HCAP Lives?

Well its been more than a month but we are finally settling in to the new office space. We are now on 5687 West St suite 220 - B3K 1H6 Halifax NS - the phone number and email are the same 902-444-5060 and hcap@riseup.net

We are actually across the street from where the old office space was located. This office is also not accessible - which is a drag given I walk with a cane now....however anyone who wants the services of an advocate and cannot make it up here I will make arrangements to meet you in an accessible location. We are also going to hold all meetings off site in the community as well.

Lots and lots of changes, many of the old time members have gone their separate ways some were here as students, and are now done others have gone on to jobs where being directly involved in this organization might be in conflict while others have developed different interests. Needless to say things will be very different. We are fortunate this year to have great office volunteers as well as 4 pro-bono students from Dalhousie law school who will be doing a project for us. I am very excited as to the direction the organization is moving.

We need to focus on some fund development so we can keep our doors open but we also need to reach out to a membership base. We will see what happens................I am hopeful

Cheers
Susan

Really? Death panels?

While this is for Americans - I thought those of us in Canada could take a read - lets be in solidarity we our brothers and sisters to the south and say yes to publicly funded healthcare

Really? Death panels?

There are some bizarre things being said about health reform these days. Scare tactics about so-called "death panels," misinformation, and disruptions have replaced debate.

But don't be fooled: this is a calculated strategy by opponents of reform who hope you and your representatives in Congress will just give up.

We can't let that happen. Members of Congress are now on their August recess and have just traveled back to their home districts to get a sense of their constituents' feelings about health care reform before voting on the issue in the fall. This is a critical time to cut through the noise and let your representatives know you support reform.

Tell your member to keep up the momentum and fix our broken health care system this year >

The reform proposal on the table right now will make the following commitment to all Americans:

• No more coverage denials because of your age or pre-existing conditions;
• Decent, guaranteed benefits like members of Congress get;
• A cap on what you pay out of your pocket so no one faces medical bankruptcy;
• A national insurance market with more choice, clear pricing and no hidden costs; and
• Discounts on polices for those who can’t afford coverage.

As important, if you have insurance through your job that you like, you can keep it. But if you lose your job or you want to launch your own business you will always be able to get good coverage.

But to make this happen, lawmakers need to know that the majority of Americans want Congress to fix our broken health care system and not squander this opportunity on politics and infighting.

Tell your member of Congress you support reform that guarantees affordable, reliable health coverage this year >

Baby injured in rooming house

Our local paper just released a story about a young family living in a rooming house - they had a small baby and that baby was injured. The parents are being charged with assault causing injury to the child. The parents are young - 23years old, and both are said to have an university education - and of course they are poor.
Things we do know - The landlord rented the room to this young family knowing that it was not suitable for children as the other tenants are single men many (not all) who have been in conflict with the law and are in addiction recovery.
The public health nurse was in to see the family on a regular basis
Source of income - I will speculate it was social assistance (welfare) so then the caseworker would have been aware of the living conditions.
So what happened? The system let this family down - they were young inexperienced and in need of adequate housing and supports - why did this not happen? Why did not the professionals involved in their lives step in sooner.
Would adequate housing and better income have improved the situation. From what I know the Mother never left the room - they stayed locked inside - only mixing with others in the rooming house when they needed the bathroom or kitchen -
Think about the impact of being young, new parents, forced to live in unsuitable conditions, under resourced - even perhaps being fearful for you and your child's safety - think of the pressure that would put on the parents - in my opinion it was a recipe for disaster - the results - could be a lost of life and for certain a destruction of a family
What could have been done - better housing, more supports - the department of community services as well as the health care providers - really needs to review their policies to ensure adequate resources are provided in a timely manner to those in need.

Who is likely to be poor?

In the light of the following fact sheet on poverty - can we at this time in our history have gender balance in government? When we use the term balance are we talking about equity or equality? Given the depth of women's poverty in Canada I say that equity needs to be met first before equality is ever achieved - look at the facts as listed below - are we really equal?

Who is likely to be poor?

This fact sheet was written by Marika Morris and updated by Tahira Gonsalves.

A newborn child, just because she happens to be born female, is more likely to grow up to be poor as an adult. Women form the majority of the poor in Canada. One in seven[2] (2.4 million[3]) Canadian women is living in poverty today.

• Women raising families by themselves: 51.6% of lone parent families headed by women are poor[4]. With many of these families, financial support agreements with the non-custodial parent (usually the father) are either not in place or in arrears.[5]

• Senior women: Almost half (41.5%) of single, widowed or divorced (“unattached”) women over 65 are poor[6]. While the poverty rates for all seniors have improved overall, there is still a large gap between men and women. The poverty rate for all senior women is 19.3%, while that for senior men is 9.5%[7].

• Women on their own: 35% of women on their own under 65, live in poverty.[8]

• Women with disabilities: More women than men live with disabilities in Canada. Aboriginal people have twice the national disability rate[9]. Of all women with disabilities living in a household rather than an institution, and who had any income at all, those aged 35-54 had the highest incomes: an average of $17,000, which is 55% of men with disabilities in that age range. Women with disabilities under 35 had an average income of $13,000, and women with disabilities over 55 had an average income of under $14,000. The more severe a woman’s disability, the lower her income.[10]

• Aboriginal women: The average annual income of Aboriginal women is $13,300, compared to $18,200 for Aboriginal men, and $19,350 for non-Aboriginal women.[11] 44% of the Aboriginal population living off reserve lives in poverty, but things are worse on reserve: Almost half (47%) of Aboriginal persons on reserve have an income of less than $10,000.[12] Aboriginal women are also more likely than Aboriginal men to be trapped in low-paying jobs[13], and because of the continuing effects of the Indian Act, they face insecurities related to housing, access to services and abuse both on and off reserve[14].

