Canadian Social Research Newsletter
November 26, 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 1736 subscribers.
Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter to see some notes and a disclaimer.

Canadian Content

1. Child Poverty Report Cards 2006 (Campaign 2000 + provincial partners) - November 23
2. Ontario Human Rights Reform - A Call to Action (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance)
3. What's New from the Assembly of First Nations?
--- Royal Commission on Aboriginal People at 10 Years: A Report Card - November 2006
--- Letter to All Chiefs: Matrimonial Real Property - November 20
--- Make Poverty History: The First Nations Plan for Creating Opportunity - November 20
4. The Economical and Fiscal Update 2006 + National Consultation on the Advantage Canada Economic Plan (Department of Finance Canada) - November 23, 24
5. Alternative Federal Budget 2007 Economic and Fiscal Update (Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives) - November 22
6. Proceedings of the 2006 Community Forum on Homelessness (Ottawa) (Alliance to End Homelessness in Ottawa) - November 22
7. National Housing Day 2006 (Wellesley Institute) - November 22
8. PovNet Fall/Winter 2006 update!
9. What's New from Statistics Canada:
--- Charitable donors, 2005 - November 23
--- Gender differences in university participation, 1977 to 2003 - November 23
--- Savers, investors and investment income, 2005 - November 23
10. McGuinty Government Improving Employment Options For Ontarians On Disability Support (Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services) - November 22
11. Issues and Outcomes for Transition-Aged Youth (Child welfare League of Canada et al.) - November 2006
12. Transfers to Provinces and Territories in 2006 - (undated) interactive presentation (CBC News)
13. International Productivity Monitor - Fall 2006 Issue (Centre for the Study of Living Standards) - November 2006
14 Growing Gap, Growing Concerns : Canadian Attitudes Toward Income Inequality (Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives) - November 20
15. Building Prosperity in a Canada Strong and Free (Fraser Institute) - November 2006
16. Financial Aid and Services for Persons with Disabilities in New Brunswick (Premier's Council on the Status of Disabled Persons) - October 2006
17. What's New from the Childcare Resource and Research Unit (University of Toronto) - November 24

International Content

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

Just released by Campaign 2000:

Canada’s Child Poverty Levels not Budging -
New report shows child poverty “entrenched” in Canada over 25 Years
Campaign 2000
23 November 2006
The rate of child and family poverty in Canada has been stalled at 17-18% over the past 5 years despite strong economic growth and low unemployment, according to a new report by Campaign 2000.

Oh Canada! Too Many Children in Poverty for Too Long [pdf, 6pp, 311KB]
2006 report card on child poverty in Canada

Version française:
Oh Canada! Trop d'enfants pauvres et depuis trop longtemps [pdf, 6pp, 331KB]

Earlier editions of the
report card on child poverty in Canada - reports in English and French going back to 2002
TIP: if you scroll to the bottom of the earlier editions page, you'll also find links to a 2002 report to the UN Special Session on Children entitled A report on a decade of child and family poverty in Canada and a November 2001 Campaign 2000 Bulletin entitled Family Security in Insecure Times: Tackling Canada's Social Deficit.

Related Links:

Aboriginal children are poorest in country: report
B.C. and Newfoundland have highest rates; Alberta and P.E.I. have lowest rates
November 24, 2006
A national network of advocacy groups released a report on Friday that paints a bleak picture of poverty facing First Nations children in Canada. In its report, called Oh Canada! Too Many Children in Poverty for Too Long, the advocacy group Campaign 2000 says First Nations children are suffering the greatest levels of poverty of all children in the country.
Source:
CBC News

Google Web Search Results:
"Campaign 2000, child poverty reports, 2006, Canada"
Google News Search Results:
"Campaign 2000, child poverty reports, 2006, Canada"
Source:
Google.ca

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Provincial report cards
Click on this link to access child poverty report cards for BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
The only links appearing below are for the latest 2006 reports.
Follow the Provincial report cards link above to access the others.

