Canadian Social Research Newsletter

Canadian Social Research Newsletter
November 5, 2006

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 1715 subscribers.
Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter to see some notes and a disclaimer.

IN THIS ISSUE:

Canadian Content

1. Veterans’ Week 2006: Share the Story - November 5 to 11
2. A Better Way to Set Welfare Rates [in British Columbia] (BC Office - Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives) - November 1
3. Ontario Legal aid $10 million over budget (Law Times) - October 23
4. Coalition to Save Court Challenges
5. Homelessness in Alberta
6. Cathy Crowe Newsletter (re. homelessness in Canada)
7. What's New from Statistics Canada:
--- Labour Force Survey, October 2006 - November 3
--- Employment Insurance Coverage Survey, 2005 - November 1
--- Provincial and territorial government finance: Assets and liabilities - October 31
--- Victimization and offending in the North, 2004 and 2005 - October 30
--- Payroll employment, earnings and hours, August 2006 - October 30
8. 2006 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration (Citizenship and Immigration Canada) - October 31
9. Canada’s New Government Announces Tax Fairness Plan (Department of Finance Canada) - October 31
10. Notes for an Address concerning Matrimonial Real Property (Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada ) - October 30
11. What's New from the Institute for Research on Public Policy:
--- The Use of Family Friendly Workplace Practices in Canada - September 2006
--- Toward Squaring the Circle: Work-Life Balance and the Implications for Individuals, Firms and Public Policy - June 2006
--- Working for Working Parents: The Evolution of Maternity and Parental Benefits in Canada - May 2006
--- Early Childhood Development and Child Care: What Do We Know? (Conference, March 27/06 - Vancouver)
12. What's New from the Childcare Resource and Research Unit (University of Toronto) - November 3

International Content

13. Poverty Dispatch: U.S. media coverage of social issues and programs
14. Investing in Children: Public Commitment in Twenty-one Industrialized Countries, 1980-2001 (Institute for Child and Family Policy, Columbia University - NY) - June 2006
15. What's new from Australian Policy Online:
--- Interactions between wages and the tax transfer system - November 1
--- Proceedings of the 7th Australian Conference on Quality of Life - October 24
--- Does a higher minimum wage mean fewer jobs? - August 2006
16. 2006 Global Hunger Index (International Food Policy Research Institute) - October 16

Have a great week!

Gilles Séguin
Canadian Social Research Links
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net

E-mail:
gilseg@rogers.com

1. Veterans’ Week 2006: Share the Story - November 5 to 11

Veterans’ Week 2006: Share the Story - November 5 to 11
News Release
November 3, 2006
Ottawa — From November 5-11, the Government of Canada is pleased to mark Veterans' Week 2006 with events and activities across the country. With this year's theme, "Share the Story", Canadians, especially youth, will be encouraged to learn more about Canada's Veterans, to reflect on the service and sacrifice of any Veterans, and to share their thoughts on remembrance with their peers and families.
Source:
Veterans Affairs Canada

2. A Better Way to Set Welfare Rates (in British Columbia) - November 1
(BC Office - Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives)

A better way to set welfare rates - British Columbia
Editorial by Seth Klein
November 1, 2006
"Last week’s announcement by Premier Campbell that the [BC] government will increase the shelter allowance for people receiving welfare is welcome news. This long-overdue policy reversal shouldn’t wait until February’s Provincial Budget to be implemented. And overall rates must be increased (not just the shelter allowance). But at least the Premier has acknowledged that rates are too low. The Premier’s promise also lays bare how arbitrary and deeply political the process of setting rates and eligibility rules has become. Rates have remained frozen for years, as inflation eats away at their real value. They are only now being increased because the rise in homelessness has become impossible to ignore, and the resulting political pressure is finally forcing our leaders to act."
- incl. links to the following CCPA resources:
* Editorial: A call for accountability at the Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance
* Press Release: Study finds BC’s welfare system denying assistance to people in need, ‘diverting’ many to homelessness and hardship
* Press Release: CCPA calls on province to raise welfare rates
* Study - Denied Assistance: Closing the Front Door on Welfare in BC
* Summary - Denied Assistance: Closing the Front Door on Welfare in BC

Source:
BC Office of the
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

All BC-CCPA Research & Publications by Topic:
Click on the drop-down "Topic" menu --- here are two sample topics:
- Housing & homelessness
- Inequality & poverty

