Canadian Social Research Newsletter
December 2, 2007

Welcome to the weekly Canadian Social Research Newsletter,
a listing of the new links added to the Canadian Social Research Links website in the past week.

The e-mail version of this week's issue of the newsletter is going out to 1844 subscribers.

Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter to see some notes and a disclaimer.

IN THIS ISSUE:

Canadian Content

1. National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women (December 6) + 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence
2. The Homeless Hub (Canadian homelessness resources)
3. Atkinson Foundation E-Bulletin (Atkinson Charitable Foundation) - November 30, 2007
4. What's New from Statistics Canada:
--- Canadian economic accounts, third quarter 2007 and September 2007 - November 30
--- Study: Impact of literacy on earnings for native-born Canadians - November 30
--- Canada's balance of international payments, third quarter 2007 - November 29
--- Canada's population by age and sex - November 29
--- Employment Insurance, September 2007 - November 27
--- Payroll employment, earnings and hours, September 2007 - November 27
--- Pensions and retirement savings of families - November 26
--- Depression at work - November 26
5. Interview : Chretien dodges blame for homelessness while he was Prime Minister (The Georgia Strait) - November 29
6. John Richards on “Tough Love” and Poverty (Commentary by Andrew Jackson, Canadian Labour Congress) - November 28
7. [Yukon] Proposed Social Assistance Reforms Announced (Health and Social Services) - November 28
8. The Cost of Eating in BC 2007 Report (Dieticians of Canada) - November 28
9. Toronto United Way poverty report reveals 1 in 4 families struggling in poverty - November 26
10. 2007 Report Card on Child Poverty in Canada + 2007 child poverty reports for BC-AB-MB-NB-NS (Campaign 2000) - November 26
11. The role of family and government financial supports in helping Canadian workers avoid poverty (Human Resources and Social Development Canada) - October 2007
12. [New Brunswick] What's new from the Common Front for Social Justice:
--- No Difference between the previous and current government in fighting poverty - October 2007
--- United Nations International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
--- Social assistance : a life of misery for many
13. Addressing the Falling Fortunes of Young Children and their Families: A Community Building Approach (Campaign 2000)
14. Women shut out of Employment Insurance: Study (Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives) - November 22
15. Online Reference Tools: Social Justice (University of Guelph Library)
16. Low paid work still widespread in Canada (Canadian Union of Public Employees) - November 19
17. Canadian Blogs

International Content

18. Poverty Dispatch: U.S. media coverage of social issues and programs
19. Reconciling Work and Family Life: Findings for Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) - November 29
20. Australian Policy Online Weekly Briefing : Selected recent content
21. CRINMAIL (Child Rights Information Network - CRIN)

The Government of Canada Calls for an End to Violence against Women
News Release
November 23, 2007
OTTAWA - The Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages, in recognition of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on November 25, called for an end to violence against women. (...) November 25 commemorates the 1960 murders of the Mirabel sisters in the Dominican Republic. Worldwide it also marks the beginning of 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence (see the link further below), including Canada's National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women on December 6.
Source:
Status of Women Canada

-------------

Reality Check:

From the Canadian Union of Public Employees:

National Association of Women and the Law closes its doors
September 20, 2007
Ottawa – “It is outrageous that the National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL) has been forced to layoff its full time staff and close its doors because Stephen Harper’s government does not believe it deserves funding,” said CUPE National President Paul Moist. The Harper minority government changed the mandate of Status of Women Canada – the agency that funded groups like NAWL, and took out references to the advancement of feminist work. (...) In addition to the many regional women’s organizations faced with impending closure, the Harper government has also withdrawn funding from several other national women’s organizations including:
* Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women (CRIAW)
* Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA)
* Canadian Child Care Advocacy Association (CCAAC).

Harper government working to silence women
Press Release
September 20, 2007
OTTAWA – Effective today, the National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL) is being forced to close its office, lay off its staff, and cease major consultations and advocacy on women's legal issues as an outcome of the Harper government's devastating changes to the mandate of Status of Women Canada. This closure is a grave blow to the continuing struggle for women's equality.
----------------
**NOTE: scroll to the bottom of the press release page for links to over two dozen media articles and reactions from other women's groups, unions and political parties
----------------
Source:
National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL)
NAWLis a feminist non-profit organization that has worked to promote the equality rights of all women in Canada since 1974.

