***PLEASE JOIN US FOR FREE SCREENINGS of the PCAP FILM and DARK DAYS***
On Wednesday, July 30th, PCAP and OPIRG will be presenting the 'A Video History of PCAP' alongside 'Dark Days' as part of OPIRG's summer documentary series.
The films start at 7:00 sharp in the Sadleir House lecture hall (the large, red Victorian building at 750 George st. North).
Through these films we hope to spark discussions around housing issues, so we will be focusing on the sections of the PCAP film that show the squat. Dark Days is a film that documents a group poor people who build a community in an abandoned section of the New York City underground railway system. During filming, Amtrak, a government-owned corporation that provides intercity passenger train service, announced their plans to forcibly evict the people living in the tunnels. Dark Days shatters myths about homelessness by revealing a thriving community, the power of poor people to struggle for survival, and the corporate interests and government policies which create – and can eliminate – poverty.
*All are welcome to join us in this accessible space, and their will be FREE organic POPCORN for your enjoyment!*
***Please Note that the weekly meeting in the PCAP office will be canceled on this day!***
Monday, July 28, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Solidarity with Katenies! 'Canada' has no jurisdiction over Mohawk land
Included below are links and the text of some recent articles concerning Katenies
and her refusal to recognize the jurisdiction of Canadian colonial courts and the
Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA). Katenies again refused to recognize the
jurisdiction of the Superior Court in Cornwall, Ontario this past July 14, 2008. She
is due to appear before a judge in the Superior Court of Ontario in Alexandria on
October 21, 2008. It appears as if both Katenies and Kahentinetha will be charged
criminally in relation to the CBSA attack on them on June 14, 2008.
Cornwall Standard Freeholder: Protesters pack city courtroom
Article below and linked HERE
Ottawa Indymedia/The Dominion: Mohawk Grandmother challenges border jurisdiction
(Video). Video linked HERE
Statement: Solidarity with Katenies! "Canada" has no jurisdiction over Mohawk land
Statement below and also linked HERE
Background Info/Previous Articles & Audio linked HERE
INFO: indigenoussolidaritymontreal@gmail.com - 514-848-7583
-----------
Protesters pack city courtroom;
Cornwall Standard Freeholder
Protesters from Ottawa, Montreal and Hamilton packed a Cornwall courtroom Monday in support of Janet Davis, a New York State Iroquois woman who was arrested on June 14
at the Cornwall border crossing in relation to three Customs Act charges from 2003.
Davis, 43, who is also known by her Iroquois name of Katenies, is facing two
additional charges of failing to appear in court after she allegedly passed through
the border in 2003 without stopping for a Canada Customs agent.
She claims the Canadian judicial system has no jurisdiction over her as an
indigenous woman, and even filed a motion in January 2007 to dismiss the charges on
those grounds.
The motion was denied, but Davis renewed her objections yesterday by demanding that
the court provide written proof of their authority to arrest her and charge her
based on what she calls "colonial law."
"My people never gave up their rights or their land to anyone, it was taken from us,
these laws were forced on us," said Davis outside the Cornwall courthouse.
"They have no jurisdiction here. I've asked them a question and they have refused to
answer it. Where do they get this authority?"
Davis added that she signed her official objection to the court with her fingerprint
instead of a written signature as a statement of her individuality as a native
woman.
About 30 people packed the courtroom yesterday morning as Davis, who has refused
representation, addressed Justice of the Peace Linda Leblanc along with Frank Horn,
a Cornwall defence lawyer who says he was only there with Davis as a friend of the
court.
"Katenies stands by the Two Row Wampum Treaty," said Horn, referring to an agreement
signed between the Dutch and the Iroquois Nation of northern New York in 1613.
"Two cultures may live side by side, but they will never cross. She feels that these
charges are a crossover between our two cultures, and that's not right."
Horn was also present in court to object to the treatment of his sister,
Kahentinetha Horn, who was with Davis in June.
