Interfaith group's book reveals shocking story of poverty in Ontario
Ontario's poorest citizens have seen their incomes plummet by 34 percent since 1995. A quarter of the children whose families use food banks and depend on social assistance go hungry at least once a week. Twice as many parents go hungry. Yet the provincial government still "claws back" the federal Child Tax Benefit supplement from them.
These are a few key findings in Lives in the Balance, a hard-hitting new book about poverty in Ontario based on consultations involving 1500 people across the province by the Interfaith Social Assistance Reform Coalition (ISARC). The coalition, which includes Ontario's major faith communities, held 15 consultations from Thunder Bay to London, to assess the impact of the Common Sense Revolution, to see whether Ontario is living up to its commitments under UN human rights covenants, and to see how faith communities are coping as they try to fill the gaps in our shredded social safety net. The book was edited by Murray MacAdam, who represents the Anglican Church on ISARC.
Ontario faces a worsening social deficit of poverty, hunger and homelessness. More than 300,000 citizens rely on food banks. Many are people on social assistance, battered by the 21.6% cut in social assistance rates by the former Harris government in 1995 and inflation since then, for a total loss in income of 34%. Deepening poverty is taking its toll on human health. Meanwhile the housing crisis is so bad that it is actually breaking up families, with a growing number of children being taken into care by Children's Aid Societies, whose parents cannot find decent shelter for them.
"Ontario's poor have subsidized prosperity over the last decade," says London city councillor Susan Eagle, who represents the United Church on ISARC. "They and their children have paid a terrible price. In our wealthy province, there is enough for everyone. We could raise an additional $1.25 billion by asking average-income citizens to pay about $2.50 per week more in income tax — the price of a coffee and donut at a coffee shop."
While charting the terrible human costs of the Harris Government's Common Sense Revolution, Lives in the Balance also challenges the McGuinty Government to carry out its election promises. While the government has put lots of energy into high-profile issues like health and education, and fretted constantly about the fiscal deficit, it has paid scant attention to the social deficit.
"We chose our report's title because people's lives are at stake," says Archbishop Finlay. "We call on the provincial government to keep its election promises. The true test of the government is how well it responds to people in desperate need, not to those blessed with abundance. Will the government respond?"
The book combines first-hand stories and photos from people in poverty, analysis of issues like hunger, health and homelessness, and articles by social policy experts such as Growing Gap author Armine Yalnizyan, Dow Marmur and Michael Shapcott. A closing chapter lists recommendations for provincial government action.
"This book makes a compelling case for immediate action to redress the costly social deficit resulting from cutbacks to the social security system," says Dennis Howlett, executive director of the National Anti-Poverty Organization. "Very readable and highly recommended."
Lives in the Balance sells for $19.95 and can be ordered directly from the publisher Pandora Press, www.pandorapress.com.
Ontario's poorest citizens have seen their incomes plummet by 34 percent since 1995. A quarter of the children whose families use food banks and depend on social assistance go hungry at least once a week. Twice as many parents go hungry. Yet the provincial government still "claws back" the federal Child Tax Benefit supplement from them.
These are a few key findings in Lives in the Balance, a hard-hitting new book about poverty in Ontario based on consultations involving 1500 people across the province by the Interfaith Social Assistance Reform Coalition (ISARC). The coalition, which includes Ontario's major faith communities, held 15 consultations from Thunder Bay to London, to assess the impact of the Common Sense Revolution, to see whether Ontario is living up to its commitments under UN human rights covenants, and to see how faith communities are coping as they try to fill the gaps in our shredded social safety net. The book was edited by Murray MacAdam, who represents the Anglican Church on ISARC.
Ontario faces a worsening social deficit of poverty, hunger and homelessness. More than 300,000 citizens rely on food banks. Many are people on social assistance, battered by the 21.6% cut in social assistance rates by the former Harris government in 1995 and inflation since then, for a total loss in income of 34%. Deepening poverty is taking its toll on human health. Meanwhile the housing crisis is so bad that it is actually breaking up families, with a growing number of children being taken into care by Children's Aid Societies, whose parents cannot find decent shelter for them.
"Ontario's poor have subsidized prosperity over the last decade," says London city councillor Susan Eagle, who represents the United Church on ISARC. "They and their children have paid a terrible price. In our wealthy province, there is enough for everyone. We could raise an additional $1.25 billion by asking average-income citizens to pay about $2.50 per week more in income tax — the price of a coffee and donut at a coffee shop."
While charting the terrible human costs of the Harris Government's Common Sense Revolution, Lives in the Balance also challenges the McGuinty Government to carry out its election promises. While the government has put lots of energy into high-profile issues like health and education, and fretted constantly about the fiscal deficit, it has paid scant attention to the social deficit.
"We chose our report's title because people's lives are at stake," says Archbishop Finlay. "We call on the provincial government to keep its election promises. The true test of the government is how well it responds to people in desperate need, not to those blessed with abundance. Will the government respond?"
The book combines first-hand stories and photos from people in poverty, analysis of issues like hunger, health and homelessness, and articles by social policy experts such as Growing Gap author Armine Yalnizyan, Dow Marmur and Michael Shapcott. A closing chapter lists recommendations for provincial government action.
"This book makes a compelling case for immediate action to redress the costly social deficit resulting from cutbacks to the social security system," says Dennis Howlett, executive director of the National Anti-Poverty Organization. "Very readable and highly recommended."
Lives in the Balance sells for $19.95 and can be ordered directly from the publisher Pandora Press, www.pandorapress.com.
