Gvernment must make mre significant investments in incmes. But they must als take this same apprach t ther peple wh als need extra help an equity apprach. What s fair is what s equitable, nt what s the same. There s nthing unfair abut equity. In fact, taking an equity apprach is what fairness really means. 19

22 V. Key Resurces Beynd the resurces already listed, and thse f yur wn grups and cmmunities, the fllwing resurces prvide mre infrmatin n sme f the abve key messages. ISAC resurces Budget 2013 analysis: Resurces n the scial assistance review: Webinar n the reprt f the scial assistance review cmmissin: Other scial assistance resurces: ODSP Actin Calitin s five Psitin Papers related t recmmendatins f the scial assistance review Cmmissin: Reprt f the Scial Assistance Review Advisry Cuncil (SARAC): Media reprt n the Flrida study: Anti-austerity arguments: CCPA Ontari budget 2013 analysis: Why austerity may be wrecking the recvery: Is the evidence fr austerity based n an Excel spreadsheet errr?: IMF warns Canada against harsh austerity measures: Resurces n substantive equality / equity: Equality Rights in the Charter: Disability, Pverty, and Citizenship: A Shrt Nte: The Racializatin f Pverty in Canada: Implicatins fr S.15 Charter prtectin: atin_f_pverty.pdf Campaign t Raise the Minimum Wage: Where s Hme? 2013: CntentDisplay.cfm&CntentID=