- Go to the Non-Governmental Sites in British Columbia (A-C) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/bcbkmrk2.htm

3. Ontario Legal aid $10 million over budget - October 23
(Law Times)

Legal aid $10 million over budget - Ontario
By Helen Burnett & Gail J. Cohen
23 October 2006
Legal Aid Ontario has announced that its certificate program is $10 million over its targeted expenditures, after a mid-year review of its financial situation. (...) LAO says the problem is partially due to "the additional costs associated with megatrials and large criminal prosecutions and to the very quick account payment timelines that have evolved through the Legal Aid Online billing system." (...) William Trudell, chairman of the Canadian Council of Criminal Defence Lawyers, says he knows lawyers who are working on megatrials who are being forced to shut down their practices because they are not being paid for all the work they do. As a result, he says, many lawyers won't take legal aid cases anymore. (...) The Association of Legal Aid Plans of Canada, of which Legal Aid Ontario is a member, (...) is calling on the federal government to commit long-term funding to legal aid "in order to avoid stripping away the legal rights of the poor," specifically through long-term funding for the Federal Investment Fund and by providing funding for civil legal aid, particularly for services that are federally mandated or legislated. It is also looking for an increase in funding to cover the additional demand for legal aid services and costs resulting from the federal government's proposed criminal justice system changes and from increases in federal prosecutions and policing resources.
But so far the Harper government is not coming forward with any cash.
"The problem is there's no commitment from the government to fund the system," says Trudell. "It's the erosion of a wonderful system because politicians won't embrace it."
Source:
Law Times (Canada)

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

4. Coalition to Save Court Challenges

Coalition to Save Court Challenges
The Coalition to Save Court Challenges is a broad coalition of concerned organizations and individuals committed to ensuring the continuation of funding for the Court Challenges Program of Canada. New organizations and individuals are signing onto our campaign every day.

List of participating organizations

Faces of the Cuts: The Impact of Federal Program Cuts on Communities in Toronto
An Early Look at Selected Areas Slated for Funding Cuts (PDF file - 129K, 31 pages)
Forum Convened by
Community Social Planning Council of Toronto
Held at the Ontario Bar Association
Toronto
October 11
"On September 25, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and Treasury Board President John Baird announced $1 billion in federal program cuts to be implemented over two years. At the same time that cuts to youth employment, literacy organizations, women’s groups, Aboriginal health initiatives, and other equity-relevant programs were announced, the federal government also reported a staggering $13.2 billion surplus.(...) The Community Social Planning Council of Toronto convened a forum to bring together local communities and organizations across sectors and issues to share information, and discuss and strategize around the proposed cuts and related federal actions. (...) Focusing on selected areas, the report paints only part of the picture of the cuts and its impact on Toronto communities."
Source:
Community Social Planning Council of Toronto
[Oops - the CSPCT's domain name appears to have expired on October 29. Stay tuned - I'm sure they'll renew soon...]
Related Link:
Ontario Bar Association

$1 Billion Federal Cuts --- Updated to November 2
NOTE: this link will be reactivated as soon as the CSPCT renews its domain name

- Go to the Non-Governmental Organizations Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/ngobkmrk.htm

5. Homelessness in Alberta

Cities, advocates rush to find solutions as homelessness worsens in Alberta
November 03, 2006
"Alberta housing crisis --- a few numbers:
50,000 - The number of people who moved to Alberta between January and March this year.
458 per cent - Growth in number of homeless people in Calgary since 1996.
5,000 - Immediate number of housing units needed in Edmonton.
75 per cent - Highest estimate of the number of homeless in Red Deer shelter who are employed.
58,000 - Estimated number of households in Calgary that can't afford housing."
Source:
Canada.com

City hall could shelter homeless at night: mayor [Calgary]
November 1, 2006
Calgary's mayor says city hall could be used as temporary lodging for homeless people left in the cold, snowy streets at night because overwhelmed shelters are full.
Source:
CBC News Calgary

Edmonton print shop to house city's homeless
October 31, 2006
A former City of Edmonton print shop will become an emergency shelter this winter as part of the city's plan for dealing with a growing homelessness population. City council approved the $1.4 million plan Tuesday afternoon, saying emergency shelters are expecting a 50 per cent increase in people seeking help this winter.
Source:
CBC News Edmonton