Horn said both Davis and Kahentinetha, who is 68 years old, were handcuffed and
wrestled to the ground by border guards, treatment he said led his sister to suffer
a heart attack and be rushed by ambulance to Cornwall Community Hospital.
"She hasn't been the same since this happened," he said. "She won't leave the house,
and she's already been back in the hospital once since June. It's just terrible what
our family has been going through."
Horn said tensions have been mounting over the past few months between border guards
and those from the Akwesasne reserve, adding that many believe the guards are
unfairly targeting aboriginals as an excuse to beef up security.
"The Harper government has this whole strategy to get tough at the borders, and
they're using our people as the means to stir up Canadians and say: 'Look, we've got
this issue at the border, so we've got to increase security,'" he said. "My people
don't appreciate being used in that manner."
Horn said many aboriginals are getting sick of the treatment, and protests such as
yesterday's will continue until the message is received.
Davis' case will go to trial in Alexandria court starting Oct. 21, 2008.
Original article here: http://www.standard-freeholder.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1114035
-----
Solidarity with Katenies!
"Canada" has no jurisdiction over Mohawk land
On July 14, 2008, Mohawk grandmother and activist Katenies appeared before a judge
in the Superior Court of Cornwall, Ontario. And again, Katenies refused to recognize
the authority of the courts, and demanded that Canadian officials prove they have
jurisdiction over her as an Indigenous woman. She has been ordered to appear in
court again on October 21, 2008, in Alexandria, Ontario.
On June 14, 2008, Katenies -- accompanied by Kahentinetha of the Kahnawake Mohawk
Territory - was targeted for arrest by Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) guards
on an outstanding warrant for allegedly "running the border" in 2003, and offenses
resulting from her refusal to appear in court and validate the colonial justice
system.
Katenies has maintained since 2003 that border officials and the Canadian colonial
courts have no jurisdiction over Kanion'ke:haka people or land. In January 2007,
Katenies served court officials with a Motion to Dismiss, demanding that they
establish jurisdiction, if any, over Mohawks and their ability to travel freely
between "Canada" and the "United States".
During the CBSA attack, Katenies and Kahentinetha - who are both writers and
contributors to Mohawk Nation News (MNN) - were treated brutally by border guards.
Both were handcuffed and tackled to the ground. Katenies was jailed for three days.
Kahentinetha suffered a heart attack and had to be hospitalized for several days.
As mainly non-native groups and collectives based in settler communities on or near
Mohawk lands, we are publicly standing in support of Katenies, and demand all
charges against her by the colonial courts be dropped. We also condemn the brutal
attacks by the CBSA on both Katenies and Kahentinetha on June 14, 2008 and declare
our solidarity with Indigenous struggles for land, freedom and self-determination.
Endorsed by:
Agitate (Ottawa)
Les Apatrides Anonymes (Montreal)
Block the Empire-Montreal
Coalition Guerre à la guerre (Quebec City)
Collectif opposé à la brutalité policière (Montreal)
Collectif pour l'Autonomie du Peuple Mapuche (Montreal)
Comité Solidarité Nouveau Equateur (Montreal)
Common Cause Ontario
CUPE Local 3906 (Hamilton)
DIRA Bibliothèque Anarchiste (Montreal)
Kingston Indigenous Solidarity Network
La Otra Campaña (Montreal)
NEFAC-Montreal
No One Is Illegal-Kingston
No One Is Illegal-Montreal
No One Is Illegal-Ottawa
No One Is Illegal-Toronto
Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (Toronto)
OPIRG-Carleton
OPIRG/GRIPO-Ottawa
Ottawa Raging Grannies
People's Global Action Bloc (Ottawa)
Peterborough Coalition Against Poverty
Peterborough Coalition for Palestine Solidarity
Solidarity Across Borders (Montreal)
and others.
