CLAWBACKS

December 7, 2009
CFUW Hamilton is very concerned about the "clawback" to social assistance allowances that has occurred since July. Maureen Leyland, Norma Ducau and Linda Hall wrote of their concerns. This was published in the Hamilton Spectator.

January 30, 2008
From the CFUW Ontario Council Pre-Budget Brief

We commend the Ontario Government for establishing the Ontario Child Benefit (OCB).

However according to the Income Security Advocacy Center,

“The Ontario Child Benefit … implemented in July 2008, …is scheduled to increase gradually from $50/month/child to $92/month/child by 2011. As of July, 2008, the National Child Benefit Supplement (NCBS) will also no longer be deducted monthly from the cheques of families on OW and ODSP. …[But] As of July, 2008, monthly ODSP and OW benefits for families will be reduced, and families will no longer receive a separate winter clothing allowance or back-to-school clothing allowance. Thus, a single mother on OW with one child, for example, will only be better off by $31/month as of July 2008, growing gradually to $50/month by 2011.” [Retrieved from www.incomesecurity.org Jan. 15, 2008].

Had that single mother on OW with one child received the full NCBS in 2007, her monthly allowance would have been $122 – $91 more than she will be receiving in 2008.

We commend the government for enhancing the rates for Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program, but because of the 21.5% cut in Ontario Works in 1995, and inflation varying between 1.6% and 2.5%, we wonder if families are further ahead.

November and December 2006
Organized by Linda Hall and Judy Lee of CFUW Hamilton, the petitions were presented by 17 MPPs from all parties between Nov. 27th and Dec. 13th.

To check for your Club’s petition, visit the Hansard site of the Ontario Legislature, http://www.ontla.on.ca/hansard/house_debates/38_parl/Session2/index.htm for the following dates:
November 27, 28, 29 and 30th, December 7,11, and 13.

Scroll down the page to find Petitions (just after Oral Questions), look for NATIONAL CHILD BENEFIT SUPPLEMENT.

Congratulations and thank you to Linda and Judy who did all of this work.

Thank you also to the MPPs who presented our petitions:
Ted Chudleigh PC Halton, Cheri DiNovo NDP Parkdale-HighPark, Andrea Horwath NDP Hamilton East, Lisa MacLeod PC Nepean-Carleton, Rosario MarcheseNDP Trinity-Spadina, Judy Marsales LIB Hamilton West, Shelley Martel NDP Nickel Belt, Ted McMeekin LIB Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Aldershot, Norm Miller PC Parry Sound-Muskoka, John Milloy LIB Kitchener Centre, Jennifer Mossop LIB Stoney Creek, Ernie Parsons LIB Prince Edward- Hastings, Michael Prue NDP Beaches-East York, Liz Sandals LIB Guelph-Wellington, Peter Tabuns NDP Toronto-Danforth, Elizabeth Witmer PC Kitchener-Waterloo, David Zimmer LIB Willowdale

November 2006
39 Clubs and 1625 signatures!!
A sincere “thank you” was sent out by Linda MacGregor, President, Ontario Council, to each of the 39 Clubs that participated in the Petition Campaign sending a strong and united message to Premier McGuinty to “Stop the Clawback”.

October 3, 2006

ADVOCACY ALERT

TO:         Ontario Council Club Presidents
FROM:    Linda MacGregor, President of CFUW Ontario Council

The Advocacy Package developed by a committee from CFUW Hamilton consists of three attachments in addition to this one. They are titled Instructions for Presidents to Read at Their October 2006 General Meeting, a Poster titled What is the National Child Benefit Supplement, and 7 pages of a petition correctly formatted.

This advocacy action originates from the resolution Income Equality for Ontario’s Children proposed at our Ontario Council Annual General Meeting (OC AGM) on May 13th, 2006. It was unanimously approved and is now a part of OC policy.

Members of the CFUW Hamilton Committee include Judy Lee, Linda Hall, Norma Ducau and President, Mary Tompkins.

Ontario Council is pleased to join with CFUW Hamilton in supporting their advocacy action to end the claw back of the National Child Benefit Supplement. Clubs at the OC AGM emphasized that ending child poverty was high on their priority list of issues to address this year. Ending the claw back will go a long way towards achieving that goal.

Instructions have been sent by email to the Club Presidents via the Regional Directors.

THE PETITION

To: The Legislative Assembly of Ontario

WHEREAS, the National Child Benefit Supplement was created to reduce the depth of poverty across Canada for low-income families earning less than $35,000;

WHEREAS, the Government of Ontario claws back the supplement from families receiving income from Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Plan;

WHEREAS, Premier McGuinty decried the discriminatory nature of the NCBS claw back and vowed to end this practice in his first mandate;

WHEREAS, the Government of Ontario has failed to end the claw back for those families on OW or ODSP;

We, the undersigned FROM CFUW Ontario Council petition the Legislative Assembly to end the claw back of the National Child Benefit Supplement

for BACKGROUND, please click here

May 17, 2006

CFUW/Ontario Council endorsed the Hands Off campaign run by the Income Security Advocacy Centre. More than 130 organizations have endorsed this campaign. The campaign asks the Provincial and Federal Government to end the clawback of the National Child Benefit Supplement from families on social assistance; fund the reinvestment programs that work for low-income families out of other provincial and federal revenues; and to increase the Canada Child Tax Benefit to $4900 a year.

Members can go to www.incomesecurity.org/campaigns/HandsOff/endorse.cfm to view all organizations, including CFUW/OC, who have endorsed the campaign.

May 13, 2006

CFUW/Ontario Council passed the resolution, proposed by CFUW/Hamilton, concerning Income Equality for Ontario’s Children that asks that the Government of Ontario stop the clawback of the National Child Benefit Supplement.

The link includes the Background of the Resolution as proposed, dated Jan. 19th, 2006.

External Links:

Income Security Advocacy Centre            www.incomesecurity.org