• Women of colour: 37% of women of colour are low income, compared with 19% of all women. The average annual income for a woman of colour in Canada is $16,621, almost $3000 less than the average for other women ($19,495) and almost $7,000 less than that of men of colour ($23,635).[15] Women of colour are also overrepresented in precarious (part-time and temporary) work and often have to live in substandard, segregated housing. They are also more vulnerable to violence and other health risks[16].

• Immigrant women: Education does not reduce the income gap between immigrant women and Canadian-born women. New immigrant women between the ages of 25-44 who have a university degree and who worked full-year, full-time earn $14,000 less than Canadian-born women.[17] This is partly because of overt racism, but also the structural racism of lack of recognition of foreign credentials and experience. New immigrant women, suffering from abuse, may have few options to escape this, if they are financially dependent on their male relative sponsors in Canada.

• Lesbians: There is little information about the economic status of lesbians. We only have isolated bits and pieces to go by, such as a Winnipeg study that found that 14% of gay men over 65 reported incomes below the poverty line, compared with 42% of lesbian seniors.[18]

• Migrant Women: Migrant women who are often refugees or foreign domestic workers are also particularly at risk of poverty and exploitation, as they are often forced to work in unregulated or hidden employment. Women make up the majority of migrant workers from Asia and many work here to sustain their families back home. They are paid low wages, and despite the fact that they contribute significantly to the Canadian economy, they are not entitled to many benefits such as EI[19].

• Low wage earners: In Canada it is not enough to have a job to keep you out of poverty.[20] Most poor people do work full- or part-time.[21] Poverty level wages are a particular problem for women. Women and youth account for 83% of Canada’s minimum wage workers.[22] 37% of lone mothers with paid employment must raise a family on less than $10 per hour.[23]

Women also make approximately 71%[24] of what men earn for full-year, full-time work. Education does not reduce the wage gap much: women with university degrees, employed full-year, full-time earned 74% of what men earned with university degrees.[25] The gap between what women and men (with University degrees) earn also widened between 1995 and 2000[26]. In fact, in 1997, a man employed full-year, full-time with less than a Grade 9 education earned on average $30,731, whereas a woman with a post-secondary certificate or diploma earned less for full-year, full-time work: $29,539.[27] Women earn less than men even if they work in the same sectors or even in the same jobs. There are no occupations in which women’s average earnings exceed men’s, not even in female-dominated areas such as clerical work and teaching.[28] Canada has the largest wage gap between women and men full-time workers out of world’s 29 most developed countries. Only Spain, Portugal, Japan and Korea have larger wage gaps.[29]

• Women on welfare, and their children: In 2001, 60% of single mothers relied on welfare at some point[30]. 52% of Canada’s social assistance recipients are made up of families with children[31]. One quarter (24%) of welfare families are headed by people with some form of disability.[32] All welfare rates in Canada are far below the poverty line, ranging from 20% to 76% below

• http://www.criaw-icref.ca/factSheets/Women%20and%20Poverty/Poverty%20Fact%20sheet_e.htm

Queer and Rebel Days

Queer and Rebel Days- fantastic and free (donations gladly welcome but not necessary) at the Robert St. Social Centre

Kick off Party- Friday July 10, 7pm (Roberts street social centre- 5684 Roberts st.) (FREE and everyone friendly-friendly)- meet some folks and discuss, among other things, the importance of challenging consumerism and assimilation (and talk about what those words mean)

Queer Costume, Water-Fight Bike Ride, Saturday July 11 (FREE and everyone friendly-friendly)11am-2pm- bike fixing, costume making, water balloon filling, face painting, target practice etc.2pm- the bike ride leaves 5684 Roberts st.

Queer Performance Night, Saturday July 11, 8pm, (5684 Roberts st.) (FREE and everyone friendly-friendly)Raindate: Sunday, July 12, 7pmStill accepting performers- contact queer.and.rebel.days.2009@gmail.com or call 446-1788

Queer Expressions: DIY art workshops and fair, Sunday, July 12, 12-5pm (5684 Roberts st.) (FREE and everyone friendly-friendly)-There will be zine making, button making, patch making and hair cutting stations.-there will also be art for sale by and for Queers and their allies.

Are You Queer Enough?, Sunday July 12, 3-6pm (5684 Roberts st., upstairs) (FREE and everyone friendly-friendly)We will discuss the peer-policing of queer identities in the queer/gay communityThere will also be a story telling element, where folks can speak to times they did not feel 'queer enough' and what that even means.This will be followed by a collaberative zine making workshop for those interested.

Lunch Time Discussions Monday July 13-Thursday July 16, 12-2pm (5684 Roberts st.) (FREE and everyone friendly-friendly)There will be some food and a few folks hanging around to discuss any topics that might have been missed, and also to just generally hang out. Also, the button-maker will be available and so will the zine-making supplies.

How to be an Ally, Monday, July 13, 7pm (5684 Roberts st., upstairs) (FREE and everyone friendly-friendly)Have you even wondered how to be an ally, not just to queer or trans folk, but in general?We will discuss principles and tactics of how to be a supportive ally.

Lunch Time Discussions Monday July 13-Thursday July 16, 12-2pm (5684 Roberts st.) (FREE and everyone friendly-friendly)There will be some food and a few folks hanging around to discuss any topics that might have been missed, and also to just generally hang out. Also, the button-maker will be available and so will the zine-making supplies.

