Canadian Social Research Newsletter
November 8, 2009

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 2,133 subscribers.

IN THIS ISSUE:

Canadian content

1.  Spending on students makes sense (Drop Fees campaign) - November 7
2. How a Living Wage Can Reduce Poverty in Manitoba (Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives - Manitoba Office) - November 4
3. [Ontario] Social Planning Toronto Community News - November 3
4. [British Columbia] Legal Aid Changes Planned for 2010 (BC Legal Services Society) - November 3
5. Isthatlegal.ca (Ontario) - Legal Guides to Ontario and Canadian Law - Updated to November 2009
6. Canadians Want More Effective Government, Better Social Safety Net (Royal Roads University - Victoria BC) - November 3
7. 2009 November Report of the Auditor General of Canada - November 3
8. New from Library of Parliament Research Publications:
--- The Canada Social Transfer - July 23
--- Eliminating Poverty Among Working Families: Funding Scenarios - October 15
9. What's New in The Daily [Statistics Canada]:
--- Labour Force Survey, October 2009 - November 6
--- Employment, Earnings and Hours, August 2009 - November 3
10. What's new from the Childcare Resource and Research Unit (Toronto) - November 8

International content

11. Poverty Dispatch: U.S. media coverage of social issues and programs (Institute for Research on Poverty - University of Wisconsin-Madison)
12. [U.S.] CIA: The World Factbook (Central Intelligence Agency)
13. [U.S.] House Democrats pass health-care bill (Washington Post) - November 8
14. [U.S.] What's new from the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP):
--- Measure by Measure: the Current Poverty Measure v. the National Academy of Sciences Measures - November 4
--- A Tool to Examine State Child Care Subsidy Policies and Promote Stable, Quality Care for Low-Income Babies and Toddlers - November 2
--- TANF Emergency Funds: State Applications Approved as of October 27, 2009 - November 2
--- Analysis of Fiscal Year 2008 TANF and MOE Spending by States - October 28
--- Questions and Answers about the TANF Emergency Fund - November 2
--- What the TANF Emergency Fund Can Do For Your Cash-Strapped State (CLASP Audio Conference scheduled for Monday, November 16)
--- Cash Assistance since Welfare Reform - August 6
--- The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Block Grant - August 6
15. [U.S.] The Impact of State Income Taxes on Low-Income Families in 2008 (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities) - November 4
16. [International] The welfare effects of social mobility (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) - October 28
17. [United Kingdom] Dynamic Benefits: Towards Welfare That Works (Centre for Social Justice - U.K.) - September 16
18. Australian Policy Online - recent content
19. CRINMAIL (children's rights newsletter) - November 2009

***

Lest we forget:
Veterans' Week 2009, November 5 to 11

***

Have a great week!
Gilles

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

Spending on students makes sense
Nick Falvo, vice-president of the Graduate Students’ Association,
says Drop Fees campaign crucial to ensuring education for all
By Nick Falvo, Vice-president (academic) of the Graduate Students’ Association
November 7, 2009
Students from across Ontario took to the streets Nov. 5 to fight for a fairer deal for post-secondary education. This is a struggle that students must fight to win, as decreasing government funding, rising tuition fees and a slumping economy continue to place university education out of reach for a growing number of Canadians. (...) Over the past several decades, senior levels of government in Canada have decreased funding for post-secondary education. Indeed, government grants as a share of university operating revenue in Canada decreased from 80 per cent to less than 57 per cent between 1986 and 2006. As a result, the share of university operating budgets funded by tuition fees has more than doubled during the same period (increasing from 14 to 29 per cent). To be sure, tuition has been rising at the same time that the economy has nosedived. This year, roughly 80 per cent of post-secondary students in Canada said they plan to work while in school. And 70 per cent of high school graduates who do not pursue post-secondary education cite financial reasons as the main factor.
Source:
The Charlatan - Carleton University's newspaper since 1945
[ Carleton University ]

Related link:

DROP FEES for a Poverty-Free Ontario
The Drop Fees campaign calls for changes to be made to current government post-secondary education policy that will positively benefit students and the sector in general.