Reports about the CBSA attack, and background information, are linked HERE
To endorse this statement, please e-mail indigenoussolidaritymontreal@gmail.com;
Katenies' next scheduled court date is October 21, 2008 in Alexandria, Ontario.
and her refusal to recognize the jurisdiction of Canadian colonial courts and the
Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA). Katenies again refused to recognize the
jurisdiction of the Superior Court in Cornwall, Ontario this past July 14, 2008. She
is due to appear before a judge in the Superior Court of Ontario in Alexandria on
October 21, 2008. It appears as if both Katenies and Kahentinetha will be charged
criminally in relation to the CBSA attack on them on June 14, 2008.
Cornwall Standard Freeholder: Protesters pack city courtroom
Article below and linked HERE
Ottawa Indymedia/The Dominion: Mohawk Grandmother challenges border jurisdiction
(Video). Video linked HERE
Statement: Solidarity with Katenies! "Canada" has no jurisdiction over Mohawk land
Statement below and also linked HERE
Background Info/Previous Articles & Audio linked HERE
INFO: indigenoussolidaritymontreal@gmail.com - 514-848-7583
-----------
Protesters pack city courtroom;
Cornwall Standard Freeholder
Protesters from Ottawa, Montreal and Hamilton packed a Cornwall courtroom Monday in support of Janet Davis, a New York State Iroquois woman who was arrested on June 14
at the Cornwall border crossing in relation to three Customs Act charges from 2003.
Davis, 43, who is also known by her Iroquois name of Katenies, is facing two
additional charges of failing to appear in court after she allegedly passed through
the border in 2003 without stopping for a Canada Customs agent.
She claims the Canadian judicial system has no jurisdiction over her as an
indigenous woman, and even filed a motion in January 2007 to dismiss the charges on
those grounds.
The motion was denied, but Davis renewed her objections yesterday by demanding that
the court provide written proof of their authority to arrest her and charge her
based on what she calls "colonial law."
"My people never gave up their rights or their land to anyone, it was taken from us,
these laws were forced on us," said Davis outside the Cornwall courthouse.
"They have no jurisdiction here. I've asked them a question and they have refused to
answer it. Where do they get this authority?"
Davis added that she signed her official objection to the court with her fingerprint
instead of a written signature as a statement of her individuality as a native
woman.
About 30 people packed the courtroom yesterday morning as Davis, who has refused
representation, addressed Justice of the Peace Linda Leblanc along with Frank Horn,
a Cornwall defence lawyer who says he was only there with Davis as a friend of the
court.
"Katenies stands by the Two Row Wampum Treaty," said Horn, referring to an agreement
signed between the Dutch and the Iroquois Nation of northern New York in 1613.
"Two cultures may live side by side, but they will never cross. She feels that these
charges are a crossover between our two cultures, and that's not right."
Horn was also present in court to object to the treatment of his sister,
Kahentinetha Horn, who was with Davis in June.
Horn said both Davis and Kahentinetha, who is 68 years old, were handcuffed and
wrestled to the ground by border guards, treatment he said led his sister to suffer
a heart attack and be rushed by ambulance to Cornwall Community Hospital.
"She hasn't been the same since this happened," he said. "She won't leave the house,
and she's already been back in the hospital once since June. It's just terrible what
our family has been going through."
Horn said tensions have been mounting over the past few months between border guards
and those from the Akwesasne reserve, adding that many believe the guards are
unfairly targeting aboriginals as an excuse to beef up security.
"The Harper government has this whole strategy to get tough at the borders, and
they're using our people as the means to stir up Canadians and say: 'Look, we've got
this issue at the border, so we've got to increase security,'" he said. "My people
don't appreciate being used in that manner."
Horn said many aboriginals are getting sick of the treatment, and protests such as
yesterday's will continue until the message is received.
Davis' case will go to trial in Alexandria court starting Oct. 21, 2008.