British Columbia
Fact Sheets on Child Poverty in British Columbia, 2006 [pdf, 14pp, 300KB]
November 2006
Source:
BC Campaign 2000,
First Call BC

Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan child poverty report card 2006 [pdf, 8pp, 127KB]
November 2006
Source:
University of Regina
Social Policy Research Unit

New Brunswick
Child and Family Poverty Report Card: New Brunswick [pdf, 6pp, 300KB]
November 2006
Source:
Human Development Council of Saint John

Nova Scotia
The Nova Scotia Child Poverty
Report Card 2006: 1989-2004 [pdf, 29pp, 358KB]
by Pauline Raven, Lesley Frank & Rene Ross
November 2006
Source:
Nova Scotia Office of the
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

- Go to the Children, Families and Youth Links (NGO) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/chnngo.htm
- Go to the Non-Governmental Sites in British Columbia (C-W) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/bcbkmrk3.htm
- Go to the Saskatchewan Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/skbkmrk.htm
- Go to the New Brunswick Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/nbkmrk.htm
- Go to the Nova Scotia Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/nsbkmrk.htm

Ontario Human Rights Reform - A Call to Action
* November 23, 2006 - Toronto Star Editorial Blasts McGuinty for Shutting Down Promised Bill 107 Public Hearings
* November 22, 2006 - Keep Up Pressure on McGuinty Government for Shutting Down Bill 107 Public Hearings
* November 21, 2006 - McGuinty Government Blasted in Legislature for Plans to shut Down Promised Bill 107 Public Hearings
NOTE: the Call to Action page contains links to dozens of resources providing extensive background and contextual information.

Source:
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance
(formerly the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee)

Related Links:

Editorial: Wrong way on rights
November 23, 2006
Just eight days ago, Ontario Attorney General Michael Bryant said he looked forward to controversial human rights reforms being debated in a legislative committee "not only tomorrow and the next day, but however long it takes." Despite that assurance, the Ontario government, effective today, is ending public hearings into the bill designed to streamline how human rights complaints are handled. The sudden and short-sighted move shuts out many groups and individuals who wanted to speak in favour or against the legislation and will only fan the bitter debate that has surrounded the proposed law since it was introduced last spring.
Source:
The Toronto Star

Google Web Search Results:
"Ontario Human Rights Reform"
Google News Search Results:
"Ontario Human Rights Reform"
Source:
Google.ca

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

Royal Commission on Aboriginal People at 10 Years:
A Report Card (351K, 20 pages)
November 2006
"(...) summary analysis points to a clear lack of action on the key foundational recommendations of RCAP and a resultant lack of progress on key socio-economic indicators. Based on our assessment, Canada has failed in terms of its action to date. (...) The reality for First Nations communities today is ongoing poverty, and an increasing gap in living conditions with other Canadians, which were reported during the RCAP hearings."
Source:
Assembly of First Nations (AFN)

Related Link:

Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1996)
- includes links to the full final report, highlights, a news release and a speech
Source:
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada

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Also from the Assembly of First Nations (AFN):

Letter to All Chiefs:
Matrimonial Real Property (PDF file - 117K, 3 pages)
National AFN Chief Phil Fontaine invites all AFN Chiefs to participate in the consultation on Matrimonial Property and to visit the AFN website for more info on the subject

Matrimonial Real Property Our Lands, Our Families, Our Solutions
- use the link in the left margin to explore the available resources

Related links from Indian and Northern Affairs Canada:

Addressing Matrimonial Real Property On-Reserve
- incl. links to : * Consultations * Background Information * Reference Documents * Partners * What's New * Contact Us * Make your voice heard!

Source:
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC)

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

From Make Poverty History (Canada):

Make Poverty History: The First Nations Plan for Creating Opportunity
November 20, 2006
In Canada, the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) recently launched Make Poverty History: The First Nations Plan for Creating Opportunity. We are asking all members of the public to sign our on-line petition to ensure that the Government of Canada sees that First Nations poverty is a truly shared issue for all Canadians.