September 2006 federal cuts to women's programs in Canada
(from the Canadian Social Research Links page of
Government sites on women's programs)

-------------

Related link (international):

16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence
Demanding Implementation, Challenging Obstacles: End Violence Against Women
November 19, 2007
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence (25 November - 10 December) is an international campaign originating from the first Women's Global Leadership Institute sponsored by the Center for Women's Global Leadership in 1991.
Source:
Nobel Women's Initiative
The Nobel Women's Initiative was established in 2006 by six sister Nobel Peace Laureates "to bring together our extraordinary experiences in a united effort for peace with justice and equality."

- Go to the Canadian Government Sites about Women's Social Issues page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/women.htm
- Go to the the Canadian Non-Governmental Sites about Women's Social Issues page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/womencanngo.htm
- Go to the Links to International Sites about Women's Social Issues page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/womeninternat.htm

The Homeless Hub
Mission : to provide a single online tool for homelessness stakeholders from across Canada to use, to find the research, strategy and policy information they need to make informed decisions when creating effective solutions. (...) As a one-stop-shop, the Homeless Hub is a place where community services providers, researchers, government representatives, people who have experienced homelessness and the general public can access and share research, stories, and best practices.(...)
* Search or browse the library, experiences, resources and Hub Network areas to get the information and contacts you need.
* Share your knowledge by submitting your documents or citations of works, and permit us to include them in our library
* Join the Hub Network and allow us to make your core contact information visible for other stakeholders to contact you for collaboration purposes
The Homeless Hub is based on a partnership between York University, the Government of Canada and a range of community partners from across the country.

- Go to the Homelessness and Housing Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/homeless.htm

Atkinson Foundation E-Bulletin - November 30, 2007
Featuring news, views and updates from the Atkinson Charitable Foundation and its partners.
IN THIS BULLETIN:
* Uzma Shakir awarded Atkinson Fellowship
* Pascal Appointed Early Years Advisor
* Arctic in Peril: Ed Struzic's Atkinson Series
* Partnerships for grassroots activism
* World Forum calls for new measures of progress
* Cathy Crowe Newsletter
* More...
Source:
Atkinson Charitable Foundation

- Go to the Ontario Municipal and Non-Governmental Sites (A-C) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/onbkmrk2.htm

What's New from The Daily [Statistics Canada]:

November 30, 2007
Canadian economic accounts, third quarter 2007 and September 2007
Economic growth moderated in the third quarter as real gross domestic product advanced 0.7%, down from 0.9% in the second. Economic output was up 0.1% in September, after increasing 0.2% in August and 0.1% in July. A more detailed analysis is available in Canadian Economic Accounts Quarterly Review.

November 30, 2007
Study: Impact of literacy on earnings for native-born Canadians
A new study, published today in the International Adult Literacy Survey monograph series, examines the distribution of literacy skills in Canada, how these skills are generated, and the impacts of literacy on labour market earnings. The study focused mainly on data from the Canadian component of the 2003 International Adult Literacy and Skills Survey, composed of a sample of over 22,000 respondents. The Canadian component of the 1994 International Adult Literacy Survey was also used to obtain a more complete picture of how literacy changes with age and across birth cohorts.

Complete study:
Literacy and the Labour Market:
The Generation of Literacy and Its Impact on Earnings for Native-born Canadians (November 2007)

November 29, 2007
Canada's balance of international payments, third quarter 2007
Canada's current account surplus with the rest of the world (on a seasonally adjusted basis) decreased $5.3 billion in the third quarter of 2007 to $1.0 billion, the lowest surplus since the second quarter of 2003. In the capital and financial account (not seasonally adjusted), both outward and inward investment flows slowed appreciably in the third quarter of 2007.

November 29, 2007
Canada's population by age and sex (as of July 1, 2007)
Canada's population continues to age, but it is still one of the youngest of the world's developed nations, according to new preliminary estimates. As of July 1, 2007, the population's median age was estimated at 39.0 years. In 2002, it was 37.6 years.

November 27, 2007
Hours worked and labour productivity in the provinces and territories, 2006
Growth in labour productivity eased in all provinces in 2006, except for the four Atlantic provinces. For a second straight year, Manitoba and Alberta recorded the strongest gains in productivity among the provinces, although in each case the gains were significantly slower than in 2005.