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

6. Cathy Crowe Newsletter (re. homelessness in Canada)

Cathy Crowe Newsletter # 29 - November 2006
1. Bring the Troops HOME Now! War and Housing – making the connections
2. Winnipeg and Kenora – “The Wind that Shakes the Barley”
3. Mr. Harper’s Calgary
4. Blueprint to end Homelessness in Toronto
"This is a great resource for individuals who care about homelessness and housing, health and other social issues. I want to hear from you - about the newsletter, about things that are happening in the homelessness sector (what a sad term!), and about good things which will provide inspiration for all of us." (Cathy Crowe)

Newsletter Archives - monthly, back to July 2004

Subscribe to receive this free monthly newsletter by e-mail!
Send an e-mail message to crowenews@sherbourne.on.ca

Cathy Crowe's Home Page
- About Cathy Crowe, Street Nurse

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

7. What's New from Statistics Canada:
--- Labour Force Survey, October 2006 - November 3
--- Employment Insurance Coverage Survey, 2005 - November 1
--- Provincial and territorial government finance: Assets and liabilities - October 31
--- Victimization and offending in the North, 2004 and 2005 - October 30
--- Payroll employment, earnings and hours, August 2006 - October 30

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

November 3, 2006
Labour Force Survey, October 2006
Employment increased by an estimated 51,000 in October following four months of little change. The unemployment rate declined 0.2 percentage points to 6.2%. Since the beginning of the year, employment has increased by 261,000 (+1.6%).

Related Link:
Labour Force Information, October 8 to 14, 2006 (PDF file - 423K, 56 pages)
[ Earlier editions of Labour Force Information - back to August 2002 ]

November 1, 2006
Employment Insurance Coverage Survey, 2005
The proportion of unemployed Canadians eligible for Employment Insurance benefits edged up in 2005, according to data from the Employment Insurance Coverage Survey. Approximately 769,700 unemployed individuals contributed to the Employment Insurance program in 2005 and 619,800 of them had a job separation that met the program criteria. This represents 55.2% of all unemployed, up from 53.5% in 2004. Of these individuals, an estimated 516,700, or 83.4% were eligible to receive benefits in 2005.- includes, for 2004 and 2005, a table showing the coverage and eligibility of the unemployed for Employment Insurance benefits and eligibility of mothers for maternity and parental benefits and duration of leave.

Related Link:
Survey of Employment Insurance Coverage
The Employment Insurance Coverage Survey provides a meaningful picture of who does or does not have access to EI benefits among the jobless and those in a situation of underemployment. The survey also covers access to maternity and parental benefits. Detailed information for 2005.
Data release – November 1, 2006
- incl. Questionnaire(s) and reporting guide(s) * Description * Data sources and methodology * Data accuracy
More Employment Insurance Coverage content on the StatCan site - link to search results for "Employment Insurance Coverage" on the StatCan website

October 31, 2006
Provincial and territorial government finance: Assets and liabilities
March 31, 2005
Previous release
At March 31, 2005, the net financial debt (defined as the excess of liabilities over financial assets) of provincial and territorial general governments reached $259.0 billion, down $0.9 billion or 0.4% lower compared with March 31, 2004. The financial assets stood at $310.3 billion and total liabilities at $569.4 billion. As a percentage of the gross domestic product (GDP), net financial debt was at 19.4% in 2005, down from 20.7% in 2004. On average the per capita net financial debt decreased from $8,152 to $8,045.
- incl. net financial debt of provincial and territorial general governments at March 31, 2005 as well as provincial and territorial general government net financial debt at March 31, 1985 to 2005

October 30
Victimization and offending in the North, 2004 and 2005
The rate of violent victimization in Canada's territories, based on information provided by Canadians themselves, was almost three times the rate for residents in the rest of country.

Related Links:

Links to child care sites in Canada and elsewhere
CRRU Publications - briefing notes, factsheets, occasional papers and other publications
ISSUE files - theme pages, each filled with contextual information and links to further info

Source:
Childcare Resource and Research Unit (CRRU) - University of Toronto

- Go to the Non-Governmental Early Learning and Child Care Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/ecd2.htm
- Go to the International Children, Families and Youth Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/chn2.htm

13. Poverty Dispatch:
U.S. media coverage of social issues and programs

Poverty Dispatch - U.S.
- links to news items from the American press about poverty, welfare reform, child welfare, education, health, hunger, Medicare and Medicaid, etc.
NOTE: this is a link to the current issue --- its content changes twice a week.