Sign the AFN petition to ensure that First Nations poverty is an issue in the next federal budget and election.

- Go to the First Nations Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/1stbkmrk.htm

From the Department of Finance Canada:

Canada's New Government Releases Advantage Canada: An Economic Plan to Eliminate Canada's Net
Debt and Further Reduce Taxes
News Release
November 23, 2006
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today released Advantage Canada: Building a Strong Economy for Canadians, a long-term, national economic plan designed to make Canada a true world economic leader. The plan, unveiled along with Minister Flaherty’s Economic and Fiscal Update, features a new national objective to eliminate Canada’s total government net debt in less than a generation and further reduce taxes for all Canadians.
- includes links to:
* The Economic and Fiscal Update 2006 (table of contents, links to all files)
* Advantage Canada - Building a Stronger Economy for Canadians

The Economic and Fiscal Update 2006

Canada's New Government Renews Inflation-Target Agreement With the Bank of Canada
News Release
November 23, 2006
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today announced that as part of its Advantage Canada plan to build a strong economy for Canadians, Canada’s New Government has reached an agreement with the Bank of Canada to renew Canada’s inflation-control target for a further five years to 2011. “Maintaining low, stable and predictable inflation goes right to the bottom line of every household budget,” said Minister Flaherty. “It ensures affordable mortgage rates, allows more families to purchase new homes, secures the value of incomes and keeps the costs of purchases stable."

Related Link:

Canada's New Government Launches National
Web-Based Consultations on Advantage Canada Economic Plan
November 24, 2006

November 24, 2006
Online Consultations on the Advantage Canada Plan
"Invitation by the Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, to Participate in Advantage Canada Consultations:
To Canadians in every part of this country, I would like to say that I’m looking forward to seeing your ideas on how we can best implement Advantage Canada, our new long-term Plan to build a strong economy for Canadians and secure a better quality of life now and for future generations."
- incl. links to all consultation documents and resources
This consultation ends on December 18.

Once more, with feeling
November 25, 2006
By Chris Selley
The restrained rhetoric of Jim Flaherty's economic update seems to have made commentators nostalgic for the more grandiose Goodale days
- incl. a summary of media coverage and analysis of the economic update by the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, the National Post and Financial Post and Maclean's, along with links to each source
Source:
Macleans.ca

Google Web Search Results:
"Canada, 2006 Economic, Fiscal Update"
Google News Search Results:
"Canada, 2006 Economic, Fiscal Update"
Source:
Google.ca

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

Conservative tax cuts quickly draining public purse: report
Alternative Federal Budget 2007 Economic and Fiscal Update
Press Release
November 22, 2006
OTTAWA—The Alternative Federal Budget (AFB) Economic and Fiscal Update, released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, projects that the federal government will have budget surpluses of $4.2 billion in 2006-07 and $4.0 billion in 2007-08.

Complete report:

Alternative Federal Budget 2007 Economic and Fiscal Update:
Can Ottawa Afford More Conservative Government Promises? - PDF File, 262K, 32 pages)
by Ellen Russell & Mathieu Dufour

Source:
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

- Go to the Canadian Government Budgets Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/budgets.htm

Proceedings of the 2006 Community Forum on Homelessness
Linking Ottawa Research with Action and Policy
In Honour of National Housing Day,
November 22, 2006
On National Housing Day, the Alliance to End Homelessness in Ottawa held its third Community Forum on Homelessness - Linking Ottawa Research with Action and Policy.
- incl. links to over a dozen Powerpoint presentations from the community forum on a variety of topics related to homelessness, including an overview of the panel study of homelessness in Ottawa, homelessness and youth, cycles of homelessness, the Government of Canada's National Homeless Individuals and Families Information System (HIFIS) Initiative, and more...

