MISWAA in the News - 2006
The Star -Labour Day -How to help low-wage workers
View this file [Download - 46 KB]
Stapleton-globeandmail sept 5 06.doc
View this file [Download - 37 KB]
Globe and Mail (Pecaut & Pigott oped) MISWAA June 1 06
View this file [Download - 32 KB]
Globe and Mail Editorial - May 29
View this file [Download - 24 KB]
Poverty hidden in plain sight-jennifer wells-toronto star-may 20 06
View this file [Download - 31 KB]
Canadas poor face emergency-toronto star-john goddard may 23 06
View this file [Download - 31 KB]
The working poor-toronto star-jim coyle-may 23 06
View this file [Download - 30 KB]
Social reform needed toronto star - george thompson - may 16 06
View this file [Download - 26 KB]
Vulnerable need a fair deal now -toronto star may 16 06
View this file [Download - 27 KB]
Opinion_Poverty-Enough is Enough-Toronto Star-may 16 06
View this file [Download - 29 KB]
Toronto Star Editorial- Affordable help for Working Poor-may 16 06
View this file [Download - 28 KB]
Fair deal for poor demanded - kerry gillespie - toronto star - may 16 06
View this file [Download - 149 KB]
Why our strategy is short sighted- thomas walkom - may 16 06
View this file [Download - 30 KB]
Too bad you can't eat the report- joe fiorito-may 16 06
View this file [Download - 29 KB]
Coalition to unveil recommendations on social safety net - globe and mail - may 16 06
View this file [Download - 28 KB]
putting pressure on governments to help rebuild income security - jennifer lewington-globe and mail
View this file [Download - 28 KB]
macleans-Task force calls for reform of employment insurance-may 15 06
View this file [Download - 29 KB]
Task force calls for reform - canadian press - may 16 06
View this file [Download - 25 KB]
EI Failing Users - Toronto Sun- May 16 06
View this file [Download - 26 KB]
The Star May 15-06 - Working Age poor too often forgotten
View this file [Download - 32 KB]
globe and mail may 15-06 -Coalition to unveil recommendations on social safety net
View this file [Download - 28 KB]
After the recent tax-cutting, big-spending budget, no one is suggesting that Ottawa should leap to introduce a pricey new social program. But the Conservative proposal is a longer-term effort, based on the Liberals' proposed "working income tax benefit" (WITB), which died when the government fell last November.
As it stands, the nexus between welfare and work is a mess. Provincial and federal systems interfere with each other, often to disastrous effect, as a chart in the budget indicates. Using the average social-assistance rates from eight provinces, the chart details the fate of a single parent who has one child and is on welfare. Suppose that parent somehow scrounges an extra $10,000. The marginal tax rate for those extra dollars of income is incredible: 78 per cent. Now imagine that this single parent somehow brings that working income to $20,000. The marginal tax rate on the second $10,000 is 43 per cent. And that does not include the loss of in-kind benefits from welfare such as subsidized prescription drugs and housing. This is no way to run a social safety net.
As the Liberals designed it, the WITB would work as a refundable tax credit that would add 30 per cent to annual family earnings in excess of $3,000. The maximum benefit of $1,000 would be reached when family income hit $6,333. It would start to decline as net family income edged above $18,000, and would disappear entirely above $28,000. The Liberals earmarked $500-million for the program in 2008 and in 2009 and a full $1-billion in 2010. Although the Conservatives have not committed themselves to the Liberals' model, they vow to work with the provinces to identify "incentives to work . . . including through an earned income-tax credit such as the WITB."
Both the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and the International Monetary Fund have urged Canada to bolster its work incentives for low-income individuals. Next Monday in Toronto, a blue-ribbon panel that includes bank economists and think-tank experts will unveil its detailed plan to use the tax system to help poor working-age adults. This is the next big step in social policy. Particularly in an era of increasing labour shortages, no income-security system should make it downright disadvantageous to ease off welfare into the job market.
They Need a Better Chance - Toronto Sun 4/4/06
View this file [Download - 27 KB]