- Go to the Education Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/education.htm

The View From Here:
How a Living Wage Can Reduce Poverty in Manitoba (PDF - 1.8MB, 38 pages)
November 4, 2009
The living wage is calculated as the hourly rate at which a household can meet its basic needs, once government transfers have been added to the family’s income (such as the Universal Child Care Benefit) and deductions have been subtracted (such as income taxes and Employment Insurance premiums). (...) There is a paradox when, despite steady economic growth and consistently low unemployment rates, we have the second highest level of child poverty in the country and the third highest poverty rate. The living wage provides a way to address this paradox. It provides a means for ensuring that individuals and families with children can live with dignity and therefore fully participate in their communities and at work.
Source:
Manitoba Office - Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

- Go to the Guaranteed Annual Income Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/gai.htm
- Go to the Manitoba Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/mbkmrk.htm

Ontario

Social Planning Toronto Community News:
(click the link above to access the items below)
November 7, 2009
* City of Toronto Launches ‘Open’
* New Recession Relief Coalition Newsletter
* Temporary Workers Law Comes Into Effect
* City of Toronto’s Capital Budget – Have Your Say!
* Position Opening: Communications Officer
* Proceedings – Impacts of School Closures on Children and Communities
* Hard Hit: Toronto
* Research Forum: The People’s Recession – One Year Later
* Hard Hit: The Impact of the Economic Downturn on Nonprofit Community Social Services in Ontario
* Hard Hit Report Released
* CPRN Report on Social Innovation in Canada
* Hubs not hulks: is there a practical alternative to school closings?
* Vital Signs 2009
* GrassRoots Public Policy Course for Advocates
* Recovery through the Lens of Cultural Diversity
* Addressing Social Determinants of Newcomer Health: New Evidence and Promising Practices
* Soup Line – A Free Meal for All
* Cities of Migration Newsletter
* Shirley Shipman Lecture on the Multicultural Experience
* Youth Culture Is Renewing Democracy, One Click at a Time
[ Subscribe to receive these updates by email ]
Source:
Social Planning Toronto
(Formerly the Toronto Social Planning Council)

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

Legal Aid - British Columbia

Legal Aid Changes Planned for 2010 (PDF - 285K, 3 pages)
Media Release
November 3, 2009
VANCOUVER – The Legal Services Society, which oversees legal aid throughout the province, will be changing its operations in five communities next year. Effective April 1, 2010, the Society will replace
its regional centres in Kamloops, Prince George, Kelowna, Surrey and Victoria with local agents and an expanded, province-wide call centre.
Source:
BC Legal Services Society

---------------------------
Earlier this year...
---------------------------

Service and operational changes (PDF - 371K, 5 pages)
Feb. 25, 2009
The Legal Services Society (LSS or the society) will be changing some services and some of its operations this year. These changes are necessary because the society’s current government and non-government revenues are insufficient to cover the current demand for legal aid.
Source:
BC Legal Services Society

Related links:

B.C. legal aid services hit by new round of cuts
November 5, 2009
Regional offices will be closed in Kelowna, Kamloops, Prince George, Victoria and Surrey next year.
The Justice Access Centre in Nanaimo will also be shut down.
The B.C. Legal Services Society has been targeted for another round of cuts by the Gordon Campbell Liberal government - the second attack on its budget this year.
Source:
National Union of Public and General Employees

-----------------------------------------------------
How does that compare
with the situation in Ontario?
-----------------------------------------------------

Ontario agency trying to break legal-aid boycott, lawyers say
October 30, 2009
In one of a flurry of moves, LAO is offering $5,000 bonuses across the country to non-boycotting attorneys
Source:
Globe and Mail

Stop behaving badly, boorish lawyers told
Multiple complaints of rude, abusive conduct spark campaign to restore some civility to courts
November 1, 2009
Source:
Toronto Star

--------------------------------------
...and in the rest of Canada?
--------------------------------------

Legal Aid in Canada:
Resource and Caseload Statistics, 2007/2008 (PDF - 616K, 127 pages)
February 2009
* In 2007/2008, $670 million was spent on providing legal aid services in 10 provinces and territories. This represents over $20 for every person living in these jurisdictions.
* In the last five years, legal aid spending after inflation has decreased just as many times as it has increased, but on average, it has risen about 1% per year. Compared to the previous year, spending in 2007/2008 was virtually unchanged, up by less than one-half of one percent.
[ Highlights ]
[ Earlier editions of this report ]
[ Statistics Canada ]

---------------------------------------------
What's the situation in the U.S.?
---------------------------------------------