Original article here: http://www.standard-freeholder.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1114035
-----
Solidarity with Katenies!
"Canada" has no jurisdiction over Mohawk land
On July 14, 2008, Mohawk grandmother and activist Katenies appeared before a judge
in the Superior Court of Cornwall, Ontario. And again, Katenies refused to recognize
the authority of the courts, and demanded that Canadian officials prove they have
jurisdiction over her as an Indigenous woman. She has been ordered to appear in
court again on October 21, 2008, in Alexandria, Ontario.
On June 14, 2008, Katenies -- accompanied by Kahentinetha of the Kahnawake Mohawk
Territory - was targeted for arrest by Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) guards
on an outstanding warrant for allegedly "running the border" in 2003, and offenses
resulting from her refusal to appear in court and validate the colonial justice
system.
Katenies has maintained since 2003 that border officials and the Canadian colonial
courts have no jurisdiction over Kanion'ke:haka people or land. In January 2007,
Katenies served court officials with a Motion to Dismiss, demanding that they
establish jurisdiction, if any, over Mohawks and their ability to travel freely
between "Canada" and the "United States".
During the CBSA attack, Katenies and Kahentinetha - who are both writers and
contributors to Mohawk Nation News (MNN) - were treated brutally by border guards.
Both were handcuffed and tackled to the ground. Katenies was jailed for three days.
Kahentinetha suffered a heart attack and had to be hospitalized for several days.
As mainly non-native groups and collectives based in settler communities on or near
Mohawk lands, we are publicly standing in support of Katenies, and demand all
charges against her by the colonial courts be dropped. We also condemn the brutal
attacks by the CBSA on both Katenies and Kahentinetha on June 14, 2008 and declare
our solidarity with Indigenous struggles for land, freedom and self-determination.
Endorsed by:
Agitate (Ottawa)
Les Apatrides Anonymes (Montreal)
Block the Empire-Montreal
Coalition Guerre à la guerre (Quebec City)
Collectif opposé à la brutalité policière (Montreal)
Collectif pour l'Autonomie du Peuple Mapuche (Montreal)
Comité Solidarité Nouveau Equateur (Montreal)
Common Cause Ontario
CUPE Local 3906 (Hamilton)
DIRA Bibliothèque Anarchiste (Montreal)
Kingston Indigenous Solidarity Network
La Otra Campaña (Montreal)
NEFAC-Montreal
No One Is Illegal-Kingston
No One Is Illegal-Montreal
No One Is Illegal-Ottawa
No One Is Illegal-Toronto
Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (Toronto)
OPIRG-Carleton
OPIRG/GRIPO-Ottawa
Ottawa Raging Grannies
People's Global Action Bloc (Ottawa)
Peterborough Coalition Against Poverty
Peterborough Coalition for Palestine Solidarity
Solidarity Across Borders (Montreal)
and others.
Reports about the CBSA attack, and background information, are linked HERE
To endorse this statement, please e-mail indigenoussolidaritymontreal@gmail.com;
Katenies' next scheduled court date is October 21, 2008 in Alexandria, Ontario.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Dentures Campaign Update
City Council is Listening – Tell Them that You Support PCAP’s Fair Access to Dentures Campaign!
In December 2007, PCAP launched its 'Fair Access to Dentures Campaign' in response to the increasingly high volume of calls we received from people on ODSP and OW (many people on Ontario Works live with disabilities that make them unemployable) who had been denied access to dentures benefits. Upon investigation, we found a two-tiered discriminatory municipal policy that violated provincial legislation. Currently, the dentures benefit is only available for employment related reasons (even if you need them to relieve pain or for medical reasons). This policy has forced people to make a hard choice – feed the kids, pay the rent or buy new teeth.
Over the past 6 months PCAP has continued to lobby City Council to change this municipal policy. Our campaign is part of a broader effort by organizations and individuals in the city and across the province who recognize that welfare rates are set at dangerous subpoverty levels and that proactive measures need to be taken to increase benefits at all levels of government.