Flag Wars Screening - Tuesday, July 14, 7pm (5684 Roberts st., upstairs) (FREE and everyone friendly-friendly)-Movie has strong content-Will be followed by a discussion

Lunch Time Discussions Monday July 13-Thursday July 16, 12-2pm (5684 Roberts st.) (FREE and everyone friendly-friendly)There will be some food and a few folks hanging around to discuss any topics that might have been missed, and also to just generally hang out. Also, the button-maker will be available and so will the zine-making supplies.

Queer Activist History: Guest Speaker and Discussion- Wednesday, July 15, 7pm (5684 Roberts st., upstairs) (FREE and everyone friendly-friendly)-Talk about some historical moments of queer activism, and discuss where current activism is headed now-An opportunity to meet other folks interested in queer activist actions.

Lunch Time Discussions Monday July 13-Thursday July 16, 12-2pm (5684 Roberts st.) (FREE and everyone friendly-friendly)There will be some food and a few folks hanging around to discuss any topics that might have been missed, and also to just generally hang out. Also, the button-maker will be available and so will the zine-making supplies.

Wrap-up with Wraps- Thursday, July 16, 6pm (5684 Roberts st.) (FREE and everyone friendly-friendly)- Feedback and reflection- did anything make you uncomfortable? Did we miss anything? We want your feedback!- Direct action planning- Are there any actions you want to see happen? Are you interested in being an active queer activist? Come to this event!

For more information, to request childcare or to volunteer contact: queer.and.rebel.days.2009@gmail.com or (902)-446-1788
Contact Info
Email:
Location:
Halifax, NS

Advocacy and Activisim

I tend to have my best and most enlightening conversations on the Commons a public field about a block from my living space. Yesterday's dialogue really brought home to me one of the most challenging parts of my role as an advocate. It is understanding the difference between advocacy and activism. This person related to me that he had had been fighting this particular issue for years and had not been able to get it successfully resolved. After reviewing the issue it was not a matter of being treated fairly it was that the rules did not fit his situation and could not be used to resolve the issue. He needed new, better rules.

Basically in the terms of the service role I provide, advocacy is about the rules and whether or not they have been applied correctly and if I can assist the person I am working with to get the best treatment possible under the rules- not whether or not the rules are fair. Activism is about challenging those rules and lobbying to change those unfair rules. It may also mean going outside those rules for equity and justice to get the best resolution.

If we cannot clearly see the difference as it relates to what we are looking for- we spend great amounts of our time spinning our wheels, getting very frustrated and never getting our issue resolved. So bottom line if you think the rule is not applied correctly - get an advocate - however if you think the rule is not fair.....be an activist and find a way to challenge and change it.
Challenging the rules - basic
gather allies (friends, like minded people who will be on your side - people with similar issues)
listen to each other
look at what you want changed and discuss options on how to make that happen (research)
understand and discuss the consequences of the actions you take on yourself and others
make an action plan and implement it
contact the media
contact the decision makers - rule makers (politicians and senior bureaucrats)
keep at it until you get the results you want/need

lots can be added to this - but that is a basic outline - your activism can change the world use it widely and wisely! As many Advocates I find that I must also be an Activist as I know the rules are often unfair and I want to change that.

We are Moving!

I am super excited to announce that of August 1st, 2009 we will have a new office space - our new address will be 5687 West St. Suite 220 Halifax, NS - our phone number will remain the same 902-444-5060
The space is smaller than our previous storefront - however it will be warmer and more affordable as we are a voluntary organization with very limited resources. The other downfall is that it is up a number of stairs so it is not accessible, any person seeking advocacy services and cannot do the stairs will be accommodated with an appointment in an accessible location.
We hope to plan an open house when we are moved into our space.
We will be closed for the month of July -however if you are currently working with an advocate that work will continue. In addition the message line will be monitored during the month and if you find yourself in a crisis situation needing an advocate and cannot access one elsewhere please leave a message and someone will contact you.

Thanks for your on-going support!

Overdue bills, they are going turn my phone off!

In this piece I am going to discuss negotiating your overdue phone bill. Some of this information is transferable to other bills like cable - and works better if there is competition in your area for the service. Unfortunately - power bills and other monopoly utilities are a little more difficult as they know you have no where else to go for the service. MAKE POWER PUBLIC!

First thing! and this goes for all overdue bills - do not agree to any arrangements you cannot keep- If you agree to an arrangement and do not keep it it is much harder to make another arrangement. The goal of any collection department is to get the maximum amount from you - up to the full bill and they will be ruthless - be honest about the resources/income you have make sure you tell them your required expenses each month (they don't really want to hear it but tell them anyway so it is on record) tell them you can verify this amount by sending in documentation - be proactive and suggest an amount and an arrangement you can maintain - understand that the first person you get on the phone has no power or very limited power to make payment arrangements. AGAIN and I cannot say this strong enough - DO NOT make arrangements you cannot keep!

So if you cannot get them to agree to an arrangement you can handle - ESCALATE! ask to speak to a manager - insist it is your right as a consumer and in most companies - especially phone companies there are a number of layers of managers - keep on going up the line until you get the results you want.

Things that will improve your ability to resolve the issue - the amount of money you pay each month, bigger the account the more likely they are to work with you(however we all know that). Your payment history, if it has been good up to this point and this is an isolated issue they will take that into consideration. If you have a good reason and documentation to support it - like health related or lost your job-etc. Finally how persistent you are - I have seen people get consideration simply because they have persisted and have not given up.

Its worth a try - and remember be positive,respectful and persistent - I have found that most front line call reps get abused quite often by the people they call about overdue bills and it can take them completely off guard when you are nice to them and that just may be the thing you need to get them on your side and get the arrangement you need.