Civil Legal Aid in the United States:
An Update for 2009 (PDF - 212K, 29 pages)
By Alan W. Houseman
July 2009
"(...) An integrated and comprehensive civil legal assistance system should have the capacity to: (1) educate and inform low-income persons of their legal rights and responsibilities and the options and services available to solve their legal problems; and (2) ensure that all low-income persons, including individuals and groups who are politically or socially disfavored, have meaningful access to high-quality legal assistance providers when they require legal advice and representation. The United States has made considerable progress in meeting the first of these two objectives, but progress has been slow in meeting the second."
Source:
Center for Law and Social Policy

- Go to the Social Statistics Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/stats.htm

Isthatlegal.ca (Ontario)
Legal Guides to Ontario and Canadian Law
The purpose of the Isthatlegal.ca website is to provide, in one convenient and generally accessible on-line location, detailed and thorough legal guides to areas of Ontario and Canadian law of general importance to the economically
vulnerable in our society, and to their advocates. All users should ensure that they meet the Terms of Use of the site.
[ Terms of Use ]

Isthatlegal.ca
Click the above link to access the following guides:
* Constitutional, Human Rights and Related (Human Rights Law in Ontario - Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Immigration Law - Canadian Law of International Crimes [War Crimes])
* Animal Law (Animals and the Criminal Law in Canada - Dog and Cat Control Law in Ontario)
* Employment Law (Employment Law in Ontario - Employment Insurance [Canada] - Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board - Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Law
* Property Law (Ontario Residential Landlord and Tenant - Line Fences in Ontario)
* Civil and Administrative Litigation (Small Claims Court in Ontario - BC Tort Law - BC Contract Law - Limitation Periods in Ontario - Charts and Explanations - Ontario Family Law and Family Court Procedures - Administrative Tribunal Procedures - Criminal Injuries Compensation in Ontario)
* Freedom of Information and Privacy Law (Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Law in Ontario and Municipal FIPPA - Access to Information Law Annotated [Canada] - Privacy Act Guide [Canada] - PIPEDA [Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (Canada)] Guide
* Income Maintenance and Related (Welfare [Ontario Works] - Ontario Disability Support Program [ODSP] - Auto Insurance in Ontario
* Legislative Process (Ontario Legislative Process - Canadian Federal Legislative Process)
* Miscellaneous Law (Canadian Maritime Law - Charity and Not-for-Profit Law - Church Law)

Recently updated/posted:

Legal Guide : Welfare (Ontario Works) Law
Updated to November 2009
Table of contents:
* Overview * Claimants * Basic Assistance*. Benefits * Information Eligibility * Income Rules * Asset Rules * Applications and Procedures * Administrator Decisions * Appeals and Other Remedies * Workfare * Fraud and Prosecutions * Advocacy

Legal Guide : Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) Law
Updated to November 2009
Table of contents:
* Overview * Claimants * Income Support * Benefits * Severely Handicapped Children * Information Eligibility * Income Rules * Asset Rules * "Person With a Disability" * Applications and Procedures * Director Decisions * Appeals and Other Remedies * Workfare * Fraud and Prosecutions * Advocacy

Legal Guide to Ontario Human Rights Law
30 September 2009
- includes recent amendments to the Ontario Human Rights Code
Table of contents:
* Overview
SUBSTANTIVE LAW - Protected Activities - Prohibited Grounds - Discrimination - Forms of Discrimination - General Exceptions
PROCEDURAL LAW - The Tribunal and its Powers - Private Applications - Commission Applications - Parties - Motions - Summary Proceedings - Pre-Hearing Procedures - Service - Evidence - Hearings - Remedies and Offences - Commission Role - Reconsiderations
MISCELLANEOUS - Judicial Review - Transition
[ Related link : Ontario Human Rights Commission ]

Case Law (Court Decisions)
- direct links to the Decisions page of each of the following:
* Ontario Court of Justice (most family and criminal cases in Ontario)
* Ontario Superior Court (main civil court in Ontario, some family and criminal)
* Ontario Divisional Court (administrative appeals, judicial reviews and smaller civil appeals)
* Ontario Court of Appeal (highest Ontario Court)
* Federal Court - Trial Division (first level court for matters under federal jurisdiction such as telecommunications, intellectual property, rail/air/shipping, maritime, immigration etc)
* Federal Court of Appeal (appeals from Federal Court - Trial Division)
* Supreme Court of Canada
* UK and Ireland Cases (British cases are often relevant to the interpretation of Canadian law)
* Australia and NZ Cases (also useful in interpretation)

