Hey GTA-ers!
Remember mayor-elect Rob Ford and all his promises to improve the public transit/gridlock situation in dear old Toronto?
Increased public transit would be great in Toronto. But at what cost? By focusing his efforts on the expansion of the subway system, he is proposing getting rid of streetcars and many pedestrian paths to allow for increased flow of individual vehicle traffic.
Put pressure on Ford to get the job done right. Public transit is an essential service, and Ford "plans" to make that official. With improved public transit, more people will have access to transportation to and from a job which could significantly improve their income and subsequently their way of life. More subway systems would be great if they become affordable, but getting rid of the existing modes of transportation would be detrimental.
Until he is officially mayor, you can write to Rob Ford at
City Hall - Suite C40100
Queen Street West
Toronto, ON
M5H 2N2
councillor_ford@toronto.ca
416-397-9255
Special Diet Cut
As many of you may be aware, some sick Canadian citizens on social assistance have been eligible for a special diet allowance. The allowance could be up to $250 of extra money each month to put towards buying better food than what welfare would otherwise allow.
Eligible citizens included those on a particular diet for an illness, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. A breakdown of the policies can be found here http://www.toronto.ca/socialservices/Policy/spdiet.htm
Toronto has elected to dissolve the special diet allowance, saving the government $200 million each year. Yes. This sounds like a lot... until put into perspective. The province could have paid for 5 years of the special diet plan with the money spent on G20 security.
What is the value of human health? Clearly our politicians are worth much much more.
Ahh... equality...
Eligible citizens included those on a particular diet for an illness, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. A breakdown of the policies can be found here http://www.toronto.ca/socialservices/Policy/spdiet.htm
Toronto has elected to dissolve the special diet allowance, saving the government $200 million each year. Yes. This sounds like a lot... until put into perspective. The province could have paid for 5 years of the special diet plan with the money spent on G20 security.
What is the value of human health? Clearly our politicians are worth much much more.
Ahh... equality...
Not sure what to write?
Here is a sample of what you can write to your MP. You can feel free to use this exact template and fill in your information. The more personal, the more effective, but if writing a letter is what's stopping you, here's your chance. Feel free to include this website's URL or a copy of the Valueof5 Pay-it-Forward flyer. Good luck!
Dear [insert name of Member of Parliament],
I am writing to you today as an empowered contributor to this country’s democratic process. As a concerned citizen of [insert your city/town name], I cannot help but notice the amount of tax money wasted on hiding our city’s vulnerable populations. Winter is quickly approaching and though many of our citizens without permanent shelter will make use of the city’s crash beds and food banks, many more will sleep on the frigid cold of the sidewalk.
Media outlets will bring the issues to our attention in an attempt to praise the current efforts, but we do not hear about those left behind. The majority of people who try to get a hot meal and a warm bed for a night are turned away because there is simply not enough space for them. What happens to these people? What is your plan for the citizens, your neighbours, who are denied access to a shelter because they were too busy picking their children up from school to stand in line early enough? Please be advised these are not rhetorical questions. I would like to know your plan.
Many homeless Canadians have paying jobs but cannot afford safe shelter with the compensation they earn. Without a proper night’s sleep and food to eat, how can anyone be expected to work a full day? Without heat during the winter months, a significant portion of our community who cannot be provided with affordable shelter will end up in hospital beds.
A recent statistic shows that a person living on the edge of poverty uses at least double the healthcare resources as a person living in safety. Putting this money towards affordable housing means less sick people, more hospital beds for those who need them most and a safer [insert your city/town name].
It costs the government about $53 per night per bed to house a small portion of Canada’s homeless for little more than a hot meal and a bed. It can cost up to 50 times this amount for a night in the hospital. It would cost less to offer more subsidized housing and would be more beneficial for the citizens involved.
These issues are important to your voters. It is critical for this crisis to be acknowledged immediately. I am proud of my city. I am proud of my country. I am not proud of the classist dismissal of our own people.
I appreciate your correspondence on this growing emergency, [insert name of MP]. As the holiday season approaches, please remember how many Canadians are only one paycheque away from life in the system. Please partner with your community.