Several community groups and local dentists have endorsed our campaign, including the Peterborough Health Coalition, CUPE Local 3908, OPIRG Peterborough, NDP Local Riding Association, the Peterborough Coalition for Palestinian Solidarity, the YWCA Peterborough, Victoria, and Haliburton, and Dr. Andrew Hebden. If you are a local dentist or a member of a community group, please show your support by endorsing our fair access to dentures campaign!
On July 7th, 2008 Council approved a report aimed at expanding discretionary benefits for people trying to live on meagre social assistance incomes. It is most promising that Council recognized the need to expand eligibility criteria by making the dentures benefit available to people for both employment and health-related reasons. However, the following recommendations must also be implemented to ensure that full access to dentures is secured.
1. Accept retroactive applications from all recipients previously denied under the discriminatory policy.
This includes providing full reimbursement to those who have paid for their own dentures, and approving benefits payments for those who still require dentures.
2. Secure ongoing funding for the newly enhanced benefit.
The recommendations approved by Council last Monday only guarantees funding for the 2008 budget year. While we applaud the City for keeping these funds directed at social assistance for 2008, this will need to be secured in the 2009 budget as well. These enhanced benefits are a weak gain if funding is only guaranteed for one year.
3. Develop a standard application form for all discretionary benefits.
The problem of accessibility, accountability, transparency and tracking has been widely acknowledged in the community (and was much discussed at the October 22/07 public forum on discretionary benefits policy reform). The idea of a standard application form was put forth as a reasonable and easily achieved solution, yet is absent from the report.
4. Provide dentures coverage for $1500 total, rather than splitting the entitlement into two separate claims ($750 for lower and $750 for upper dentures work).
This imposes an unworkable limit since upper or lower dentures cost an average of $200 more than that, thus denying access to dentures for even more people.
5. Lobby governments for a 40% raise in OW/ODSP rates!
**Email City Councillors and Encourage Them to Make the Dentures Benefit Fully Accessible**
Please copy all emails to:
PCAP: pcap@riseup.net
and Ken Doherty, Director of Community Services: kdoherty@city.peterborough.on.ca
Contacts:
Paul Ayotte, Mayor
e-mail: mayor@city.peterborough.on.ca
J. Douglas Peacock, Chair of Social Services
e-mail: dpeacock@city.peterborough.on.ca
Director of Community Services
e-mail: kdoherty@peterborough.ca
Henry Clarke, Deputy Mayor, Chair of Finance
e-mail: hclarke@city.peterborough.on.ca
Eric Martin, WARD 1 – Otonabee
e-mail: emartin@peterborough.ca
Jack Doris, WARD 2 – Monaghan
e-mail: jdoris@peterborough.ca
Ann E. Farquharson, Ward 3 – Town
e-mail: afarquharson@peterborough.ca
Dean Pappas, WARD 3 - Town
e-mail: dpappas@peterborough.ca
Patti S. Peeters, WARD 4 - Ashburnham
e-mail: ppeeters@peterborough.ca
Len Vass, WARD 4 - Ashburnham
e-mail: lvass@peterborough.ca
Shirley Eggleton, WARD 5 - Northcrest
e-mail: seggleton@peterborough.ca
Bob Hall, WARD 5 - Northcrest
e-mail: bhall@peterborough.ca
Fight to Win!
Raise the Rates!
-PCAP
For more information on the 'Fair Access to Dentures Campaign' please click HERE
To view the social services report (Ontario Works Discretionary Benefits Review) approved by Council please click HERE (with attention to item 14)
Peterborough Examiner article: click HERE
**The changes to the dentures benefit policy will be in effect as of October 1st 2008 - please contact PCAP (pcap@riseup.net, 749-9694) if you need dentures or have been denied access to the benefit.