Source:
Isthatlegal.ca

- Go to the Ontario Government Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/onbkmrk.htm
- Go to the Guide to Welfare in Ontario page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/onwelf.htm
- Go to the Ontario Spouse-in-the-House Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/spouse.htm
- Go to the Ontario Municipal and Non-Governmental Sites (A-C) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/onbkmrk2.htm
- Go to the Ontario Municipal and Non-Governmental Sites (D-W) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/onbkmrk3.htm

Canadians Want More Effective Government, Better Social Safety Net
News Release
November 3, 2009
Toronto, Ont. - An assessment of national values has revealed that across regions, gender, age and background, Canadians want the same things: to cut bureaucracy, improve the accountability of government and strengthen the social safety net. Released today at a leadership forum in Toronto, the national values assessment was conducted by the Todd Thomas Institute for Values-Based Leadership at Royal Roads University in Victoria, B.C. A survey of 1,251 Canadians conducted in May was adjusted to reflect the Canadian census on region, age and gender. (...) While Canadians identified human rights, freedom of speech, law enforcement and quality of life as significant strengths of the current national culture, six of the top 10 identified current values are indicators of dysfunction. They were: bureaucracy, unemployment, crime/violence, wasted resources, corruption, and uncertainty about the future. These were identified across all regions, generations, gender, from the public and private sectors and among Canadian-born and foreign-born respondents.

Summary Report on the
National Values Assessment for Canada, 2009 (PDF - 2.8MB, 19 pages)
October 2009
A National Values Assessment for Canada recently revealed remarkable agreement across diverse subgroups — region, generation, gender, birthplace in and out of Canada, and broad occupational sectors — about top 10 personal values, values reflected in the current culture, and those desired in a culture of Canada into the future. The survey was conducted May 1-7, 2009 by the Todd Thomas Institute for Values-Based Leadership at Royal Roads University in partnership with the Barrett Values Centre headquartered in the UK and the US. Canada is the seventh nation to have implemented a survey using Richard Barrett’s National Values Assessment instrument.
Source:
Todd Thomas Institute for Values-Based Leadership
[ Royal Roads University - Victoria BC ]

- Go to the Canadian Universities and Colleges Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/univbkmrk.htm

Government should fully analyze the practical
challenges of implementing decisions, says Auditor General
News Release
Ottawa, 3 November 2009—When the government designs programs, develops policies, and makes commitments, it should fully analyze the practical challenges of implementing them successfully, says the Auditor General of Canada, Sheila Fraser, in her Report tabled today in the House of Commons.

2009 November Report of the Auditor General of Canada
Table of contents:
* Matters of Special Importance—2009 <=== click for main points from all chapters
This Report addresses a wide range of issues typical of the challenges facing government today:
* coordinating appropriate responses to emergencies, such as pandemics and terrorist attacks;
* selecting foreign workers at a time when industrialized countries are competing to attract qualified labour;
* providing effective international aid;
* supporting the transition to electronic health records;
* increasing First Nations’ control over land management as a critical component of their future well-being;
* buying military vehicles to protect our troops in Afghanistan from improvised explosive devices;
* ensuring that income tax legislation is clear and up to date; and
* knowing whether government programs are achieving their intended results or need to be adjusted.
* Chapter 1—Evaluating the Effectiveness of Programs
* Chapter 2—Selecting Foreign Workers Under the Immigration Program
* Chapter 3—Income Tax Legislation
* Chapter 4—Electronic Health Records
* Chapter 5—Acquiring Military Vehicles for Use in Afghanistan
* Chapter 6—Land Management and Environmental Protection on Reserves
* Chapter 7—Emergency Management—Public Safety Canada
* Chapter 8—Strengthening Aid Effectiveness—Canadian International Development Agency
Appendices
* Appendix A—Auditor General Act
* Appendix B—Reports of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts to the House of Commons, 2008–09
* Appendix C—Report on the audit of the President of the Treasury Board's report Tabling of Crown Corporations Reports in Parliament
* Appendix D—Costs of Crown corporation audits conducted by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada
Source:
Office of the Auditor General of Canada

[ Earlier Auditor General Reports - back to 2006 ]
[ All Auditor General Reports - back to 1981 ]

- Go to the Federal Government Department Links (Agriculture to Finance) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/fedbkmrk.htm

Here are a few interesting reports that I found
while I was checking out the Library of Parliament Research Publications:

The Canada Social Transfer
By James Gauthier and Shahrzad Mobasher Fard
Social Affairs Division
Revised 23 July 2009
[ PDF version - 56K, 3 pages ]
The Canada Social Transfer (CST) is the primary federal contribution in support of provincial programs related to post-secondary education, social assistance and social services, and programs for children in Canada. This short paper offers an overview of the Canada Social Transfer (CST) that includes the amounts payable to provinces and territories in cash transfers from 2004–2005 to 2013–2014, along with information on related tax point transfers and associated equalization. It also includes information on the change in the CST Formula since 2007-2008 and the impact of that change.
Source:
Library of Parliament Research Publications
HINT: Click the link above to access several hundred reports by this research group, all organized by category.

