Canadian Social Research Newsletter
December 31, 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 --- or two.
I took some time off to celebrate the Christmas season with friends and family - hope you did too, even if you weren't celebrating the same holiday...

So this is the first newsletter since the December 17th issue.

The e-mail version of this week's issue of the newsletter is going out to 1723 subscribers.
Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter to see some notes and a disclaimer.

Canadian Content

1. Homelessness, Crime, Victimization, and the Criminal Justice System (Centre for Urban and Community Studies [U of T] & John Howard Society of Toronto) - Nov. 2006
2. Appeal to help save the Canadian Abilities Foundation (CAF) (Friends of the CAF) - December 21
3. Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) Law (IsthatLegal.ca) - December 2006
4. The Individual and Family Assistance Act, Social Assistance Program and Social Solidarity Program come into effect January 2007 (Emploi et Solidarité sociale Québec) - December 8
5. What's New from Human Resources and Social Development Canada:
--- 2007 pension/allowance rates for Old Age Security and the Canada Pension Plan
--- Advancing the Inclusion of People with Disabilities (2006)
6. Homeless and Poverty in Canada — Resources, News & Selected Reports (Intraspec.ca)
7. What's New from the Department of Finance Canada:
--- Canada’s New Government Is Providing Real Tax Relief for Canadians - December 22
--- The Fiscal Monitor: Financial results for October 2006 - December 21
8. BlogsCanada
9. Call for Papers for June 2007 First Peoples Child & Family Review (First Peoples Child & Family Review) - deadline is March 31/07
10. A Surge in Wealth Inequality (Andrew Jackson, Relentlessly Progressive Economics) - December 14
11. Federal Government Commits $526 Million to Combat Homelessness and Extend Funding for Renovation Programs (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation) - December 19
12. Children's Fitness Tax Credit guidelines released (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation) - December 19
13. Signs of Life in Canada’s Guaranteed Annual Income (GAI) Movement (Relentlessly Progressive Economics Blog) - December 14

International Content

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

Justice and Injustice :
Homelessness, Crime, Victimization, and the Criminal Justice System (PDF file - 3MB, 200 pages)
Sylvia Novac, Joe Hermer, Emily Paradis, and Amber Kellen
Research Paper
Centre for Urban and Community Studies, University of Toronto
with the John Howard Society of Toronto
November 2006
[NOTE: the main focus of this study is Toronto, but you'll also find other Canadian and international content there also...]

Summary of Selected Report Highlights (PDF file - 36K, 8 pages)
PDF file dated April 24, 2006

Source:
Centre for Urban and Community Studies (University of Toronto)
John Howard Society of Toronto

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

An Open Letter From Friends of the Canadian Abilities Foundation
December 21, 2006
Dear Colleagues,
The Canadian Abilities Foundation is a national treasure that, since 1986, has been a key communication resource to all Canadians, and in particular, those with disabilities. Abilities Magazine, the outstanding publication produced by the Canadian Abilities Foundation is the glue that holds the "disability" sector together. They are in danger of disappearing. This urgent matter has just come to our attention. Due to unprecedented financial circumstances, the Canadian Abilities Foundation and its projects, including Abilities Magazine are endangered. [more...]

Source:
SNOW - "Special Needs Ontario Window --- the Education component of the University of Toronto's Adaptive Technology Resource Centre"

Related Link:
Canadian Abilities Foundation

- Go to the Disability Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/disbkmrk.htm

Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) Law
December 2006
1. Overview 2. Claimants 3. Income Support 4. Benefits 5. Severely Handicapped Children 6. Information Eligibility 7. Income Rules 8. Asset Rules 9. "Person With a Disability" 10. Applications and Procedures 11. Director Decisions 12. Appeals and Other Remedies 13. Workfare 14. Fraud and Prosecutions 15. Advocacy