Past Poverty Dispatches
- links to two dispatches a week back to June 1 (2006) when the Dispatch acquired its own web page and archive.

Poverty Dispatch Digest Archive - weekly digest of dispatches from August 2005 to May 2006
For a few years prior to the creation of this new web page for the Dispatch, I was compiling a weekly digest of the e-mails and redistributing the digest to my mailing list with IRP's permission.
This is my own archive of weekly issues of the digest back to August 2005, and most of them have 50+ links per issue. I'll be deleting this archive from my site gradually, as the links to older articles expire.

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

- Go to the Links to American Government Social Research page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/us.htm
- Go to the Links to American Non-Governmental Social Research (A-J) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/us2.htm
- Go to the Links to American Non-Governmental Social Research (M-Z) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/us3.htm

14. Investing in Children: Public Commitment in Twenty-one Industrialized Countries, 1980-2001 - June 2006
(Institute for Child and Family Policy, Columbia University - NY)

Investing in Children: Public Commitment
in Twenty-one Industrialized Countries, 1980-2001(PDF file - 635K, 25 pages)
By Shirley Gatenio Gabel and Sheila B. Kamerman
[includes Canada]
Using time series and survey data, this article explores public commitment to children and their families from 1980 through 2001 in 21 industrialized countries. Despite the shrinking child population in all countries and the slowed growth of the welfare state in most, the authors find that spending on children and families has increased in most countries. The authors conclude that the instruments and goals of the family benefit and service package have changed over time and that future public spending on children is increasingly likely to go toward helping families balance their responsibilities as workers and parents and toward enhancing the development of young children.
Source:
Institute for Child and Family Policy (ICFP) at Columbia University (New York)
[From: Social Service Review (June 2006), The University of Chicago.]

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

15. What's new from Australian Policy Online:
--- Interactions between wages and the tax transfer system - November 1
--- Proceedings of the 7th Australian Conference on Quality of Life - October 24
--- Does a higher minimum wage mean fewer jobs? - August 2006

What's New from Australian Policy Online (APO) :

Interactions between wages and the tax transfer system
November 1, 2006
Ann Harding, Alicia Payne, Quoc Ngu Vu and Richard Percival
National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling
To what extent are wage increases retained by wage earners, rather than being 'clawed back' by government through increases in income tax or reductions in welfare payments? This report looks at the distribution of 'effective tax rates' for all employees in Australia; assesses the rates faced by a set of hypothetical families as one parent or a sole parent increases their working hours from zero to full time; and examines the impact of a range of hypothetical wage increases on the income of low wage workers.

Proceedings of the 7th Australian Conference on Quality of Life
Posted October 24, 2006
Australian Centre on Quality of Life
The refereed papers from this international conference held at Deakin University in November 2005 are now online. Papers include Robert Cummins on 'The wellbeing of caregivers', and Peter Kriel on 'Quality of work life and business ethics'.
Posted 24-10-2006

The wellbeing of Australians: 15th Australian Unity wellbeing index
Posted October 24, 2006
Australian Centre on Quality of Life

Also from APO:

Does a higher minimum wage mean fewer jobs?
August 21, 2006
The evidence doesn't support this simple equation, writes John Quiggin*.
The creation of the Fair Pay Commission as part of the government’s WorkChoices legislation has led to a debate about the role of minimum wages for Australian workers. Whereas the Industrial Relations Commission set award wages for most workers, the Fair Pay Commission focuses exclusively on minimum wages and conditions. (...) In thinking about minimum wages, it is [also] necessary to look at interactions with the social welfare system. For those with dependent children, minimum wages in Australia are only marginally higher, after tax, than the social welfare benefits paid to unemployed or disabled workers. Hence, a reduction in the minimum wage could create or intensify “poverty traps.” Advocates of substantial reductions in minimum wages have generally favored “reform” (usually unspecified) of the social welfare system. (...) It is important to remember that minimum wages represent only a small part of a coherent labour market policy. The primary focus must be on managing the tax–welfare system to achieve a more equitable distribution of income while generating incentives to work. Minimum wages should be set with the same goal in mind."
--------------------------------------
*Author John Quiggin is an ARC Federation Fellow in Economics and Political Science at the University of Queensland.
His web site is at http://www.uq.edu.au/economics/johnquiggin and his weblog is at http://johnquiggin.com
--------------------------------------