It so appealing

So if you live in Nova Scotia and you get welfare and there is a decision made by your worker, like they cut you off, or reduce your benefits or even not let you on in the first place and you don't think it is fair you can appeal the decision.
So how do you do it?

• First thing I suggest, especially if you are already on welfare is to talk to your worker and find out why - in about 70% of the issues that come through our advocacy office it is simply that the person has not submitted the correct documentation or needs to update documentation - so save yourself some time and call your caseworker and get the a reason why your benefits were reduced or taken away. Insist on getting the decision in writing.
• If it is a decision you have to challenge - ask to speak to the supervisor first before you file for an appeal and have them review the decision - see if they can make an exception in your case - they have the power to make decisions outside the regular policies.
• If none of that works then pick up the appeal papers at your local Department of Community Services Office- however they usually mail them when they send out the decision in writing - you can also request them mailed out as well.
• You have up to 45 days after the decision to file - but the sooner the better
• When filling out the paper make sure you write in detail why you believe the decision is wrong - send photo-copies of documentation to support your claim - (hold on to the originals! you may need to send them again) (photocopy the whole thing and keep as sometimes things go missing)
• The first thing that will happen is an Administrative Review - meaning they will look at your claim and documentation and this could be the end as sometimes they will make a decision in your favor based on this info.
• If not - then a date for your appeal will be set - usually no later than 30 days after your application (although I have know it to go longer) the details are on your appeal form
• At the appeal hearing you may go on your own or have an advocate of your choice go with you (you choose not the department and you must secure your own advocate as one will not be provided for you)
• The appeal hearings are usually held at the department of community services - your worker and maybe their supervisor will be present as well as the adjudicator they are the person who will make the decision on your case and control the hearing - they are independent of the department community services and do not work for them.
• The adjudicator will review the policy and how your worker has implemented it- they will look at your documentation that would support your claim - for example - you quit your job and this made you ineligible for welfare for 6 weeks - but you did so because your back is bad and the work was hurting you - so to support that you would need a medical report from a doctor - this would be given to the adjudicator - a copy should also be made for your worker
• Remember that the adjudicator can only make a decision on the policy and whether it was applied correctly - not on whether or not the policy is fair in the first place- this is the most frustrating part of the process as we know many of the policies are unfair
• After the adjudicator hears from you and your caseworker (caseworkers usually get to go first) they will take the information away and will examine it - you will receive your decision within 7 business days in writing

this is a basic outline of what to expect - remember it is your right to appeal a decision you do not think is fair - it is important to exercise your rights

Welcome to Halicentral!

As summer is now officially upon us, while others thoughts drift to vacations and warm summer days, mine linger on the visiting street population any tourist town gets when the warm weather approaches. You would think that a small little city like Halifax would be a friendly welcoming place to those in need. The reality is we are a harsh little town - high crime rate, oppressive police force especially if you are, poor, transient, young, black or aboriginal or heaven forbid an activist and very over burden underfunded community service agencies.
Please don't let that deter you from visiting - because we need new blood - some lively folks in the mix -just some heads ups

• like while we do not have an anti-panhandling law we do have an anti-squeeging one so if you need cash remember to stay away from the road ways when you looking for contributions
• We have mall cops that think they are police - these are mainly on Spring Garden Rd. but remember that they only have control over private property not public spaces, like sidewalk, library and public parks
• Our actual police, are in many cases, overzealous to put it nicely and to put it truthfully bullies much of the time -not all but many - especially the newbies
• believe it or not - that big lovely field called the Commons - is not a place where you can camp or let your dogs run without a lease (many do but in the summer they really crack down) so bring a lease and be ready to put it on or they may take your dog
• The Commons is a public space however and you can stay all day (even some of the night)- so if some cop says move on they have no right to do so
• Food not Bombs meals - Sunday at 1 PM by the North Branch Library, Gottingen Street
  Wednesday at 5 PM by the Spring Garden Branch Library
  Thursday at 12:30 PM by Victoria Park (corner of Spring Garden / South Park)
• Hope Cottage - free supper meals 5 days a week located 2435 Brunswick St (902) 429-7968
• There is also a few others however people you meet at these food programs will let you know where else you can go.
• Check out Robert's Street Social Centre while your here - lots of zines to look at and lots of free activities - great community space!
• And in the end you can always call HCAP the Halifax Coalition Against Poverty 902-444-5060 and leave a message and someone will get back to you to answer your questions

Good Luck and Welcome to Halifax

New web policing powers - just say NO!

New web policing powers – cops to have more access to personal info without a search warrant. They are saying 20^th century technology needs 20^th century rules. Seem to me that it is really a lack of rules the government and civil authorities want. They want to be able to track people’s usage and use profile information, blog entries, email, facebook, banking etc, track via GPS cell phone calls, access and seize internet providers hard drives and the information on them, making it illegal to dump information even if you are no longer using them as your provider and other things all without the benefit of a warrant.

This is scary stuff – you may be under investigation and not even know it. With this proposed plan we all lose our rights to privacy and to face our accusers. I am not saying don’t go after the criminals – catch those guys that exploit children – but I fear that this will not just be used for that type of policing. What I fear is that activists will be targeted. Any naysayer to the government will be watched as subversives – truth is we feel this is already happening but now the government will be able to do and use any information collected as evidence to silence dissent. We need to say NO!

25 Things You Should Know About Poverty

well written piece!