Related link:

Canada Social Transfer
Updated to October 2009
(...) The CST is calculated on an equal per capita cash basis to reflect the Government’s commitment to ensure that general-purpose transfers provide equal support for all Canadians. Prior to that, the CST was calculated on an equal per capita basis combining the value of both tax and cash transfers.
Source:
Federal Transfers to Provinces and Territories
[ Department of Finance Canada ]

- Go to the Canada Assistance Plan / Canada Health and Social Transfer / Canada Social Transfer Resources page:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/cap.htm

---

Also from Library of Parliament Research Publications:

Eliminating Poverty Among Working Families: Funding Scenarios
By Emmanuel Preville
Economics Division
15 October 2008
[ PDF version - 110K, 10 pages ]
* Introduction * Increase to Meet the Low Income Cut-off (A. The Principle / B. The Numbers)
* Funding the Initiative * Conclusion
A study shows that once families break free of poverty, they are less likely to return. Therefore, a possible strategy in the fight against poverty in Canada would be to offer temporary support to families that have an employment income but remain below the low income cut-off – a measurement used to define poverty. The federal government would need to bridge the gap between the disposable income of these families and the LICO, which would involve a one-time cost of up to $23.7 billion over three years. Various tax adjustments could absorb the cost, by increasing either personal income tax or the GST. By helping these families emerge from poverty, and with all other things being equal, Canada could significantly reduce its poverty rate. The rate would fall from an estimated 17.6% in 2008 to 10.5% over three years, and Canada would lead the 19 richest countries listed in the UN Human Poverty Index.

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

Selected content from
The Daily [Statistics Canada]:

November 6, 2009
Labour Force Survey, October 2009
Following two months of moderate growth, employment decreased by 43,000 in October, all in part time. This drop pushed the unemployment rate up 0.2 percentage points to 8.6%.
- includes four tables showing labour force characteristics
[ Related link : Labour Force Information, week of October 11 to 17, 2009 ]

Related subjects
o Labour
o Employment and unemployment

November 3, 2009
Employment, Earnings and Hours, August 2009
Non-farm payroll employment fell by 110,200 in August (-0.8%), following an increase of 27,300 in July. Half of the overall change in August came from a drop in educational services, as payroll employment in that industry returned from unusually high levels in July.
Related subjects:
o Labour
o Employment and unemployment
o Hours of work and work arrangements
o Industries
o Wages, salaries and other earnings
o Non-wage benefits

---

Check The Daily Archives
- select a month and click on a date for that day's Daily

Source:
The Daily
[Statistics Canada]

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

What's new from the Childcare Resource and Research Unit (CRRU)

November 8, 2009

An exploration of the effect of corporate structure on service quality in child care 4 Nov 09 - Paper from Griffith University exploring parental and child care staff perceptions of quality across child care governance structures in Australia.

Child care policy: A comparative perspective 4 Nov 09 - Paper by Rianne Mahon discussing various approaches to child care policy.

Policy: Early human development 4 Nov 09 - Policy statement by the Nova Scotia Teachers Union (NSTU) outlining their position on early human development services.

Cambridge primary review 4 Nov 09 - Final findings from The Cambridge Primary Review's 3 year study that examined primary education in the English system.

A commitment to Ontario's children: Moving forward with full day early learning for four and five year olds 31 Oct 09 - Media and other documents focusing on Ontario's plan and the Premier's announcement to move forward with a full day of learning in Ontario for four and five year olds.

Early childhood education and care in Canada 2008 16 Sep 09 - New report from the Childcare Resource and Research Unit looks at the current state of ECEC spaces, finances and policy developments.