Source:
Alliance to End Homelessness in Ottawa

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

National Housing Day 2006:
Wellesley Institute Backgrounder: Canada's housing deficit $4 billion and growing
TORONTO, Nov. 22 /CNW/ - The combined federal-provincial-territorial housing deficit is $4 billion and growing, according to the latest estimate released by the Wellesley Institute on Canada's National Housing Day 2006. National Housing Day is held annually to mark the date in 1998 when the mayors of Canada's largest cities declared homelessness a national disaster. The mayors called on senior levels of government to commit the funding and programs for a comprehensive national affordable housing strategy.
Source:
CNW Group (formerly Newswire)

Related Links:

The Wellesley Institute - "The Wellesley Institute advances the social determinants of health through rigorous community-based research, reciprocal capacity building, and the informing of public policy."
Wellesley Institute Issue Pages: Housing and Homelessness - incl. links to key online resources, presentations and blog entries on this issue
The Blueprint to End Homelessness (Toronto) - October 26, 2006

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

PovNet Fall/Winter 2006 update!
Here's just *some* of what you'll find on the PovNet website home page, much of it posted in November:
[just click the PovNet link above to access all of the content below and much more]
* Raising the Rates in BC * Raising the Rates in Ontario * Increasing the Minimum Wage * Court Challenge to Federal Government's Cuts * Progressive Calendars for Sale * Children Bear Scars of Clawback * Apparently Poverty is at a Record Low * Income Assistance for Post-Secondary Education in Nova Scotia * BC Poverty Rates Soar Amidst Plenty * The Homeless Plan in Action in Vancouver * Victoria Squat on the National Day to End Homelessness * OCAP Attempts to Squat a Building in the Toronto Mayor's Neighbourhood * In the North the Homeless Sleep on Floors, Tents and Couches * Buses and Furniture Stores House Homeless in Calgary * Homeless Between Jail and Shelters * Save Low Income Housing Coalition * Moving Forward on Women's Poverty in Nova Scotia * Kamloops Women's Resource Centre Forced to Close * Beyond Decriminalization: Sex Work and Law Reform * Seven Women's Voices Told * Six Nations Reclamation * Canada Set to Vote Against UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples * Canada Votes Against Native Rights at UN * BC Needs Comprehensive Mental Health Strategy * Ontario's Disabled Finally To Get Support Payments.
Source:
PovNet
"PovNet is for advocates, people on welfare, and community groups and individuals involved in anti-poverty work. It provides up-to-date information about welfare and housing laws and resources in British Columbia, Canada. PovNet links to current anti-poverty issues and also provides links to other anti-poverty organizations and resources in Canada and internationally."
- incl. links to : News - Issues - Advocacy - Find an Advocate - Regional - About us - Links

Links : large collection, organized under the following categories : Advocacy - Anti-poverty - Community Organizing/Activism - Disability - First Nations/Aboriginal - Government - Homelessness/Housing - Human Rights - Immigrants & Refugees - International - Seniors - Women - Workers' Rights - Youth

- Go to the Non-Governmental Sites in British Columbia (C-W) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/bcbkmrk3.htm

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

November 23, 2006
Charitable donors, 2005
Canadian taxfilers opened their pocketbooks even wider to charities in 2005, with more than 5.8 million donors contributing a record high $7.9 billion. The total donations were 13.8% higher than in 2004. The amount increased in all provinces and territories. (...) Nationally, 25% of all taxfilers claimed charitable donations, roughly the same proportion as in the past. Leading the way again was Manitoba, where 28% of taxfilers declared a donation. Ontario followed next with 27%. These two provinces have shown the highest and second highest percentage of taxfilers claiming charitable donations for the past seven consecutive years.

November 23, 2006
Study: Gender differences in university participation, 1977 to 2003
Women's participation in university has outpaced men's since the late 1970s. In fact, the gap widened substantially during the 1990s. This study uses data from two Statistics Canada surveys to investigate the reasons for the differentials of growth in university attendance between 1977 and 2003. Its findings suggest that a major factor underlying the steady increase in university enrolment among women is that it pays more for women to attend university.