Source:
Isthatlegal.ca (Ontario)
"The purpose of this site is to share my knowledge, experience and research regarding law with those in our society who most need it - and with those who work towards a better world. While the practice of law involves an often complex interplay of personalities, circumstances, logic and rules - only the last of these is purely law. Everything else is just life experience, which none among us has a monopoly on. 'Law' alone - be it the "substantive" law of what rights exist, or the "procedural" law of trying to realize those rights - is just information, nothing more. Sadly though it is information that many view as beyond their comprehension. This situation has bothered me for a long time, so in January 2006 I started a sabbatical from my law practice to openly share what I have learned - and will continue to learn."
[Simon Shields, LLB]
- incl. links to the following on the home page: Social Assistance Law (Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program) - Civil and Administrative Litigation (Small Claims Court, Administrative Tribunal Procedures and Line Fences) - Criminal (Criminal Injuries Compensation, Canadian Law of International Crimes) - What's New? (From the Courts, from the Government, from the Media, Elsewhere)

[More About this Site ]
[ Terms of Use for the IsThatLegal.ca site ] - read this before using any info you find in the Isthatlegal.ca site

Also on this site:

Welfare (Ontario Works or "OW") Law
(June 2006)
1. Overview 2. Claimants 3. Basic Assistance 4. Benefits 5. Information Eligibility 6. Income Rules 7. Asset Rules 8. Applications and Procedures 9. Administrator Decisions 10. Appeals and Other Remedies 11. Workfare 12. Fraud and Prosecutions 13. Advocacy - Appendices - Sources and Forms

I highly recommend this site.
For related links to the relevant statutes, regulations and policy directives, see the Ontario section of the Key Welfare Links page of this site: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/welfare.htm

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

The Individual and Family Assistance Act,
Social Assistance Program and Social Solidarity Program come into effect
December 8th, 2006
The Individual and Family Assistance Act, adopted by the National Assembly on June 15, 2005, will come into effect on January 1, 2007. This Act creates programs and measures promoting the economic and social autonomy of individuals and families through assistance and coaching. Two of the programs will also come into effect on January 1, 2007 and provide last-resort financial assistance to individuals and families lacking sufficient income to meet their essential needs. They are the Social Assistance Program and the Social Solidarity Program, which replaces the Employment-Assistance Program.

Main changes under the Individual and Family Assistance Act
New programs as of January 1, 2007 (PDF, 145K, 2 pages)

Source:
Ministère de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale<===this is the English home page of the Ministry
(Ministry of employment and social solidarity, responsible for welfare in Québec)

*********

Français:

L’entrée en vigueur de la Loi sur l’aide aux personnes et aux familles,
du Programme d’aide sociale et du Programme de solidarité sociale
8 décembre 2006
La Loi sur l’aide aux personnes et aux familles, adoptée par l’Assemblée nationale le 15 juin 2005, entrera en vigueur le 1er janvier 2007. Cette loi crée des programmes et des mesures qui favorisent l’autonomie économique et sociale des personnes et des familles. Elle mise sur l’aide et l’accompagnement des personnes. Deux des programmes entreront en vigueur le 1er janvier 2007. Ils fournissent une aide financière de dernier recours aux personnes et aux familles qui n’ont pas de revenus suffisants pour subvenir à leurs besoins essentiels. Il s’agit du Programme d’aide sociale et du Programme de solidarité sociale, qui remplacent le Programme d’assistance-emploi.

Principales modifications apportées par la loi sur l’aide aux personnes et aux familles
Nouveaux programmes en vigueur le 1er janvier 2007 (PDF, 146 Ko)

Source:
Ministère de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale

- Go to the Québec Links (English) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/qce.htm
- Rendez-vous à la page de liens de recherche sociale au Québec: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/qcbkmrk.htm

What's New from Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC):

Canada Pension Plan (CPP) rates for January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2007 and Old Age Security (OAS) program rates for January 1, 2007 to March 31, 2007 are now available.
CPP payment rates
--- More info on CPP

OAS payment rates
--- More info on OAS

Income Security Programs (ISP) Information Card
- includes both OAS and CPP rates and other info

Source:
Income Security Programs (HRSDC)

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The Government of Canada marked International Volunteer Day by reminding Canadians that the Call for Nominations for Thérèse Casgrain Volunteer Award is open until February 1, 2007.