30 quick facts about Canadian ECEC: Trends & Analysis 2008 16 Sep 09 - Companion document to ECEC in Canada 2008 highlights important facts about Canadian child care.

more WHAT'S NEW ONLINE »

child care in the news

· Concert carries message
[CA-ON] 2 Nov 09

· Daycare serving BC's poorest forced to dump kids
[CA-BC] 2 Nov 09

· German child-care subsidy sparks nursery spat
[DE] 1 Nov 09

· A solid investment in our kids [CA-ON] 29 Oct 09

· Junk bond king Michael Milkin bids for ABC Learning
[AU] 28 Oct 09

· Charities contest with financier Michael Milken for ABC Learning group
[AU] 28 Oct 09

· Childcare centres fail basic standards
[AU] 24 Oct 09

· Review backs later formal lessons
[GB] 16 Oct 09

more CC IN THE NEWS »

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Subscribe to the CRRU email announcements list
Sign up to receive email notices of updates and new postings on the CRRU website which will inform you of policy developments in early childhood care and education, new research and resources for policy, newly released CRRU publications, and upcoming events of interest to the child care and broader community.

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)
The Childcare Resource and Research Unit (CRRU) is a policy and research oriented facility that focuses on early childhood education and child care (ECEC) and family policy in Canada and internationally.

- Go to the Non-Governmental Early Learning and Child Care Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/ecd2.htm

Poverty Dispatch (U.S.)
- the content of this link changes several times a week
- scan of U.S. web-based news items dealing with topics such as poverty, welfare reform, child welfare, education, health, hunger, Medicare and Medicaid, etc.

Latest content from the Poverty Dispatch:

November 6:
Medicaid Computer Systems - Michigan
Promise Neighborhoods Program
Unemployment Rate and Jobless Benefits

November 5:
Opinion: Poverty Measurement in the US
Tax Burden on the Working Poor - Alabama
Food Stamp Application Process - Texas

November 4:
Health Care Reform and Hospitals
EITC and Tax Refund Anticipation Loans - Arkansas

November 3:
Report: Child Poverty - United Kingdom
Medicaid and Food Stamp Applications - Wisconsin
Socioeconomic Status and School Assignments
Children’s Health Insurance Program Enrollment - Kentucky

November 2:
Children and Food Stamp Enrollment
Food Stamp Application Process - Texas, Indiana
Increasing Need for Assistance - Delaware, North Dakota
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program - Pennsylvania
Report: Poverty Rate - Israel

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To subscribe to this email list, send an email to:
povdispatch-request@ssc.wisc.edu?subject=subscribe

---

Past Poverty Dispatches
- links to dispatches back to June 2006

Search Poverty Dispatches

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
- Go to the Poverty Measures - International Resources page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/poverty2.htm

CIA: The World Factbook
The World Factbook provides information on the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 266 world entities. Our Reference tab includes: maps of the major world regions, as well as Flags of the World, a Physical Map of the World, a Political Map of the World, and a Standard Time Zones of the World map.

The World Factbook : Canada
- incl. entries under the following headings:
* Geography * People * Government * Economy * Communications * Transportation - Military * Transnational Issues
---
NOTE: the World Factbook contains similar
information for 266 world entities (select countries on the home page)

Source:
Central Intelligence Agency

- Go to the Canadiana Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/patriot.htm

United States

From the
Washington Post:

House Democrats pass health-care bill
One Republican votes for plan; Senate will act next on legislation
By Lori Montgomery and Shailagh Murray
November 8, 2009
Hours after President Obama exhorted Democratic lawmakers to "answer the call of history," the House hit an unprecedented milestone on the path to health-care reform, approving a trillion-dollar package late Saturday that seeks to overhaul private insurance practices and guarantee comprehensive and affordable coverage to almost every American. After months of acrimonious partisanship, Democrats closed ranks on a 220-215 vote that included 39 defections, mostly from the party's conservative ranks. But the bill attracted a surprise Republican convert: Rep. Anh "Joseph" Cao of Louisiana, who represents the Democratic-leaning district of New Orleans and had been the target of a last-minute White House lobbying campaign. GOP House leaders had predicted their members would unanimously oppose the bill.

Related Washington Post links:
* Transcript: Obama delivers remarks prior to the House health-care vote
* Graphic : What happens next?
* What's in the House bill

Source:
Health-Care Reform 2009: Tracking
the National Health-Care Debate <===Click this link for dozens of related articles.
[ Washington Post ]

---

From the
New York Times:

Sweeping Health Care Plan Passes House
By Carl Hulse and Robert PEar
November 7, 2009
WASHINGTON — Handing President Obama a hard-fought victory, the House narrowly approved a sweeping overhaul of the nation’s health care system on Saturday night, advancing legislation that Democrats said could stand as their defining social policy achievement. After a daylong clash with Republicans over what has been a Democratic goal for decades, lawmakers voted 220 to 215 to approve a plan that would cost $1.1 trillion over 10 years. Democrats said the legislation would provide overdue relief to Americans struggling to buy or hold on to health insurance.
- incl. links to several related articles
Source:
New York Times