25 Things You Should Know About Poverty
By Rebekah Daniel
25. There are different definitions of poverty.To define poverty, it is necessary to define what constitutes basic needs. Basic needs may be defined as narrowly as those things necessary for survival, or as broadly as the prevailing standard of living in the community. Thus, poverty in one area or part of the world may have quite a different meaning than in another area or part of the world. In the United States, poverty thresholds are determined by taking the cost of a minimum adequate diet for families of different sizes and multiplying that cost by three to allow for other expenses.
24. There is more to being poor than not having money.“Poverty is not just about money: lack of access to essential resources goes beyond financial hardship to affect people’s health, education, security and opportunities for political participation. …While economic growth is essential to lifting people out of poverty, this alone is not enough.” — United Nations Development Programme Annual Report 2008
23. The lower a family’s income, the more difficult it is to find housing.In 2003, there were 78 rental units affordable to extremely-low-income renters in the United States for every 100 such households, but only 44 were available for these households (the remainder being occupied by higher-income households). Homelessness affects more than 600,000 families and more than 1.35 million children every year. It is estimated that families make up about half of the U.S. homeless population over the course of a year, and more than a third of the homeless are children. — U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; Joint Center for Housing Studies
22. Having a job does not preclude poverty.Last year in New Jersey, it took an hourly wage of $22.25 to afford a two-bedroom apartment at fair market rent. In Ohio, it was $13.07, and in the District of Columbia, it was $25.46. — National Low Income Housing Coalition, “Out of Reach 2007-2008”
21. Owning a home does not preclude poverty, either.At the same time that home prices were rising rapidly during the late 1990s and early 2000s, consumer spending was growing faster than income, as reflected in the falling rate of personal saving. Many observers have concluded that those two facts are linked: that consumers used their growing housing wealth to boost their spending, in effect letting their houses do their saving for them. Some experts expect U.S. house prices to fall 20 percent from their peak by 2011. — Congressional Budget Office, “Housing Wealth and Consumer Spending,” January 2007
20. Women often face more challenges than men in overcoming poverty.Women who become single heads of households, particularly in Africa, are significantly more vulnerable, as in many countries in the region they can still access land only through husbands or fathers. Where women’s land ownership is relationship-based, they risk losing access to land after widowhood, divorce, desertion or male migration, which can lead to destitution. — United Nations’ Centre for Human Settlements, “State of the World’s Cities 2008/2009”
19. Yet women are an important part of the solution.“Women have proven to be the best poverty fighters. Experience and studies have shown that they use the profits from their businesses to send their children to school, improve their families’ living conditions and nutrition, and expand their businesses.” — The Grameen Foundation
18. Poorly planned urbanization, especially in developing countries, is aggravating poverty.“In cities where spatial and social divisions are stark or extreme, lack of social mobility tends to reduce people’s participation in the formal sector of the economy and their integration in society. This exacerbates insecurity and social unrest which, in turn, diverts public and private resources from social services and productive investments to expenditures for safety and security.” — Anna K. Tibaijuka, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, “State of the World’s Cities 2008/2009”
17. Poverty directly affects many, many people every single day.Some 1.2 billion people around the world live on less than a dollar a day, while almost 850 million people — almost three times the entire population of the United States — go hungry every night. — United Nations Development Programme Annual Report 2008
16. Adequate housing is a basic human right.In 1948, the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights identified housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living.
15. If you know someone who supports a child on a minimum-wage job, you know someone who is poor.There is no county in the United States where an individual can work 40 hours per week at the minimum wage and afford even a one-bedroom apartment at the local fair market rent. — National Low-Income Housing Coalition’s “Out of Reach 2007-2008”
14. Your “rainy-day cushion” probably isn’t thick enough.In 2005, the personal savings rate in the United States fell into negative territory at -0.5 percent, the first time the savings rate for a whole year has been negative since 1933. Since then, the savings rate improved to almost 3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008. — Bureau of Economic Analysis
13. Poverty is a moral issue.Almost 9 million children are internally displaced because of armed conflict. Roughly 1.8 million children are trapped in the commercial sex trade, and the annual revenue generated from human trafficking is $9.5 billion. — UNICEF, 2007
12. Education can help — but only if children can actually attend school.The funds to pay for teachers, classroom materials and school uniforms oft en are out of reach for poor families, even when they recognize the role of education in improving income-earning potential. The average student-teacher ratio in industrialized countries is 13:1; in sub-Saharan Africa, it’s 44:1. — UNICEF, 2007
11. Poverty is not inevitable.In 1960, roughly 20 million newborns did not live to see their fifth birthday; by 2006, the most recent year for which firm estimates are available, the annual number of child deaths globally fell below 10 million, to 9.7 million, for the first time since records began. — UNICEF, “State of the World’s Children,” 2008
10. People still die from being poor.More than 26,000 children under age 5 die each day, mostly from preventable causes. More than one-third of all child deaths occur within the first 28 days of life. — UNICEF, “State of the World’s Children,” 2008
9. Holistic solutions to poverty are essential.Addressing only one area of social services — food security, health, education — may not be enough to create lasting change. In 2006, 2.5 billion people, or 38 percent of the world’s population, did not have access to improved sanitation facilities, and unsafe drinking water and a lack of improved sanitation and hygiene contributed to about 88 percent of diarrhoeal deaths. Declining soil fertility, land degradation and the AIDS pandemic have led to a 23 percent decrease in food production per capita in Africa in the last 25 years, even though population has increased dramatically. — UNICEF, United Nations Millennium Project
8. Poor people pay back loans.The repayment rate for microfinance loans, a development strategy in which very poor people are loaned small amounts of money to incrementally improve their lives, is between 95 and 98 percent. In fact, it is higher than the repayment rate of student loans and credit card debts in the United States. — The Grameen Foundation
7. Defeating poverty creates dignity.Marrie Gessesse, a mother of eight in the Amhara region of Ethiopia, used microfinance loans to buy goats and cultivate fruits and vegetables for income. Eventually, she was able to send her children to school. “No one used to consider me before,” she says. “When they saw that I was becoming autonomous, people started to respect me. Now they have elected me member of the administrative council and the women’s association.” — International Fund for Agricultural Development
6. Reducing poverty here can reduce poverty there, too.“For generations, poor people around the world have left their homes to seek better wages abroad. Today, the money they send home totals an estimated US$200 billion a year. In Latin America, remittances are worth more than direct foreign investment, official development assistance and foreign aid combined.” — International Fund for Agricultural Development
5. In the United States, the issue is affordability.Severe rent burden, not severely inadequate housing, is the only priority housing problem for most households with worst case needs (91 percent). While low-income renters make up the largest share of severely burdened households, a rising number of middle-income homeowners also face cost pressures. Between 2001 and 2006, the number of severely burdened renters in the bottom income quartile increased by 1.2 million, while the number of severely burdened homeowners in the two middle-income quartiles ballooned by 1.4 million — Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2003; Joint Center for Housing Studies, 2008
4. AIDS worsens poverty.Children are particularly affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Globally, children under age 15 account for one in every seven deaths caused by AIDS. An estimated 15 million children under age 18 have been orphaned by AIDS. Orphans face increased risk of death, violence, exploitation or abuse, and many are growing up in poverty. By 2010, the number of AIDS orphans worldwide may exceed 18 million. — United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, 2007
3. And poverty worsens AIDS.“Often poverty, and the marginalization associated with it, contributes to vulnerability. … It can keep adolescents out of school, depriving them of an opportunity to find out about how the virus is transmitted and putting them at greater risk of drug abuse and risky sexual encounters. It can exacerbate family tensions that lead to domestic violence. Addressing the underlying causes of vulnerability to infection, including poverty and gender equality, is critical to eventually ending the epidemic.” — United Nations Population Fund
2. Children notice poverty.“I applied for a house through Transylvania Habitat for Humanity, on the suggestion of my best friend. A year after that, my children and I were moving into the home of our dreams. Nothing fancy, but it was dry and warm and safe. Most importantly, my children had a home they could take pride in. They were no longer embarrassed to invite a friend over, for fear of being labeled ‘poor.’ We were no longer poor!” — Stephanie Grubb, Habitat homeowner in North Carolina
1. You can do something about it.“We’re making an impact together. We’re tending the wounds that poverty housing inflicts upon our neighbors. We’re helping them renew the feeling of dignity substandard housing steals away. Like the Good Samaritan, we’re committed to compassion, justice and mercy. In whatever way we engage in Habitat for Humanity’s mission, we’re stopping for our neighbors along the way — and lives are being transformed in the process — starting with mine, and perhaps with yours as well.” — Jonathan Reckford, Habitat for Humanity CEO
Thank you for visiting the official Habitat for Humanity International Web site. © 2008 Habitat for Humanity® International. All rights reserved. "Habitat for Humanity" is a registered service mark owned by Habitat for Humanity International