November 27, 2007
Employment Insurance, September 2007
An estimated 456,180 Canadians (seasonally adjusted) received regular Employment Insurance benefits in September, a 4.5% decrease from the previous month. Since the same period in 2006, the number of regular beneficiaries has declined 7.8% nationally. At the provincial level, the largest year-over-year declines occurred in Alberta (-15.4%), New Brunswick (-12.7%) and Manitoba (-11.9%). Regular benefit payments in September totalled $754.6 million, while 215,510 people made initial and renewal claims.

November 27, 2007
Payroll employment, earnings and hours, September 2007
In September, the average weekly earnings of payroll employees (seasonally adjusted) increased $2.01 from August, to stand at $772.52. The year-to-date growth, calculated as the average of the first nine months of 2007 compared to the average of the same nine months in 2006, is 3.1%. In Canada's largest industrial sectors, growth in year-to-date earnings in 2007 was observed in manufacturing (+3.5%), in health and social assistance (+3.5%), in educational services (+1.0%) and in retail trade (+0.3 %)

From Perspectives on Labour and Income - November 2007:

Pensions and retirement savings of families
By René Morissette and Yuri Ostrovsky
Prime-aged couples experienced a moderate decline in RPP coverage over the last two decades, as the substantial growth in wives’ labour market participation and the slight increase in their RPP coverage only partially offset a substantial decline in husbands’ coverage. On average, retirement savings of families rose over the last two decades, but the distribution became more unequal. To a large extent, the uneven growth in retirement savings mirrors the sharp increase in family earnings inequality since the early 1980s.

Depression at work
By Heather Gilmour and Scott B. Patten
Worldwide, depression is the leading cause of years lived with disability. It can affect many aspects of life, including work. In fact, the impact of depression on job performance has been estimated to be greater than that of chronic conditions.

- Go to the Federal Government Department Links (Fisheries and Oceans to Veterans Affairs) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/fedbkmrk2.htm

Chretien dodges any blame for homeless
Jean Chrétien oversaw the scrapping of the Canada Assistance Plan.
By Charlie Smith
November 29, 2007
Former prime minister Jean Chrétien doesn't think that the government he led for 10 years is responsible for Vancouver's growing homelessness problem. In a wide-ranging phone interview with the Georgia Straight to coincide with the release of his new book, My Years as Prime Minister (Alfred A. Knopf Canada, $39.95), Chrétien said that the federal government has "some limited responsibility" for homelessness.
Source:
The Georgia Strait (Vancouver)

- Go to the Homelessness and Housing Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/homeless.htm

John Richards on “Tough Love” and Poverty
Commentary by Andrew Jackson on John Richards'
Reducing Poverty: What has Worked, and What Should Come Next
November 28, 2007
"(...) His [Richards'] basic argument here is that “tough love” welfare “reform” in the sense of deep cuts to welfare rates and increased social worker policing of recipients to impose work incentives, especially in Alberta and Ontario, “worked” in that it reduced welfare recipiency and poverty rates and increased employment. He is much less enthusiastic about “soft love” earnings supplements for the working poor because they result in high marginal tax rates for those just above the poverty line. The basic message here is that the punitive cuts of Harris in Ontario and Klein in Alberta were effective in reducing poverty by driving welfare recipients into work." (...) What John emphatically does not do is compare poverty rates between cyclically equivalent years, ie 2005 compared to the late 1980s. As detailed in the just-released Campaign 2000 report card for 2007, that time comparison is much less flattering to recent policy, and shows little or no progress on the child poverty front. In summary, the so-called “tough love” approach of Klein and Harris may have reduced welfare rates but it deepened poverty for those who remanied on welfare, and - in the context of an improved job market - shifted many from the ranks of the welfare poor to the working poor and near poor. That’s hardly cause for great celebration..."