Complete study:

The Gender Imbalance in Participation in Canadian Universities (1977-2003) - PDF file - 137K, 31 pages)
Christofides, L.N., Hoy, M. and Yang, L. (2006)
Department of Economics, University of Guelph working paper, April, pp. 30

November 23, 2006
Savers, investors and investment income, 2005
The number of taxfilers reporting investment income, as well as the amount of investment income they reported, both increased for the second year in a row in 2005. Investment income refers to the sum of interest and dividend income from taxable Canadian corporations reported by savers and/or investors from investments in non-tax-sheltered vehicles.Just under 7.8 million people reported nearly $34.5 billion of income from investments, according to income tax returns filed in the spring of 2006.

- Go to the Education Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/education.htm
- Go to the Canadian Universities and Colleges Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/univbkmrk.htm
- Go to the Asset-Based Social Policies Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/assets.htm
- Go to the Federal Government Department Links (Fisheries and Oceans to Veterans Affairs) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/fedbkmrk2.htm

November 22, 2006
McGuinty Government Improving Employment Options For Ontarians On Disability Support
TORONTO – The McGuinty government is helping people on disability support pursue job opportunities and keep more of what they earn by improving the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), Minister of Community and Social Services Madeleine Meilleur announced today.
Source:
Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services

- Go to the Ontario Government Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/onbkmrk.htm

Building a Future Together:
Issues and Outcomes for Transition-Aged Youth (PDF file - 1.2MB, 69 pages)
November 2006
By Carrie Reid and Peter Dudding
The Centre of Excellence for Child Welfare, along with the Child Welfare League of Canada and the National Youth in Care Network, are proud to announce the release of Building a Future Together: Issues and Outcomes for Transition-Aged Youth. This paper examines the complex issues facing youth as they transition out of state care and into adulthood. Eight areas are discussed: relationships, education, housing, life skills, identity, youth engagement, emotional healing and financial support. Also included is an examination of international practices in this area as well as the results of a survey of transition to adulthood programs and policies in each province and territory.

Related Links:

Centre of Excellence for Child welfare
Child Welfare League of Canada
National Youth in Care Network
World Forum 2006 - Future Directions in Child Care
November 19 – 22, 2006 (Vancouver, BC)

Wards of the Crown (PDF file - 841K, 2 pages)
Wards of the Crown is a new Canadian documentary following the lives of four youth as they leave government care.
About the Filmmaker - Andrée Cazabon
NOTE: Wards of the Crown will air on CBC Newsworld: The Lens on November 25.

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

Transfers to Provinces and Territories [2006] - A CBC News Interactive Feature (requires Flash Player)
"Ottawa will give out $62 billion in payments to the provinces and territories for health, social and equalization in 2006. Here's a look at how the spoils are split."
- click "Continue" on the first page of this CBC interactive feature to see a map of Canada that you can click to see, for each Canadian jurisdiction, not only total federal transfer payments in 2006, but also the breakdown of those payments into two streams: the Canada Health Transfer (covering provincial/territorial health insurance programs) and the Canada Social Transfer (covering approved costs of provincial/territorial post-secondary education lumped in with social assistance [welfare] and social services).
Source:
CBC News
NOTES:
1. Compare the numbers in this CBC presentation with those of the federal Finance Department (below). Can YOU tell how much the federal government is contributing towards the cost of provincial/territorial welfare programs?
I didn't think so. Accountability - easy to promise, tough to deliver.

2. TO THE NICE FOLKS AT FINANCE CANADA:
If you really plan on Bringing Accountability Back to Government, you could start by splitting the Canada Social Transfer into two distinct components: one for post-secondary education and one for social assistance and social services.