sad day - goodbye Hazel

Today was a sad day, I found out that a friend died over the weekend. She drown. I do not want this to be an eulogy - truth is I knew her but I don't think I really knew well enough to eulogize her.
She was a good woman with a generous heart,but she also had her struggles. She burned many bridges and towards the end of her life had shut out many people who really had come to care for her. It is so hard to see people struggling and not know how to help them or even if it is your place to do so. How do you balance people's right to independence to step forward towards their own destiny, with their personal safety. When do you step in and take those rights away - what is the line that needs to be crossed when you think someone is a harm to themselves or others.
I am not saying I think that Hazel committed suicide - the truth is I don't know the details. However, she was in a dark place and was withdrawing from friends and support systems.
I find that because I work in a position as a helper(advocate and councilor) much of the time I tend to steer away from giving advice to friends as I am often worried of crossing the line of friendship and work - in this case that barrier I have created for myself may have let my friend down. I will need to re-examine that.
So goodbye Hazel hopefully you are at peace now.

Eviction

Given the many calls of late I have been receiving at our advocacy office I thought I would review some very basic landlord tenant stuff ( please note that this is for Nova Scotia)

• Leases are legal documents and both parties that sign are bound by the agreement and to break a lease or change it must be done legally. So your landlord can't add stuff, rules after you sign your lease and say you now must follow these new rules.
• This holds even if your building is sold - the new landlord must honor your old lease agreement. If they want to change your lease you must be given notice - 4 mos before your anniversary date to decide if you agree - if you don't agree then your landlord will need to go to the tenancy board to change it and if you have been there under 5 years can evict you although you can respond if you think that the rules are unfair. If you have been there longer than 5 years they must go to the tenancy board and you are not at risk of losing your housing if you do not agree to the changes.
• Rental increases only can happen once a year and you must be given 4 months notice before your anniversary date. Unfortunately in NS we have no rent control so the landlord can put your rent up as much as they want.
• However if the landlord puts your rent up and no others in the building you can challenge it as unfair at the tenancy board and the landlord will need to justify why your rent was increased when no others were.
• If the landlord reduces the services included in your rent - like if they turn off heat or remove Internet - or even pull out the washer and dryer (coin operated or not) then this is considered an illegal increase in your rent as you are now paying for less services. You can get a rental rebate/reduction to compensate you for the lose in services.
• Police will not enforce an eviction unless it is legally given - eviction must go through the tenancy board - regardless of the issue
• a 5 day notice to quit can only be issued for a significant issue and must be issued and enforced by a tenancy hearing
• Your landlord must store your things for 60days before getting rid of them - they can charge you a storage fee
• Your landlord cannot take your damage deposit without a tenancy hearing - they must get the ok to use it against damages and must prove the damage with documentation

Well there is plenty more however these have been some of the ones we have been dealing with as of late. Remember stand up for your rights - it may seem like all the rules are in the landlord favor however if you never stand up for your rights we then give them all the power.

