Freedom 90 commits to raising its voice to demand an end
to poverty and an end
to the need for food banks and emergency meal programs in
Ontario. |
| April 25, 2012 (recently noted) |
| The Tyee - Critics say framing food as charity takes the root issues off government's plate. |
| The Problem with Food Banks |
 Longtime advocate for the homeless Judy Graves called Taylor "one of the most exciting things to happen to Vancouver."
"Holy crow, does he get it," says Graves. "He gets it in the big picture and gets in the small picture, and he's definitely the wave of the future."
Taylor is quick to acknowledge, and he respects, the moral imperative that people feel to help out in whatever way they can. But hunger is not an issue for charity, he says, and he and others at the Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood House are "not here to convince people of deservedness."
"Food," says Taylor, "is a fundamental human right."
|
| Read the full article at The Tyee website |
| May 5, 2013 |
| The Right to Food Zine |
| From Charity to Choice: Social Justice and the Right to Food |
 The overwhelming response to the ubiquitous poverty in the DTES is charity and the proliferation of charitable food sources. These sources are not financially sustainable, not always of the greatest nutritional benefit, are often undignified, create dependent relationships for food from those who donate food and allow the government to abdicate their right to food obligations. A more effective intervention is to focus on right to food obligations and systemic change that can more adequately support more universal access to food. |
| Read the full article at The Right to Food Zine website |
| May 9, 2013 |
| Citizens for Public Justice - Brad Wassink |
| Are food banks here to stay? Anti-Poverty Caucus meets on hunger |
 Of course there is disagreement in how to go about raising incomes. Some - both in the halls of power and society at large - say social assistance rates are too low while others say we need to increase employment. Still others argue that increasing employment will accomplish nothing unless we deal with the problems facing the working poor, such as low-wage, temporary, and part-time work.
Regardless of the solution, this is the right discussion to be having.
|
| Read the full article at the Citizens for Public Justice website |
| May 12, 2013 |
| The Globe and Mail - Venetia Butler - Personal essay |
| Laid off in 2010, I'm drowning in the welfare well |
 t's happened again. Yesterday I started another new employment program, and today I'm depressed.
In 2010, my whole department was outsourced to India. Laid off at age 50, I exhausted employment insurance, earned a diploma with Second Career and applied for many jobs.
My line of credit maxed out after seven months, so I applied for Employment and Social Services: welfare.
|
| Read the full article at The Globe and Mail website |
| May 15, 2013 |
| Grandview Woodland Food Connection - Video - From the producers of "S**t Harper Did" |
| Food Banks - what the %#*K Harper |
 My friend said, "Well, why don't you volunteer at this food bank?" It was around Christmastime. So I figured, "Oh, I'll do that for 2 weeks" and it ended up being an 8 year career.
When I started there, it was about 700 people .. or 700 households .. once a week. When I left, it was 5,000 twice a week.
|
| Watch the video at the Grandview Woodland Food Connection website |
| May 21, 2013 |
| Income Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC) - Budget 2013 |
| Changes to Social Assistance to Proceed |
 ISAC encourages all parties in the Ontario legislature to ensure that a positive approach to social assistance reform continues to be pursued, in order to move the system:
- from intentional inadequacy to decent incomes that support vocational and personal development;
- from a culture of punishment to one of support;
- from surveillance to respect and dignity;
- from compulsion to autonomy and choice;
- from suspicion to collaboration; and,
- from "first available job" to sustainable and sustaining employment.
|
| Read the full article at this link |
Freedom 90 needs help with printing, mailing and all the other costs associated with carrying on a province-wide effort. You can make a donation by clicking on the Canada Helps logo. |
|
Freedom 90
c/o York Region Food Network
350 Industrial Parkway South
Aurora ON L4G 3V7
Join us!
|
|
|