More Comments on John Richards, “Tough Love” and Poverty
- incl. comments (on Andrew Jackson's commentary concerning John Richards' commentary)
by John Myles (University of Toronto) and John Stapleton (Modernizing Income Security for Working Age Adults Task Force, Toronto)

Source:
Relentlessly Progressive Economics
[A Blog of the Progressive Economics Forum]

Related link:

Reducing Poverty:
What has Worked, and What Should Come Next (PDF file - 590K, 32 pages)
C.D. Howe Institute Commentary by John Richards
October 2007
Source:
C.D. Howe Institute

- Go to the Social Research Organizations (II) in Canada page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/research2.htm

Yukon:
Proposed Social Assistance Reforms Announced
November 28, 2007
WHITEHORSE – Health and Social Services Minister Brad Cathers today announced proposed changes to social assistance rates and program structures, resulting from the most comprehensive review of social assistance conducted since the program’s inception. "The proposed changes include increases to social assistance rates and an incentive package to encourage social assistance recipients to enter the workforce," Cathers said. "There would also be a new program with enhanced services for persons with severe disabilities who are eligible for social assistance." [ more ]
Source:
Yukon Health and Social Services

Related links:

Yukon businesses applaud proposed social assistance changes
November 29
The Yukon's business community gave a thumbs-up Thursday to the territorial government's proposed changes to its social assistance program, although some say more can be done to help assistance recipients stay in the workforce. (...) Health and Social Services Minister Brad Cathers said he is proposing to raise social assistance rates by about 20 per cent, as well as offer financial incentives to encourage recipients to enter the workforce.Cathers said the changes came from a comprehensive review of the territory's social assistance program. The government has to meet with federal authorities and First Nations before the changes can be implemented.

<begin social program researcher's lament/plea.>
There are some excellent government websites about social assistance in the provinces and territories, but sadly, Yukon's is not one of them. The only social assistance program information that I can find on the Yukon Health and Social Services website is a blurb about the Pioneer Utility Grant for People over 65 and a Frequently-Asked Questions page that barely touches on social assistance program details. (For your info, there were about 1,100 people in receipt of welfare in March of 2005, the latest figures I could find.) For links Yukon welfare caseload figures from 1995 to 2005 as well as to the Yukon Social Assistance Act and Regulations and to Google.ca Web, news and blog search results pages, go to the Key Welfare Links page of this website : http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/welfare.htm and click the Yukon link near the top of the page). On behalf of welfare researchers, may I say that it would be greatly appreciated if the nice folks in Yukon Health and Social Services could update their site to include more info on their social assistance program...
</end social program researcher's lament/plea.>

- Go to the Yukon Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/yk.htm
- Go to the Key Provincial/Territorial Welfare Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/welfare.htm

New from the Dieticians of Canada:

Food costs take a big bite of the income pie for low-income British Columbians
News Release
November 28, 2007
Vancouver, British Columbia – Imagine spending 42% of your income after taxes on food. That’s how much a family of four receiving income assistance in BC would need to spend to purchase enough healthy food. Combine this with the estimated 65% required for shelter, and this family is in the hole before purchasing any other necessities of daily living, such as clothing, transportation, and personal care items. Compare these circumstances with a family of four with an average income; that family would spend about 17% of their income on food and 33% on shelter.

The Cost of Eating in BC 2007 Report (528K, 12 pages)
"... profiles the hardships faced by families trying to purchase healthy food while living on a low-income"

Cost of Eating Reports for earlier years (back to 2001)

Source:
Dieticians of Canada
This report was produced by Dietitians of Canada, BC Region
in partnership with the Community Nutritionists Council of BC

Related link:

Poor in B.C. eat the worst
Government must raise welfare: Report
November 29, 2007
British Columbians have little access to healthy food because welfare cheques and minimum wage are too low, according to a report released Wednesday.The annual release from the Dieticians of Canada and the Community Nutritionists Council of B.C. say this province has more families than any other facing substantial barriers when trying to access healthy food.
Source:
Canada.com

- Go to the Non-Governmental Sites in British Columbia (D-W) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/bcbkmrk3.htm
- Go to the Food Banks and Hunger Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/foodbkmrk.htm

What's new from the United Way of Greater Toronto:

United Way poverty report reveals 1 in 4
Toronto families struggling in poverty
Despite economic prosperity, high employment and strong job growth Toronto’s
family poverty rate at 28.8 per cent, compared with 19.5 per cent across Canada
Media Release
TORONTO, November 26, 2007 –The number of low-income families in Toronto continues to grow at an alarming rate, opening up an ever-widening gap with families in the rest of Canada, according to a research study released today by United Way of Greater Toronto. The study also chronicles a number of startling symptoms of the persistent growth of poverty in the city, including signs of growing debt such as insolvencies, rising eviction applications, and a rapid expansion of quick-fix money solutions targeting low-income neighbourhoods across the city.