A Bus Rant!

I know this does not necessarily fall into poverty news but it is related. I am talking about the either you love it or hate it bus. I have always had this love hate relationship with the bus. I don't have a car and even though Halifax is a small city you sometimes need wheels to get to where you want to go. I would use a bike but this plays into the rant. I have been having trouble with the arthritis in my knees and ankles so I have been using a cane for the last year, so the bike is out for now. If I need wheels it is either paying through the nose for a cab or forking out a couple of dollars for the bus. I'm poor, so the bus will wins out most of the time. Now with the new bus rule that a transfer is good for 1.5hours and does not need to be for a continuous trip it is even better for errands than before as it cuts the cost of transportation in half for a short shopping trip.
The bus rant!
Sit down,
please if there is a seat available sit in it
if you want to get up and give it to someone who needs it great, do that
but if no one is looking for a seat, please sit
when you stand you always tend to hang at the doors blocking the way in and out
as a person with a cane you make my exit and entrance of the bus very difficult
so if you are really keen to stand or if there is a problem with your bottom and it is difficult for you to sit, go to the very back of the bus away from both doors, I can assure you standing back there is very exciting, as you will be able to enjoy the full swinging motion of the bus and those of us with mobility difficulties will be able to enter and exit with more ease

Boycott Blue Bag Collection

A few days ago Halifax City Councillors said they were going to beef up enforcement of the scavenging law especially as it relates to people taking recyclables. The city is saying that they are losing thousands of dollars in recovery fees. The law has been on the book for 20 years however never enforced with any vigor. The news reported that the fee will now be doubled for the 1st offense - $337 with even more serious charges to follow if the behaviour continues. The city staff says that this is not "really" about the local guy with a shopping cart collecting bottles off the street, but to address the people driving the big trucks "stealing' large amounts of recyclables.
I say that is a lie!
Let's examine a few things:

1. This news story and increase in fines comes at the beginning of summer - the tourist season - the city has tried many strategies to keep people living on poverty off the downtown streets - not visible to the "buying public" as many find it offensive to see people digging in garbage cans when they are dropping a $1000 dollars on a purse, shoes or tacky souvenir
2. The impact of this story was that the next day( which just happened to be the central downtown collection day) many local bottle collectors were terrified to take out their carts as they feared that they would be targeted and fined
3. A full shopping cart nets a collector about 20$ this might take anywhere from the full morning starting at 5am or 6am - in some cases it may take all day. Then those carts are wheeled to the depot for exchange. This is a long and labor intense process for very little pay out.
4. Most collectors are careful not to make a mess and do not rip open bags leaving garbage everywhere
5. A single person without a disability on Welfare in NS gets a maximum of 508$ a month - this includes rent, and food and anything else they can't buy with that meager sum

So folks you decide - who was this law designed to protect? Who will it hurt? and Why was the story released now?

So I say Boycott the Blue Bag Bottle collection - label your bottles and tell the city you are saving them for your local community collector!

Today is the first day of the next 4 years or so

Well one full day into the NDP rule - did anything change? Do I feel different? wow it is so weird it really hasn't sunk in yet. I wonder if I am still banished for the DCS office? Now that would be odd if my MLA became minister of Community Services. This is the first time someone I voted for actually formed the government. I mean my MLA has won for many years in a row but she has always been on the opposing side without any power to really do anything but lobby on my behalf. But now she will be a decision maker. With a 31 seat majority the NDP went from never having power to having all of it. They will be able to make the decisions they want - so what will that mean? What will that look like? While I do not believe that anything will change too quickly I do feel that the tone of government will change. There are plenty of good programs and policies and now they can be administered within a fairer framework....hopefully

NDP the winners

This is just a short post, I am electioned out - well the NDP are now the government with at last count 31 seats which means they have a majority government - which means we now will have the same ruling party for the next 4 years. Good bad indifferent - well it has been an exciting night with the winners being declared before one ballot was counted. Now we will see what will happen next - I think it is important to remember that we have just come from 10years of PC rule so the changes will not be overnight - what I hope changes right away is the tone of the government - as it has been very oppressive especially over the last 3 years. Times they are a changing, hopefully the NDP will still operate left of center -my left not my mirrored reflections left which would be right...ah whatever - good night

Government of Canada rejects Human Rights!

From Rob Rainer - Canada Without Poverty - with my comments
Of the 68 recommendations, Canada is accepting 39, rejecting 14 and partially accepting 15. Canada is rejecting some recommendations that, were they to be accepted, would mean Canada would join and/or ratify several international human rights treaties.

The rejected recommendations also include a number specific to economic and social rights, including:- #1 (Ratify the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights)- meaning - to remove the "optional" component - so they are rejecting this meaning that it will still be optional for governments to follow this protocol - so essentially Economic, social and cultural rights are not protected all a government needs to say is that it is in an economic crisis and those rights go out the window- which can lead to a reduction in minimum wage, other changes to labor laws that favor the employer, no EI, workfare, time limited or even the elimination of social welfare programs.