In December 2007, PCAP launched its 'Fair Access to Dentures Campaign' in response to the increasingly high volume of calls we received from people on ODSP and OW (many people on Ontario Works live with disabilities that make them unemployable) who had been denied access to dentures benefits. Upon investigation, we found a two-tiered discriminatory municipal policy that violated provincial legislation. Currently, the dentures benefit is only available for employment related reasons (even if you need them to relieve pain or for medical reasons). This policy has forced people to make a hard choice – feed the kids, pay the rent or buy new teeth.
Over the past 6 months PCAP has continued to lobby City Council to change this municipal policy. Our campaign is part of a broader effort by organizations and individuals in the city and across the province who recognize that welfare rates are set at dangerous subpoverty levels and that proactive measures need to be taken to increase benefits at all levels of government.
Several community groups and local dentists have endorsed our campaign, including the Peterborough Health Coalition, CUPE Local 3908, OPIRG Peterborough, NDP Local Riding Association, the Peterborough Coalition for Palestinian Solidarity, the YWCA Peterborough, Victoria, and Haliburton, and Dr. Andrew Hebden. If you are a local dentist or a member of a community group, please show your support by endorsing our fair access to dentures campaign!
On July 7th, 2008 Council approved a report aimed at expanding discretionary benefits for people trying to live on meagre social assistance incomes. It is most promising that Council recognized the need to expand eligibility criteria by making the dentures benefit available to people for both employment and health-related reasons. However, the following recommendations must also be implemented to ensure that full access to dentures is secured.
1. Accept retroactive applications from all recipients previously denied under the discriminatory policy.
This includes providing full reimbursement to those who have paid for their own dentures, and approving benefits payments for those who still require dentures.
2. Secure ongoing funding for the newly enhanced benefit.
The recommendations approved by Council last Monday only guarantees funding for the 2008 budget year. While we applaud the City for keeping these funds directed at social assistance for 2008, this will need to be secured in the 2009 budget as well. These enhanced benefits are a weak gain if funding is only guaranteed for one year.
3. Develop a standard application form for all discretionary benefits.
The problem of accessibility, accountability, transparency and tracking has been widely acknowledged in the community (and was much discussed at the October 22/07 public forum on discretionary benefits policy reform). The idea of a standard application form was put forth as a reasonable and easily achieved solution, yet is absent from the report.
4. Provide dentures coverage for $1500 total, rather than splitting the entitlement into two separate claims ($750 for lower and $750 for upper dentures work).
This imposes an unworkable limit since upper or lower dentures cost an average of $200 more than that, thus denying access to dentures for even more people.
5. Lobby governments for a 40% raise in OW/ODSP rates!
**Email City Councillors and Encourage Them to Make the Dentures Benefit Fully Accessible**
Please copy all emails to:
PCAP: pcap@riseup.net
and Ken Doherty, Director of Community Services: kdoherty@city.peterborough.on.ca
Contacts:
Paul Ayotte, Mayor
e-mail: mayor@city.peterborough.on.ca
J. Douglas Peacock, Chair of Social Services
e-mail: dpeacock@city.peterborough.on.ca
Director of Community Services
e-mail: kdoherty@peterborough.ca
Henry Clarke, Deputy Mayor, Chair of Finance
e-mail: hclarke@city.peterborough.on.ca
Eric Martin, WARD 1 – Otonabee
e-mail: emartin@peterborough.ca
Jack Doris, WARD 2 – Monaghan
e-mail: jdoris@peterborough.ca
Ann E. Farquharson, Ward 3 – Town
e-mail: afarquharson@peterborough.ca
Dean Pappas, WARD 3 - Town
e-mail: dpappas@peterborough.ca
Patti S. Peeters, WARD 4 - Ashburnham
e-mail: ppeeters@peterborough.ca
Len Vass, WARD 4 - Ashburnham
e-mail: lvass@peterborough.ca
Shirley Eggleton, WARD 5 - Northcrest
e-mail: seggleton@peterborough.ca
Bob Hall, WARD 5 - Northcrest
e-mail: bhall@peterborough.ca
Fight to Win!