Related links:

* HealthReform.gov
* The White House Blog: Health Care
* President Obama on Historic House Health Reform Vote (Nov. 7, 2009 - four-minute video)

- Go to the Health Links (Canada/International) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/health.htm
- Go to the Links to American Government Social Research Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/us.htm

United States

What's new from the
Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP):

New Report Reveals Higher State Poverty Rates Based on Alternative Measure
State-by-State Report Calculates Poverty Based on Modern Measure
News Release
November 4, 2009
Washington, D.C. --- The percent of Americans living in poverty is higher than the current poverty measure captures, according to a new report that, for the first time, lists how poverty rates change in each state using a modern poverty measure. The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) compiled the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) calculations of each state's poverty rate using a Census web tool and published these calculations in Measure by Measure: the Current Poverty Measure v. the National Academy of Sciences Measures.

Complete report:
Measure by Measure: the Current
Poverty Measure v. the National Academy of Sciences Measures (PDF - 687K, 11 pages)
November 2, 2009
This report highlights alternative poverty measures for each state and the District of Columbia using a Census tool that calculates alternative measures based on a National Academy of Sciences recommendation and an NAS recommendation that considers geographic price difference adjustment.

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A Tool to Examine State Child Care Subsidy Policies
and Promote Stable, Quality Care for Low-Income Babies and Toddlers (Word file - 182K, 21 pages)
November 2, 2009
This tool, part of CLASP's Charting Progress for Babies in Child Care project, is designed to provide a policy framework that lays out child care subsidy policies that can be implemented to better support babies and toddlers and their families. Users can download and save a copy of this tool, then fill in the appropriate columns with their state's current policies and opportunities for change. In addition, links are included to online resources and examples of state policy initiatives. Assistance in using this tool is available from CLASP.

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Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) reports:

TANF Emergency Funds:
State Applications Approved as of October 27, 2009 (PDF - 480K, 4 pages)
November 2, 2009
The American Recover and Reinvestment Act of 2009 created a new $5 billion TANF Emergency Fund. This document compiles data on which states applied for emergency TANF funding as of October 27, 2009, compared with the maximum they are allowed to receive.

Analysis of Fiscal Year 2008 TANF and MOE Spending by States
October 28, 2009
(Read the disclaimers re. limitations and copyright,
then click "Download Spreadsheet" to access the Excel spreadsheet.)
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has published data concerning use of federal TANF and state maintenance of effort (MOE) funds in FY 2008. This set of state-by-state charts shows how each state reported using its TANF and MOE funds in FY 2008.

Questions and Answers about the TANF Emergency Fund (PDF - 508K, 9 pages)
November 2, 2009
Since 1996, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) grant has been assisting needy families and children. This new report answers questions about TANF funding and how it relates to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

What the TANF Emergency Fund
Can Do For Your Cash-Strapped State
CLASP Audio Conference
Monday, November 16th
12:30 - 1:30 PM EST
On Monday, November 16, CLASP will bring together leading TANF experts to discuss the latest federal guidance on innovative ways that states can draw on the TANF Emergency Fund and claim expenditures by third parties, such as counties, nonprofit service-providers, and even merchants. Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions about the TANF Emergency Fund.

Earlier CLASP reports:

Cash Assistance since Welfare Reform (PDF - 810K, 4 pages)
By Elizabeth Lower-Basch
August 6, 2009
- includes ten links to related resources (in the endnotes)
Highlights:
* Caseloads remain historically low
* No progress in employment and poverty
* Participation rate requirements were tightened by the Deficit Reduction Act
* Many "diverted" from assistance

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Block Grant (PDF - 758K, 4 pages)
By Elizabeth Lower-Basch
August 6, 2009
- includes seven links to related resources (in the endnotes)
"(...) The ambitious goals of the TANF Program are not matched by proportionate resources, especially in states with high rates of poverty and low fiscal capacity."