Losing Ground: The persistent growth
of family poverty in Canada's largest city
November 2007
* Full report (pdf - 1 MB)
* Executive summary (pdf - 705 KB)
* Introduction by Frances Lankin
* Key findings
* Toronto warning signs
* Recommendations
* FAQ's
* Definitions

This report builds on and updates the findings of several groundbreaking reports:

*** Strong Neighbourhoods: A Call to Action (2005)
*** Poverty by Postal Code (2004)
***Decade of Decline (2002)
Source:
United Way of Greater Toronto

*** Update to the TD Economics' 2002 Report on the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Economy(2007)
Source:
TD Economics

*** Time for a Fair Deal (2006)
Source:
Modernizing Income Security for Working Age Adults Task Force:

- Go to the Ontario Municipal and Non-Governmental Sites (D-W) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/onbkmrk3.htm

2007 Report Card on Child Poverty in Canada - Campaign 2000

No Change 18 Years Later – New Report Shows Child Poverty at 1989 Levels
Media release
November 26, 2007
Eighteen years after the 1989 all-party resolution of the House of Commons to end child poverty in Canada the rate is exactly the same, says a new report from Campaign 2000. Despite a growing economy, a soaring dollar and low unemployment, Statistics Canada data shows the after-tax child poverty rate is 11.7%, exactly where it was when all federal parties decided action was urgently needed.

Complete report card:

It Takes a Nation to Raise a Generation:
Time for a National Poverty Reduction Strategy (PDF file - 542K, 8 pages)
November 2007

Version française:

Il faut une nation pour éduquer une génération :
Le temps est venu pour une stratégie nationale de réduction de la pauvreté (fichier PDF - 565Ko, 8 pages)
Rapport 2007 sur la pauvreté des enfants et des familles au Canada

Source:
Campaign 2000 Report on Child and Family Poverty in Canada
Main page - includes links to both the French and English media releases and reports, as well as links to national report cards for previous years and for selected Canadian provinces.
[ Campaign 2000 ]

Related links:

Campaign 2000 Provincial report cards on child poverty
- incl. links to child poverty reports for BC - AB - SK - MB- ON - NB - NS
NOTE: (Nov. 26/07) As at this date, not all provinces have posted a child poverty report card for 2007. However, if you click the link above you can access reports for those jurisdictions for earlier years. The links below are to those jurisdictions that have a 2007 report online on Nov. 26.

British Columbia:
2007 Child Poverty Report Card (PDF file - 196K, 19 pages)
November 2007
Source:
First Call BC

Alberta:
Child and Family Poverty Too High in Wealthy Alberta
November 26, 2007
Related link:
Wages and Child and Family Poverty in Alberta: Fact Sheet
Source:
Public Interest Alberta

Manitoba:
A Province Left Behind.... Where's our poverty eradication plan,
Prime Minister Harper, Premier Doer and Mayor Katz? (PDF file - 971K, 38 pages)
November 2007
Source:
Social Planning Council of Winnipeg

New Brunswick:
Child and Family Poverty report card 2007 (PDF file - 780K, 6 pages)
November 2007
Source:
New Brunswick Human Development Council

Nova Scotia:
Child poverty in Nova Scotia: The facts (PDF file - 370K, 9 pages)
November 24, 2007
By Pauline Raven, Lesley Frank and Renee Ross

Related links:

BC's Child Poverty Rate Tops Again
Or is this headline just trying to manipulate you?
By Rob Annandale
November 26, 2007
"(...)To say a Vancouverite who earns $20,000 per year is living in poverty would indeed seem preposterous to many of the more than one billion people worldwide who survive on less than a dollar a day."
Source:
The Tyee
<begin Leap of Logic rant:>
EH? Comparing the incomes of someone living in Vancouver with someone in Africa or Asia?
Reality check: It's the cost of living, Stupid. I would have expected this kind of distorted comparison from minions of the Fraser Institute, but from the Tyee?? Yech.
(Read the Comments section immediately below the article for similar helpful advice to Mr. Annandale.)
</end Leap of Logic rant.>