Related Links:
Australian Fair Pay Commission
WorkChoices - A new workplace relations system
Australian Industrial Relations Commission

Social Policy Resources
- extensive collection of links to : New releases from APO members * New government reports * New reports from other sources
Source:
APO Topics
The APO archive is grouped into 23 subject area, with entries appearing in reverse chronological order.
Here's the complete list of topics:
Ageing - Asia and the pacific - Citizenship and the law - Disability - Economics and trade - Education - Employment and workplace relations - The environment - Foreign policy and defence - Gender and sexuality - Health - Housing - Families and households - Immigration and refugees - Income, poverty and wealth - Indigenous - Media, communications and cultural policy - Politics and government - Population, multiculturalism and ethnicity - Religion and faith - Rural and regional - Science and technology - Social policy [See the link above to "Social Policy Resources"] - Urban and regional planning - Youth

APO Weekly Briefing - "News & Research from Leading Australian Research Centres and Institutes"
The APO Weekly Briefing offers new commentary, new reports and a fortnight’s events.
To sign up for the weekly briefing, go to the APO Home Page and enter your e-mail address in the box on the left side of the page where it says: "Sign up for our email newsletter".
I recommend the Weekly Policy Briefing!

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. APO is maintained by a network of university centres and over 120 centres and institutes around Australia.

- Go to the Social Research Links in Other Countries (Non-Government) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/internatngo.htm
- Go to the Minimum Wage /Living Wage Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/minwage.htm

16. 2006 Global Hunger Index - October 16
(International Food Policy Research Institute)

2006 Global Hunger Index
October 16, 2006
Released for World Food Day (October 16), IFPRI's Global Hunger Index reveals hunger hotspots, shows which regions have improved over time, and demonstrates the links between hunger and war, HIV/AIDS, and gross national income.

Complete report:

2006 Global hunger Index:
A Basis for Cross-Country Comparisons (PDF file - 570K, 6 pages)

Source:
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
IFPRI's mission is to provide policy solutions that cut hunger and malnutrition.

Also from IFPRI:

blog world hunger
Blog world hunger is an open global food and nutrition security diary that aims to help the effort to identify and analyze alternative national and international strategies and policies for meeting world food needs in ways that conserve the natural resource base. It is facilitated by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

- Go to the Food Banks and Hunger Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/foodbkmrk.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

*************************
Badly Worded Signs


* Outside a jeweller's shop:
      Ears pierced while you wait


* Outside an electrical store:
      Why go elsewhere to be cheated when you can come in here!


* Sign in a laundromat:
      Automatic washing machines: please remove all your clothes when the light goes out


* In a dress shop window:
      Don't stand outside and faint - come in and have a fit

* Sign in a London department store:
      Bargain basement upstairs

* In an office:
      Would the person who took the step ladder yesterday please bring it back or further steps will be taken

* Outside a farm:
      Horse manure: 50p per pre-packed bag, 20p do-it-yourself

* In the window of a dry cleaner's:
      Same day dry cleaning - all garments ready in 48 hours

* At the zoo:
      Please do not feed the elephants. If you have any peanuts or buns give them to the keeper on duty.

* In an office:
      After teabreak staff should empty the teapot and stand upside down on the draining board

* Outside a furniture shop:
      Our motto: We promise you the lowest prices and workmanship

* Outside a secondhand shop:
      We exchange anything - bicycles, washing machines etc. Why not bring your wife along and get a wonderful bargain?

* In a grocery shop:
      Try our local butter. Nobody can touch it

* In a Chinese restaurant:
      If you are satisfactory please tell your friends. If you are not satisfactory please tell the waiter

* Outside a farm:
      Cattle please close gate

* Sign outside a new town hall which was to be opened by the Prince of Wales:
      The town hall is closed until opening. It will remain closed after being opened. Open tomorrow

* Outside a photographer's studio:
      Out to lunch: if not back by five, out for dinner also

* In a restaurant:
      Customers who find our waiting staff rude should see the manager

* Seen at the side of a Sussex road:
      Slow cattle crossing. No overtaking for the next 100 yrs.

* Seen outside a travel agency:
      Why don't you go away?

(...)

Source:
http://paul.merton.ox.ac.uk/language/signs.html

**********************************
Crass Casualty (My blog)
http://canadiansocialresearch.net/mywordpress/