Related Links:

Federal Transfers to Provinces and Territories (updated to October 2006)
- overview of five major transfer programs (Canada Health Transfer - Canada Social Transfer - Health Reform Transfer - Equalization - Territorial Formula Financing).
This is the most comprehensive collection of federal government information you'll find online concerning federal transfers to the provinces and territories for health, post-secondary education, social assistance and social services (including early childhood development). From April 1996 until March 2004, federal government contributions for these program areas were combined in a single block transfer called the Canada Health and Social Transfer.
Source:
Finance Canada

International Productivity Monitor (Fall 2006 Issue)
English version
Version Française
November 2006
On November 20, 2006, the Fall 2006 issue of the International Productivity Monitor was released on the CSLS website in English and French. This issue of the Monitor contains five articles and has a strong Canadian flavour. Topics covered are the benchmarking of Canadian economic performance by Jean-Philippe Cotis, policies for improving productivity growth in Canada by Don Drummond , Canada-U.S. differences in hours worked by Alberto Isgut, Lance Bialas and James Milway , the impact of terms of trade on Canada by Ulrich Kohli , and the measurement of government output and productivity by Aled ab Iorwerth.

Source:
Centre for the Study of Living Standards
The Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS), a national, independent, not-for-profit, economic research organization, today released the Fall 2006 issue of the International Productivity Monitor.

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

From the National Office of the
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA):

Growing Gap, Growing Concerns: Poll
Press Release
November 20, 2006
[version française du communiqué:
Sondage : Écart croissant, préoccupations croissantes]
TORONTO – A record high number of Canadians think Canada’s gap between rich and poor is growing – and it’s causing them concern, according to an Environics Research poll conducted for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA). The poll reveals three-quarters (76%) of Canadians believe Canada’s gap between rich and poor has grown compared to 10 years ago. That number is up from 2003, when 70% thought the gap had grown. In 1990, 68% of Canadians thought the gap had grown.

Complete report:

November 20, 2006
GROWING GAP,
GROWING CONCERNS:
Canadian Attitudes Toward Income Inequality (PDF file - 1MB, 14 pages)
"(...)while many Canadians think that the “rags to riches” story is possible to achieve in Canada, half say that they themselves are only one or two missed pay-cheques away from economic disaster."

Related Links:

The GrowingGap
The growinggap.ca is an initiative of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ Inequality Project, a national project to increase public awareness about the alarming spread of income and wealth inequality in Canada.

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Put poverty back on political agenda
November 25, 2006
While their governments seemingly choose to ignore it, the vast majority of Canadians believe there is a growing gap between the rich and poor in this country. And, ominously, most Canadians fear that if the gap continues to expand, it will lead to more crime and an escalating polarization between rich and poor across the land. But instead of action, politicians appear immune to the mounting evidence that we are losing the battle against poverty, despite parts of Canada having enjoyed years of prosperity and personal and corporate wealth
Source:
Toronto Star

- Go to the Poverty Measures - Canadian Resources page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/poverty.htm
- Go to the Social Research Organizations (I) in Canada page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/research.htm

From The Fraser Institute:

Manning and Harris Call for Downsizing of Government;
Reduced Taxes and Spending Key to Economic Freedom
News Release
The Fraser Institute
November 20, 2006
Toronto, ON - As Ottawa readies its economic update for release this week, now is the ideal time to move forward on reducing spending, cutting taxes and eliminating provincial trade barriers, Preston Manning and Mike Harris say in a new policy paper released today, Building Prosperity in a Canada Strong and Free. “The government plays too large a role in the Canadian economy and that’s hindering our growth. We call on Canadian governments to cut government’s share of the economy to 33 per cent from its current 39 per cent over the next five years. That alone will save Canadian taxpayers almost $400 billion over five years and spur increased prosperity,” Manning said.