From the Edmonton Social Planning Council:

Standing Still in a Booming Economy:
Finding Solutions for Low Income Working Households (PDF file - 672K, 51 pages)
October 2007
Table of contents:
* Introduction * Methodology * Reporting the Trends (Profile of Edmonton’s Economy - Employment - Employment Earnings and Benefits - Market Income - After-Tax Income - Economic Growth and Family Incomes - Income Distribution - Job Market - Unionization - Low Income - Workers in Low Income Households) * Recommendations (Labour Market - Transfer Programs - Tax Measures) * Conclusion
[NOTE: this isn't part of campaign 2000's provincial child poverty reports, but it's recent and it's about poverty in Alberta, so it's included here for information purposes.]

From CBC:

* B.C.'s child poverty rate worst in Canada: First Call report (November 26)
* Child poverty rate in Manitoba remains too high: Social Planning Council of Winnipeg (November 26)

From the Halifax Chronicle Herald:

Survey: Poor kids’ lot gets worse
November 27, 2007
The national child poverty rate may be the same as it was in 1989, but life for poor Nova Scotia families isn’t, says a new report on child poverty.

- Go to the Children, Families and Youth Links (NGO) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/chnngo.htm

The role of family and government financial supports in helping Canadian workers avoid poverty
October 2007
(Posted to the HRSDC website November 26)
PDF version (288K, 87 pages)
HTML version
"...assesses the extent to which family and government financial supports prevent workers from living in low income."
- incl. links to:
* Abstract * Major Factors Leading to Poverty * Definitions of Vulnerable Workers that Consider Family and Government Financial Support * 2002 profiles of vulnerable workers, the working poor and workers who are not self-sufficient * Determinants of Potential Poverty for Workers * Occurrence of Major Life-Disruptive Events Among Vulnerable and Non-Vulnerable Workers * What Happens to Vulnerable Workers, the Working Poor and Workers with Low Earnings Over the Longer Term * Conclusions * Tables and Graphs * Bibliography * more

Source:
Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC)

------------------------------------

What else is new at HRSDC in November 2007?
* To better meet the needs of prospective immigrants and newcomers to Canada, CIC and HRSDC have updated the Going to Canada Immigration Portal to incorporate new content and interactive tools. This website was developed in partnership with Citizenship and Immigration Canada. HRSDC's section of the portal, called Working in Canada helps prospective and new immigrants learn more about Canada's labour market and the steps involved in finding a job in Canada.

*The Working in Canada Tool helps prospective and new immigrants prepare for employment in Canada by providing labour market reports tailored to a specific occupation and geographic area (city, town or region).

- Go to the Human Resources and Social Development Canada Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/hrsdc.htm

What's new from the Common Front for Social Justice:

October 2007
No Difference between the previous and current government in fighting poverty
The current Liberal government was elected in September 2006. NB citizens expected it would bring improvement to social conditions. One year later, we’re still waiting for progress.

October 2007
United Nations International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
With the United Nations International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, the Common Front for Social Justice is asking the Shawn Graham liberal government to implement a plan to eliminate poverty in the province.

October 2007
Social assistance : a life of misery for many (Word file)
Over 40,000 people from New Brunswick cannot work and depend on social assistance. Among these, there are over 7,000 who live alone and are under the category "Transitional". These people have received a $16 raise on October 1st, which means that they went from $505 to $521 monthly.

- Go to the New Brunswick Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/nbkmrk.htm

Addressing the Falling Fortunes of Young Children and their Families: A Community Building Approach
This is a two-year national project (January 2006 through March 2008) which aims to identify strategies to improve the income and wages, including the living wage, of young families and their children.

This is a Campaign 2000 project.

Regional Partner Organizations
(Click the link above to access the websites of the organizations listed below)
* Community Services Council, Newfoundland and Labrador
* Family Service Association of Toronto
* Women's Habitat (Toronto)
* North End Women's Centre (Winnipeg)
* Social Planning Council of Winnipeg
* First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition

Women shut out of Employment Insurance: Study
November 22, 2007
By Monica Townson & Kevin Hayes
[ version française du Communiqué ]
TORONTO – Most women are getting shut out of Employment Insurance (EI) coverage in Canada, says a study by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA). The gap between men's and women’s EI coverage is significant: 40 percent of unemployed men received EI benefits in 2004 while only 32 percent of unemployed women did. “Essentially, two in every three working women who pay into EI don’t receive a single penny in benefits if they lose their jobs,” says CCPA Research Associate Monica Townson, who co-authored Women and The Employment Insurance Program with Kevin Hayes.