Raise the Rates!
-PCAP
For more information on the 'Fair Access to Dentures Campaign' please click HERE
To view the social services report (Ontario Works Discretionary Benefits Review) approved by Council please click HERE (with attention to item 14)
Peterborough Examiner article: click HERE
**The changes to the dentures benefit policy will be in effect as of October 1st 2008 - please contact PCAP (pcap@riseup.net, 749-9694) if you need dentures or have been denied access to the benefit.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
City Council responds positively to PCAP campaign for expanded benefits
PCAP invites you to join us at next week’s City Council meeting (Monday, July 7 @ 6:30pm, City Hall, 500 George St. N.). If you have been denied dentures benefits due to restrictive city policy, or if you have supported PCAP’s “Fair Access to Dentures Campaign” over the past 6 months, please show your support for a promising report to be voted on by Council.
The central aim of the report is to expand discretionary benefits for people trying to live on the meagre provincial social assistance incomes (OW and ODSP). While PCAP continues to press for a 40% increase in welfare rates across Ontario, we approve of the direction of the report as an interim measure.
PCAP appreciates the work of the Mayor’s Action Committee on Poverty Reduction in moving these demands forward to Council, and are glad to see a positive response to reasonable demands being made by PCAP and many others in the community.
In December 2007, PCAP launched its “Fair Access to Dentures Campaign”. The campaign was a response to the increasingly high volume of calls we got from people on OW/ODSP who had been denied access to dentures benefits. Upon investigation, we found a two-tiered municipal policy. Currently, if you cannot work due to disabilities that render you unemployable, you cannot receive dentures benefits (even if you need them to relieve pain or for medical reasons). This policy has forced people to make a hard choice – feed the kids, pay the rent or buy new teeth.
Over the past 6 months PCAP has continued to lobby City Council to change this municipal policy. Our campaign is part of a broader effort by organizations and individuals in the city and across the province who recognize that welfare rates are set at dangerous subpoverty levels and that proactive measures need to be taken to increase benefits at all levels of government.
We are encouraged to see that City Council is listening. The report passed through the Committee of the Whole last week, gaining the approval of Councillors in attendance. We expect no less at the vote in Council next week.
Most importantly, the report calls for a change in the guiding principles for municipal policy on discretionary benefits. Specifically, it recommends eliminating the former two-tiered policy in favour of a policy that allows access to benefits “to relieve pain or for medical or therapeutic purposes or to increase employability.” If this motion is passed, dentures benefits will be available for all OW and ODSP recipients beginning October 1, 2008.
While we are encouraged by this direction in Council, PCAP wants clarification on some questions to ensure that full access to dentures is secured.
1. We want to ensure that those who applied under the old policy (and were denied access) will be eligible to re-apply without penalty immediately on October 1.
2. We are concerned about securing ongoing funding for the newly enhanced benefits. The funds being directed to Discretionary Benefits are to come from money saved by the City due to the restructuring of social assistance in 2008. While we applaud the City for keeping these funds directed at social assistance for 2008, this will need to be secured in the 2009 budget as well. These enhanced benefits are a weak gain if funding is only guaranteed for one year.
3. We are seeking a standard application form for all discretionary benefits. The problem of accessibility, accountability, transparency and tracking has been widely acknowledged in the community (and was much discussed at the October 22/07 public forum on discretionary benefits policy reform). The idea of a standard application form was put forth as a reasonable and easily achieved solution, yet is absent from the report.
4. We have questions about the decision to split the $1500 entitlement into two separate claims ($750 for lower and $750 for upper dentures work). This will impose an unworkable limit on those who require more expensive work on either upper or lower, and limits choices.
Please join us at City Council on Monday to support PCAP’s work in further strengthening the report and to make sure these gains are secured by a positive vote.