Source:
Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)
Since 1968, CLASP has been a trusted resource, a creative architect for systems change, and one of the country's most effective voices for low income people. CLASP's mission is to develop and advocate for policies at the federal, state and local levels that improve the lives of low income people. In particular, we seek policies that work to strengthen families and create pathways to education and work.
[ Source: About CLASP ]

- Go to the Poverty Measures - International Resources page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/poverty2.htm
- Go to the Links to American Non-Governmental Social Research (A-J) Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/us2.htm

United States

The Impact of State Income Taxes on Low-Income Families in 2008
By Phil Oliff and Ashali Singham
November 4, 2009
“Sixteen states taxed working-poor families deeper into poverty last year….
“Dire economic conditions are already reducing states’ tax revenue. This makes it harder for states to enact new tax cuts targeted to poor families. But doing so should still be a priority.
"Taxing people deeper into poverty runs counter to the goal of helping families achieve self-sufficiency.”

View the full report:
http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=2976
http://www.cbpp.org/files/11-4-09sfp.pdf (263K - 21 pages)

View the press release:
State Income Taxes Push Many Working-Poor Families Deeper Into Poverty
HTML : http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=2977
PDF : http://www.cbpp.org/files/11-4-09sfp-pr.pdf (PDF 0 206K, 2 pages)

Source:
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is one of the nation’s premier policy organizations working at the federal and state levels on fiscal policy and public programs that affect low- and moderate-income families and individuals.

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

The welfare effects of social mobility
28 October 2009
By Justina A.V. Fischer
The question whether a socially mobile society is conducive to subjective well-being has rarely been investigated. This paper fills this gap by analyzing the wellbeing effects of intergenerational earnings mobility and equality in education at the societal level. Using socio-demographic information on 44,000 individuals in 30 OECD countries obtained from the World Values Survey, this study shows that living in a socially mobile society is conducive to individual life satisfaction.

Abstract (HTML)
- from Australian Policy Online

Complete report (PDF - 490K, 56 pages)
OECD Paper date: 16 September 2009

Source:
Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs
[ Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) ]

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

Dynamic Benefits: Towards Welfare That Works
A Policy Report by the Centre for Social Justice Economic Dependency Working Group
16 September 2009
Published in association with management consultancy firm Oliver Wyman, this 370-page report presents a review of the UK benefits system and proposals for a radical recasting of state support for the jobless and low-paid. The policy proposals in Dynamic Benefits would result in 600,000 households coming off welfare dependency and into work, boost the incomes of the lowest paid by nearly £5 billion and help move more than 200,000 children out of poverty. The overhaul will make welfare spending predictable and promote a culture of working rather than not working. Dynamic Benefits is the most far-reaching review of the UK welfare system in 60 years.

“Our existing complex and inefficient benefits system should finally be laid to rest.
Otherwise all the talk about improving the number of people going back to work will be just another form of empty rhetoric.”
(Iain Duncan Smith MP, Dynamic Benefits)

* Complete Full Report (Zip Folder) [3.2MB]
* Complete Full Report in three smaller files:
--- Full Report, Introductions and Part I [ 1.9MB]
--- Full Report, Parts II and III [3.53MB]
--- Full Report, Appendices [3.15MB]

Executive Summary

Preface by Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith MP (PDF - 161K, 8 pages)

Related links:

Centre for Social Justice - CSJ (U.K.)
The Centre for Social Justice is an independent think tank established by Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith MP in 2004, to seek effective solutions to the poverty that blight parts of Britain. Our Mission: to put social justice at the heart of British politics and to build an alliance of poverty fighting organisations in order to see a reversal of social breakdown in the UK.
[ CSJ Publications List ]

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

Australian Policy Online (APO)
APO is a news service and library specialising in Australian public policy reports and articles from academic research centres, think tanks, government and non-government organisations. The site features opinion and commentary pieces, video, audio and web resources focussed on the policy issues facing Australia. [ About APO ]
NOTE : includes links to the latest APO research; the five most popular downloads of the week
appear in a dark box in the top right-hand corner of each page, and the downloads vary depending on the topic you select.

---

New Research : Social Policy | Poverty
- topics include:
* Community * Cultural diversity * Families & households * Gender & sexuality * Immigration & refugees * Population * Poverty * Religion & faith * Social problems * Welfare * Youth

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

From the Child Rights Information Network (CRIN)

Earlier issues of CRINMAIL
- links to 200+ earlier weekly issues, many of which are special editions focusing on special themes, such as the 45th Session of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the launch of the EURONET Website.

Source:
CRINMAIL(incl. subscription info)
[ Child Rights Information Network (CRIN) ]

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

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.

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Thanks, CUPE!

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

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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...

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Cheers!
Gilles

E-MAIL:
gilseg@rogers.com

Crazy English

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And, in closing...