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Canada Celebrates International Day of Disabled Persons
News Release
December 4, 2006
"(...) In honour of the International Day of Disabled Persons, Minister Finley released the fourth Federal Disability Report, Advancing the Inclusion of People with Disabilities (2006) today. The report provides an overview of the activities, results and expenditures of more than 50 federal programs and initiatives that support the needs of Canadians with disabilities."

Complete report:

Advancing the Inclusion of People with Disabilities (2006)
HTML version
PDF version (1.2MB, 109 pages)
Text version
Advancing the Inclusion of People with Disabilities 2006 is the Government of Canada’s fourth comprehensive report on disability in Canada.
"The 2006 federal disability report provides information on over 50 federal programs and initiatives, their level of expenditure, the key findings of any available internal or external evaluations or audits, and any research studies or client surveys of which these programs and initiatives were the subject matter. All these programs and initiatives reflect the Government of Canada’s commitment to address disability issues and reduce the effects of the socio-economic and physical environments."
The report's chapters: Human Rights and Culture * Accessibility and Disability Supports * Learning, Skills and Employment * Income, Income Support and Tax Measures * Health and Well-Being

Earlier reports - links to over a dozen reports, programs and other resources
Other disability publications --- links to 20+ reports going right back to the 1981 Obstacles report

Source:
Office for Disability Issues
[ Human Resources and Social Development Canada ]

- Go to the Disability Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/disbkmrk.htm
- Go to the Human Resources and Social Development Canada Links page - http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/hrsdc.htm
- Go to the Seniors (Social Research) Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/seniors.htm
- Go to the Voluntary Sector Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/voluntary.htm

Homeless in Canada: Resources
Homelessness in Canada: News & Reports

Poverty in Canada — Resources
Poverty in Canada: News & Selected Reports

Recommended reading!

Source:
Intraspec.ca
"Intraspec.ca presents readings, writings and research on selected subjects, including AIDS reversal, astrology, blood-type diets, Enneagram, finding a doctor, homelessness and poverty in Canada (bolding added), influenza, job search, legal aid, medical marijuana, memes, personality types, Nordic Walking, nutrition, Ottawa walk-in clinics, and more." [excerpt from the site index]

- Go to the Homelessness and Housing Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/homeless.htm
- Go to the Poverty Measures - Canadian Resources page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/poverty.htm

What's New from the Department of Finance Canada:

Canada’s New Government Is Providing Real Tax Relief for Canadians
News Release
December 22, 2006
Canadian families, students, workers and seniors will be able to keep more of their hard-earned money in 2006 and 2007. Canada’s New Government is providing substantial and immediate tax relief in every way the government collects taxes.
- includes a summary of all federal tax relief measures for 2006 and 2007

The Fiscal Monitor:
Financial results for October 2006
- October 2006: budgetary surplus of $0.4 billion
- April to October 2006: budgetary surplus of $5.8 billion
[News Release - Dec. 21]

Source:
The Fiscal Monitor 2006
- incl. links to all months in 2006
[ The Fiscal Monitor - earlier years back to 1996 ]
The Fiscal Monitor is a monthly document that provides highlights of the federal government’s fiscal performance, including monthly revenues, expenses, the budgetary balance and the financial source/requirement.

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

BlogsCanada
"BlogsCanada is a blogging resource site and directory of Canadian blogs. The site is 100% owned and operated by Jelve Design. Jelve Design is a 100% Canadian web development company owned by Jim Elve and Jesse Elve. The purpose of BlogsCanada is to provide helpful information for bloggers and those interested in blogs and blogging. BlogsCanada includes Officially Unofficial, Jim Elve's blog. Officially Unofficial covers topics related to blogging, in general, and BlogsCanada, in particular. Jim also uses his blog to spout off on other topics as he sees fit. BlogsCanada also includes the E-Group blog. The E-Group is described as "Multi-partisan Political Punditry." Here, a diverse group of online political commentators discuss Canadian politics and world affairs from a Canadian perspective."