#10 (Recognize the justiciability of social, economic and cultural rights, in accordance with the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; ensure legal enforcement of economic, social and cultural rights in domestic courts; grant the same importance to and treat equally civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, in its legislation at all levels); As they are optional - they cannot be enforced by law so when these rights - or should we say privileges are taken away we cannot fight in court to take them back or have them enforced - this also means reduction and elimination of the court challenges program and even reductions in legal aid funding. Legal aid will no longer fund poverty law.

#17 (Develop a national strategy to eliminate poverty) - did they ever really want to in the first place - I think not.

On #17, that Canada is rejecting the call for a national strategy to eliminate poverty undermines the recent or current efforts of the House of Commons' HUMA Committee and various Senate committees and sub-committees to help determine the appropriate role of the federal government in combating poverty Canada-wide. It also flies in the face of calls from at least a couple of provinces (e.g., Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario), pursuant to their provincial poverty action strategies, for complementary engagement of the federal government to help ensure progress on poverty.

So if you don't like these decisions say so - and remember it is the conservative government that is backing out on our Human Rights Promises!

a funny thing happen on the way to the appeal

I work as an advocate, I don't usually(never really unless we can tap into a project) get paid but I still consider it work. The group I work with HCAP (halifax coalition against poverty) offers free advocacy services for people who are experiencing problems with welfare/poverty rights and landlord tenant disputes. We are not lawyers but we understand the policies and can provide support and information to those who need it.
What motivates us is that we don't like to see people screwed around by the system and our belief that everyone has the right to live a life with dignity. This includes having the resources they need to survive, being treated justly and safely housed. As you can imagine we are not often favorites of the government as we challenge their oppressive rules as much as we can. Sometime we do this creatively - that creativity is not often well received. This creativity can take the forms of demonstration, public street theatre, leafleting/posters to mention just a few. As a result of this creativity the Department of Community Services (Welfare) has refused to work with our advocates. However according to their own policies people on welfare have a right to an advocate of their choice.
Which leads me to this little story - Roger
Roger came to the office one day looking for some help. He had been turned away everywhere else ( which tends to be the typical for us) he had taken a job with a temp service and they lured him in like they had so many others - with the promise of a full-time position with benefits. Due to training and educational barriers he was only able to get labor jobs and due to a bad back he was not able to continue.
He was in he float zone between employment and welfare - he did not submit his cards for welfare for one month and was cut-off - when he called his worker and told him that the job had been a scam and the only thing he was being given were jobs he could not physically do the worker said he would need to reapply for welfare. That is what he did - as well he got a note from a public health nurse that said his back was bad and submitted it to his worker. The worker called the employer and they said that Roger had quit. They told Roger he would need to wait 6 weeks before he could get assistance.
Roger then came to us. We contacted the worker and they said that the nurses's note was not good enough to say Roger had a bad back. Why they did not tell Roger that I am not sure? Then we suggested Roger go to a doctor, which he did and the doctor confirmed the nurse's assessment. The worker said too late the time to appeal the decision had passed - we said we were appealing anyway and the appeal was accepted and a date for the hearing was set.

After negoiating schedules- we finally had a date- I went with Roger to the Halifax office of Community Services. We were in the appeal laying out the facts when the worker asked to be excused to get a document - after waiting more than 20 mins it being clear she was not returning a supervisor Sheila Lenaghan-Hayman came into the room and asked us to step into the hall - we thought something happened to the worker and we would need to reschedule. When I got to the waiting room there was a security guard there as well as the worker and supervisor and I was told I was not permitted in the building and I would have to leave. I was told that if I did not leave I would be arrested - understand I have no warrants, or PPA that would bar me from the building. I asked what was going on - they said because I was a member of HCAP I was not allowed in the building and that no one in the department would deal with me. I advised Roger that he could go on without me but he said no way and that he had waited this long he could wait a little longer.
We contacted the appeal board and they confirmed that the law says that Roger can have an advocate of his choice so the department would need to follow through with the appeal. The second date was set and the appeal was going to happen off-site of the DCS property - Roger,me and the adjudicator showed up at the new location - DCS was supposed to participate by conference call - when we got there they refused to participate and the appeal was cancelled yet again. At this time we submitted a complaint referring to the law and demanding natural justice. A third appeal date was set - this was 6 mos from the original issue. Roger and I showed up for the 3rd appeal hearing and again the department did not show - however unlike times before the appeal went ahead and Roger and I presented our case and the department was absent and silent. After 6 mos. Roger finally had justice - his appeal had been heard and subsequently he won his case.
This case set precidence as it was one of the first off-site of DCS and done without their participation. It was however very stressful and if it was not for the bravery Roger showed to continually stand up for his rights would have ended very differently.

NS Election poverty reduction who cares

Well yet another election is upon us - in NS this happens more than you may think, because no party rises too far above another in either policy or popularity and they spend their time fighting with each other instead of governing the province
The last year we activists have had the promise of poverty reduction dangled in front of us. I believe in the hopes that the current government the PC could gain or co-opt some solidarity from the activist community. Sadly we bought into all the bullshit - even when we knew it would go nowhere- we still eagerly participated. This caused rifts - as the government decided to go about it in its less than community based approach and singled out who they thought were allies and leaders and only invited them to be involved. Everywhere you went you could cut the tension with a knife between the chosen and the excluded. Now that the consultation process has concluded many that participated are feeling co-opted and those who were excluded are even more critical.
Now the NDP are very close to getting their kick at the can - I advise all to remember the lessons learn from west - when the NDP took power they could not move quickly and were confined by the policies and framework legacy of the past government and I as many mourned all those wonderful activists that we drawn in to work for government thinking that finally they could change the world from the legal framework