Complete study:

Women and the Employment Insurance Program (PDF file - 796K, 40 pages)
Version française:
Les femmes et le programme d'assurance-emploi (fichier PDF - 781 Ko, 40 pages)

Related link:

Employment Insurance short-changes women, study suggests
November 21, 2007
Canadian women are being unfairly short-changed by the country's Employment Insurance system, which was made more restrictive a decade ago and now boasts a multibillion-dollar surplus, a study concludes. The study for the left-leaning Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, to be released today, finds the qualification requirements for EI have left many women who lose their jobs out of pocket despite having paid their fair share of premiums.
Source:
Toronto Star

- Go to the Human Resources and Social Development Canada Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/hrsdc.htm
- Go to the the Canadian Non-Governmental Sites about Women's Social Issues page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/womencanngo.htm

Online Reference Tools: Social Justice
Links to three dozen websites organized under the following headings:
* Human Rights / Democracy
* Human Rights / Democracy: Canadian NGOs
* Human Rights / Democracy: Gateways
* Human Rights / Democracy: International NGOs
* Human Rights / Democracy: International Organizations
* Hunger / Poverty / Homelessness / Disaster Relief
* Women & Gender Issues
Source:
University of Guelph Library

- Go to the Human Rights Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/rights.htm

Low paid work still widespread in Canada (PDF file - 368K, 2 pages)
November 19, 2007
Despite strong economic growth, historically low unemployment rates and much discussion about labour shortages, about one in six of all employed workers in Canada - almost 2.2 million - was still low paid and earning poverty wages in 2006. This economic brief provides a short overview of the low wage workforce in Canada by province and demographic group.
Source:
Canadian Union of Public Employees

- Go to the Union Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/unionbkmrk.htm

Blogging Canadians is a collection of political blogs by Canadians. Unlike other blog groups this site is not branded under one party instead it encompasses bloggers from all political views into different channels.

See also:

Multi-partisan political punditry blogs - from Blogs Canada

- Go to the Media Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/mediabkmrk.htm

Poverty Dispatch (U.S). ===> the content of this link changes twice a week
- links to news items from the American press about poverty, welfare reform, child welfare, education, health, hunger, Medicare and Medicaid, etc.

Source:
Institute for Research on Poverty (IRP)
[ University of Wisconsin-Madison ]

New from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development:

Improved childcare policies needed to achieve better work/life balance, says OECD
News Release
November 29, 2007
Getting family-friendly policies right will help reduce poverty, promote child development, enhance equity between men and women and stem the fall in birth-rates, according to a new OECD report. Babies and Bosses, Reconciling Work and Family Life compares the different approaches that the 30 OECD countries take to help parents balance their work and family commitments.

Babies and Bosses - Reconciling Work and Family Life:
A Synthesis of Findings for OECD Countries
The Babies and Bosses reviews of work and family reconciliation analysed policies and family outcomes in Australia, Denmark and the Netherlands (OECD, 2002); Austria, Ireland and Japan (OECD, 2003); New Zealand, Portugal and Switzerland (OECD, 2004); and Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom (OECD, 2005). This report, the last in the series, synthesises these findings and extends the scope to include other OECD countries. Based on OECD-wide indicators, it examines tax/benefit policies, parental leave systems, child and out-of-school-hours care support, and workplace practices that help determine parental labour market outcomes and family formation across the OECD.

Babies and Bosses (Vol. 4): Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom
Finding a suitable work/family life balance is a challenge that all parents face. Many parents and children in Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom are happy with their existing work and care outcomes. However, many others feel seriously constrained in one way or another, and their personal well-being suffers as a consequence.