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

Call for Papers for June 2007
First Peoples Child & Family Review
Deadline for Submissions - March 31st, 2007
The Editorial Board of the First Peoples Child & Family Review is once again inviting papers for the peer reviewed June 2007 issue. This upcoming issue seeks to focus on two important and dynamic topics that are unique aspects of Aboriginal Child Welfare practice.
Focus 1 – Tools utilized by Aboriginal/First Nations practitioners in the practice of child welfare (for example, how does your Agency make use of Talking Speoples your agency services?); and
Focus 2 – The role of poverty among Aboriginal/First Nations families who are involved in child welfare (how does poverty impact and influence how Aboriginal/First Nations families become engaged with child welfare systems?).
Source:
First Peoples Child & Family Review
A Journal on Innovation and Best Practices in
Aboriginal Child Welfare Administration, Research, Policy and Practice
[ First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada ]

- Go to the First Nations Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/1stbkmrk.htm
- Go to the Children, Families and Youth Links (NGO) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/chnngo.htm

A Surge in Wealth Inequality
December 14
Posted by Andrew Jackson
"There was a fair amount of media coverage of the new data on assets and debt from the 2005 Survey of Financial Security released by Stats Can last week (...) Slightly buried in the new paper is evidence that wealth inequality is increasing at an even faster rate than was the case in the 1990s, and that the distribution is becoming ever more skewed to the very affluent.

Source:
Relentlessly Progressive Economics:
Commentary on Canadian economics and public policy
[A Blog of the Progressive Economics Forum]

Related Link:

Revisiting wealth inequality
December 2006
René Morissette and Xuelin Zhang
Source:
Statistics Canada

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

Canada's New Government Commits $526 Million
to Combat Homelessness and Extend Funding for Renovation Programs
December 19, 2006
Today, the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, announced $526 million for the new Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS), a strategy aimed at combating homelessness in communities across Canada and extending CMHC's renovation programs. The new Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS) will be funded at $270 million over two years.

Source:
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)

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

Canada's New Government Establishes
Program Eligibility for the Children's Fitness Tax Credit
News Release
December 19, 2006
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today released guidelines on the Children's Fitness Tax Credit, which is scheduled to become effective on January 1, 2007.The Minister confirmed that as recommended by the Expert Panel for the Children’s Fitness Tax Credit, the definition of eligible programs will support children’s participation in all programs that significantly contribute to their fitness. In addition, the Minister indicated that substantial additional support would be provided to children eligible for the disability tax credit to recognize the unique barriers they face in becoming more active.
- includes a backgrounder with more detailed info

Source:
Department of Finance Canada

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

Signs of Life in Canada’s
Guaranteed Annual Income (GAI) Movement
December 14, 2006
Posted by Arun DuBois
It is the policy that dare not speak its name. For the better part of the last 20 years, the idea of a guaranteed annual income (GAI), a government funded unconditional annual income floor below which no family or individual can fall, has been met with ridicule, dismissal, silence and, more often than not, legislation that does the exact opposite of what GAI activists want.
Source:
Relentlessly Progressive Economics:
Commentary on Canadian economics and public policy
[A Blog of the Progressive Economics Forum]

Related Link, also from
Relentlessly Progressive Economics:

Pondering a Guaranteed Annual Income
September 7, 2006
Posted by Marc Lee
Senator Hugh Segal reviews the history and the need for a Guaranteed Annual Income.
Canada’s on-again, off-again relationship with a guaranteed annual income (GAI) has made the rounds for many years. The most renowned recommendation for the GAI came out of the 1985 report of the Royal Commission on the Economic Union and Development Prospects for Canada, chaired by Donald Macdonald, known as the Macdonald Commission. The report stated unequivocally that a universal income security program is “the essential building block” for social security programs in the 21st century.

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

- 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

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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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