Fight to Win!
Raise the Rates!
PCAP
Join us at 6:00 p.m. for the weekly Food Not Bombs dinner at City Hall - Free, delicious, and vegetarian!
For more information on the 'Fair Access to Dentures Campaign' please click HERE
To view the City Council Meeting Agenda, please click HERE (with attention to item 4 d.)
To view the social services report (Ontario Works Discretionary Benefits Review) being considered by Council please click HERE (with attention to item 14):
The central aim of the report is to expand discretionary benefits for people trying to live on the meagre provincial social assistance incomes (OW and ODSP). While PCAP continues to press for a 40% increase in welfare rates across Ontario, we approve of the direction of the report as an interim measure.
PCAP appreciates the work of the Mayor’s Action Committee on Poverty Reduction in moving these demands forward to Council, and are glad to see a positive response to reasonable demands being made by PCAP and many others in the community.
In December 2007, PCAP launched its “Fair Access to Dentures Campaign”. The campaign was a response to the increasingly high volume of calls we got from people on OW/ODSP who had been denied access to dentures benefits. Upon investigation, we found a two-tiered municipal policy. Currently, if you cannot work due to disabilities that render you unemployable, you cannot receive dentures benefits (even if you need them to relieve pain or for medical reasons). This policy has forced people to make a hard choice – feed the kids, pay the rent or buy new teeth.
Over the past 6 months PCAP has continued to lobby City Council to change this municipal policy. Our campaign is part of a broader effort by organizations and individuals in the city and across the province who recognize that welfare rates are set at dangerous subpoverty levels and that proactive measures need to be taken to increase benefits at all levels of government.
We are encouraged to see that City Council is listening. The report passed through the Committee of the Whole last week, gaining the approval of Councillors in attendance. We expect no less at the vote in Council next week.
Most importantly, the report calls for a change in the guiding principles for municipal policy on discretionary benefits. Specifically, it recommends eliminating the former two-tiered policy in favour of a policy that allows access to benefits “to relieve pain or for medical or therapeutic purposes or to increase employability.” If this motion is passed, dentures benefits will be available for all OW and ODSP recipients beginning October 1, 2008.
While we are encouraged by this direction in Council, PCAP wants clarification on some questions to ensure that full access to dentures is secured.
1. We want to ensure that those who applied under the old policy (and were denied access) will be eligible to re-apply without penalty immediately on October 1.
2. We are concerned about securing ongoing funding for the newly enhanced benefits. The funds being directed to Discretionary Benefits are to come from money saved by the City due to the restructuring of social assistance in 2008. While we applaud the City for keeping these funds directed at social assistance for 2008, this will need to be secured in the 2009 budget as well. These enhanced benefits are a weak gain if funding is only guaranteed for one year.
3. We are seeking a standard application form for all discretionary benefits. The problem of accessibility, accountability, transparency and tracking has been widely acknowledged in the community (and was much discussed at the October 22/07 public forum on discretionary benefits policy reform). The idea of a standard application form was put forth as a reasonable and easily achieved solution, yet is absent from the report.
4. We have questions about the decision to split the $1500 entitlement into two separate claims ($750 for lower and $750 for upper dentures work). This will impose an unworkable limit on those who require more expensive work on either upper or lower, and limits choices.
Please join us at City Council on Monday to support PCAP’s work in further strengthening the report and to make sure these gains are secured by a positive vote.
Fight to Win!
Raise the Rates!
PCAP
Join us at 6:00 p.m. for the weekly Food Not Bombs dinner at City Hall - Free, delicious, and vegetarian!
For more information on the 'Fair Access to Dentures Campaign' please click HERE
To view the City Council Meeting Agenda, please click HERE (with attention to item 4 d.)
To view the social services report (Ontario Works Discretionary Benefits Review) being considered by Council please click HERE (with attention to item 14):
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