Executive Summary

Complete report:

Building Prosperity in a Canada Strong and Free (PDF file - 871K, 110 pages)
November 2006
By Mike Harris & Preston Manning

Related Links:

Tories not right wing enough according to Harris, Manning
November 20, 2006
OTTAWA - If Preston Manning and Mike Harris had their way, the Harper Conservatives would be more conservative. The Reform party founder and the former Ontario premier are calling on the federal government to implement massive tax reforms, cut the size of government, strip away regulations governing businesses and individuals and rein in spending. Among other things, Ottawa should slash the corporate tax rate in half and eliminate the cap on Registered Retirement Savings Plan contributions, says a paper by Manning and Harris, to be released today by the right-wing Fraser Institute.
Source:
Canada.com

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

Directory of Financial Aid for for Persons with Disabilities in N.B.
Revised October 2006

Directory of Services Offered to Persons with Disabilities in New Brunswick
Revised October 2006
[incl. links to other directories : Financial Assistance for Students with Disabilities in N.B. - Sources of Funding Assistance and/or Rehabilitation Equipment Loans Programs - Directory of Career Counseling and Job Placement Services - Funding Sources for Barrier-Free Access]

Source:
Premier's Council on the Status of Disabled Persons

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

What's New - from the Childcare Resource and Research Unit (CRRU) - University of Toronto

24-Nov-06

---------------------------------------------------
What's new
---------------------------------------------------

OH CANADA! TOO MANY CHILDREN IN POVERTY FOR TOO LONG
Campaign 2000's annual Report Card on Child and Family Poverty shows that one in every six children in Canada (one in four in First Nations communities) grow up in poverty.
http://action.web.ca/home/crru/rsrcs_crru_full.shtml?x=93177

BILL C-303: EARLY LEARNING AND CHILD CARE ACT
Private member's bill to "establish criteria and conditions in respect to funding for early learning and child care programs" passed second reading on November 22nd and has proceeded to Committee.
http://action.web.ca/home/crru/rsrcs_crru_full.shtml?x=92897

THE MACROECONOMICS OF PRE-SCHOOLING: SIMULATING THE EFFECTS OF UNIVERSAL EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION ON THE U.S. ECONOMY
Working Paper from the National Institute for Early Education Research (US) estimates the economic consequences of a large-scale, publicly funded early childhood education program.
http://action.web.ca/home/crru/rsrcs_crru_full.shtml?x=93182

--------------------------------------------------
Child care in the news
--------------------------------------------------

Aboriginal children face terrible poverty in Canada: report [CA]
CBC News Online, 24 Nov 06
http://action.web.ca/home/crru/rsrcs_crru_full.shtml?x=93181

May champions women's issues [CA]
London Free Press, 23 Nov 06
http://action.web.ca/home/crru/rsrcs_crru_full.shtml?x=93180

Income splitting: Who really benefits? [CA]
CBC News, 22 Nov 06
http://action.web.ca/home/crru/rsrcs_crru_full.shtml?x=93170

Tories eye tax cut for couples [CA]
Toronto Star, 21 Nov 06
http://action.web.ca/home/crru/rsrcs_crru_full.shtml?x=93061

Canada lags on child issues [CA]
Toronto Star, 20 Nov 06
http://action.web.ca/home/crru/rsrcs_crru_full.shtml?x=93021

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New Issue File
---------------------------------------------------

FAMILY TAXATION AND INCOME-SPLITTING: A BACKGROUNDER
http://www.childcarecanada.org/res/issues/familytaxationintro.htm

Currently, Canada's income tax system requires each individual to report and pay tax on all of the income he/she earns. Income-splitting would allow couples to transfer income to the lower-earning partner, taxing them as a unit. Recently, there has been speculation that the federal government will modify the family taxation system by introducing income-splitting. If fully implemented, this tax change would affect all married or common-law couples in Canada and would effectively alter how income is redistributed to Canadian families.

It is hoped that by providing a range of informed arguments, this Issue File will promote discussion about the impact of income-splitting on families and women, on the broader goal of social equity and inclusion, and on the formation of a fair tax policy that plays an important role in a family policy package for all families.

Source:
ISSUE files - links to over three dozen theme pages, each filled with contextual information and links to further info

Related Links:

Links to child care sites in Canada and elsewhere
CRRU Publications - briefing notes, factsheets, occasional papers and other publications

Link to the CRRU home page:
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

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 ]

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 ]

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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