Key Outcomes of Canada compared to OECD average

Selected Tables and Charts (Excel format) from Babies and Bosses (Vol. 4): Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom

--------------

This book is part of the Babies and Bosses series, consisting of comparative studies of work and family reconciliation policies.
To get a more comprehensive picture of reconciliation policies, you can consult the first three volumes:
- Australia, Denmark and the Netherlands (volume 1) , which was published in 2002
- Austria, Ireland and Japan (volume 2), which was published in 2003
- New Zealand, Portugal and Switzerland (volume 3), which was released in 2004

--------------

Main OECD Social Policy Activities in 2006-2007
- click the link above for info about the activities listed below (incl. links to many key documents), or click a link below
* Family Policies (employment-oriented)
* Making Work Pay (ongoing)
* Policies to support and integrate the disabled of working age
* Pension system monitoring (ongoing)
* Development of social indicators
* Income Distribution and Poverty

Source:
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

- Go to the International Children, Families and Youth Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/chn2.htm

APO Weekly Briefing ===> the content of this link changes each week
The content of this page changes each week, and it includes links to a few book/report reviews, about two dozen new reports, a few job ads and 60+ events (mostly conferences) of interest to social researchers...
Source:
Australian Policy Online (APO)
With nearly 120 member centres and institutes, Australian Policy Online offers easy access to much of the best Australian social, economic, cultural and political research available online.
NOTE: the APO home page includes links to the five most popular reports on the APO website, and this list is updated each week.

From the Child Rights Information Network (CRIN)

29 November 2007 - CRINMAIL 937
* CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD: Guidelines for Child Participation in CRC Reporting [guide]
* UN: New post to combat violence against children [news]
* OMBUDSPERSONS FOR CHILDREN: First Ibero-American network created [news]
* WORLD AIDS DAY 2007: Young leaders organise against HIV in 34 countries [event]
* RELIGION/ EDUCATION: Teaching about Religions and Beliefs in Public Schools [publication]
* NEWS IN BRIEF
* QUIZ

- Go to the Children's Rights Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/chnrights.htm

Disclaimer/Privacy Statement

Both Canadian Social Research Links (the site) and this Canadian Social Research Newsletter belong solely to me, Gilles Séguin.

I am solely accountable for the choice of links presented therein and for the occasional editorial comment - it's my time, my home computer, my experience, my biases, my Rogers Internet account and my web hosting service.

I administer the mailing list and distribute the weekly newsletter using software on the web server of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).
Thanks, CUPE!

If you wish to subscribe to the e-mail version of newsletter, go to the Canadian Social Research Newsletter Online Subscription page:
http://lists.cupe.ca/mailman/listinfo/csrl-news

You can unsubscribe by going to the same page or by sending me an e-mail message [ gilseg@rogers.com ]

------------------------

The e-mail version of this newsletter is available only in plain text (no graphics, no hyperlinks, no fancy bolding or italics, etc.) to avoid security problems with government departments, universities and other networks with firewalls. The text-only version is also friendlier for people using older or lower-end technology.

Privacy Policy:
The Canadian Social Research Newsletter mailing list is not used for any purpose except to distribute each weekly issue.
I promise not share any information on this list, nor to send you any junk mail.

Links presented in the Canadian Social Research Newsletter point to different views about social policy and social programs.
There are some that I don't agree with, so don't get on my case, eh...

To access earlier online HTML issues of the Canadian Social Research Newsletter, go to the Newsletter page:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/news.htm

Please feel free to distribute this newsletter as widely as you wish, but please remember to mention Canadian Social Research Links when you do.

Cheers!
Gilles

E-MAIL:
gilseg@rogers.com

--------------------------------------------

In closing...

Cats can fly!!
http://static.iftk.com.br/mt/2007/11/cats_can_fly_38_pics.html
(My faves are the 2nd and the 6th cat photo from the bottom on the page - LOL!)

NEC develops first translation software on cellphone
November 30, 2007
TOKYO (AFP) - Japanese electronics giant NEC Corp. said Friday it has created a world-first real-time translator on a cellphone, which can instantly turn Japanese travellers' words into English. One second after the phone hears speech in Japanese, the cellphone with the new technology shows the text on the screen. One second later, an English version appears. NEC said it was the first time in the world that automatic translation is available on a cellphone without external help.
Source:
Yahoo Canada News
<"Company officials say that within the next year or so, they expect to offer RAP
and ADOLESCENT versions of the phone translation software. The SPOUSE translation software is still under development.">

-------------------------------------