Thank you,
[sign your name]
[print your name]
[phone number]
Dear [insert name of Member of Parliament],
I am writing to you today as an empowered contributor to this country’s democratic process. As a concerned citizen of [insert your city/town name], I cannot help but notice the amount of tax money wasted on hiding our city’s vulnerable populations. Winter is quickly approaching and though many of our citizens without permanent shelter will make use of the city’s crash beds and food banks, many more will sleep on the frigid cold of the sidewalk.
Media outlets will bring the issues to our attention in an attempt to praise the current efforts, but we do not hear about those left behind. The majority of people who try to get a hot meal and a warm bed for a night are turned away because there is simply not enough space for them. What happens to these people? What is your plan for the citizens, your neighbours, who are denied access to a shelter because they were too busy picking their children up from school to stand in line early enough? Please be advised these are not rhetorical questions. I would like to know your plan.
Many homeless Canadians have paying jobs but cannot afford safe shelter with the compensation they earn. Without a proper night’s sleep and food to eat, how can anyone be expected to work a full day? Without heat during the winter months, a significant portion of our community who cannot be provided with affordable shelter will end up in hospital beds.
A recent statistic shows that a person living on the edge of poverty uses at least double the healthcare resources as a person living in safety. Putting this money towards affordable housing means less sick people, more hospital beds for those who need them most and a safer [insert your city/town name].
It costs the government about $53 per night per bed to house a small portion of Canada’s homeless for little more than a hot meal and a bed. It can cost up to 50 times this amount for a night in the hospital. It would cost less to offer more subsidized housing and would be more beneficial for the citizens involved.
These issues are important to your voters. It is critical for this crisis to be acknowledged immediately. I am proud of my city. I am proud of my country. I am not proud of the classist dismissal of our own people.
I appreciate your correspondence on this growing emergency, [insert name of MP]. As the holiday season approaches, please remember how many Canadians are only one paycheque away from life in the system. Please partner with your community.
Thank you,
[sign your name]
[print your name]
[phone number]
Too Many Canadians on the Brink of Being Homeless
Check out this link to a November 19th article in the Toronto Star. Many Canadians are just one paycheque away from the street.
http://www.healthzone.ca/health/newsfeatures/article/893619--too-many-canadians-on-brink-of-being-homeless-doctor
Memorable quotes:
"For every person sleeping in a shelter bed, there are 23 households on the verge of homelessness"
"These “vulnerably housed” Canadians are spending more than 50 per cent of their monthly income on rent in crowded and unsafe housing"
“If we ensure that people have their basic housing needs met, we would actually be making an investment in the health of our population.”
"Federal policies can make a significant impact on poverty" -- Write to your MPs!
“We’ve kind of thought of it as, if you’re not homeless, you’re housed, and that means things are okay,” he said. “But one of the points of this report is that there are people who are vulnerably housed who are at as much risk as those who are homeless." In Toronto, around 5,000 people are homeless or marginally housed"
"report put the number of Toronto households experiencing “housing vulnerability” at 70,085"
...This is outrageous. What is more astounding is the link to the next article is "How to Walk like Carrie Bradshaw..."
http://www.healthzone.ca/health/newsfeatures/article/893619--too-many-canadians-on-brink-of-being-homeless-doctor
Memorable quotes:
"For every person sleeping in a shelter bed, there are 23 households on the verge of homelessness"
"These “vulnerably housed” Canadians are spending more than 50 per cent of their monthly income on rent in crowded and unsafe housing"
“If we ensure that people have their basic housing needs met, we would actually be making an investment in the health of our population.”
"Federal policies can make a significant impact on poverty" -- Write to your MPs!
“We’ve kind of thought of it as, if you’re not homeless, you’re housed, and that means things are okay,” he said. “But one of the points of this report is that there are people who are vulnerably housed who are at as much risk as those who are homeless." In Toronto, around 5,000 people are homeless or marginally housed"
"report put the number of Toronto households experiencing “housing vulnerability” at 70,085"
...This is outrageous. What is more astounding is the link to the next article is "How to Walk like Carrie Bradshaw..."
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