QUALITY OF LIFE: WE CAN AFFORD TO CARE
THE ANTI-POVERTY INITIATIVE
While there is no shortage of opinions on the causes and solutions to poverty, the truth remains that, for a wealthy province we have an unacceptably high level of poverty. The Green Party is strongly committed to ending the suffering and lost opportunity of those who live in poverty (including one in five children). We direct many of our policies at reducing family suffering, improving job opportunities, and removing barriers to employment and education. We understand that for a minority of people long-term generational dependency on government assistance can develop. This serves neither them or society. We also however recognize that the actual conditions of poverty often create an environment from which it is difficult to escape without external assistance. High poverty rates ARE a reflection of political choices. We need shrewd compassion that respects the rights and dignity of the poorest among us.
As part of an Anti-Poverty Initiative we propose the following package of programs:
(1) Raise Tax Exemption:
We would raise the personal income tax exemption level so that more of the working poor are completely exempt from Provincial tax.
(1) The Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS):
This program would assist individuals on welfare to make the transition to sustainable, good employment over a fixed period of time through an income supplement. Parents on welfare at home with children under five years of age would automatically qualify for this income supplement.
(2) No Child Benefit Clawback:
An immediate end to the Ontario government clawback of Federal government child-benefit payments to parents receiving welfare assistance. Why the poorest families should not benefit from this federal program is inconceivable. We would also index all support payments to the cost of living.
(3) Increase and Index the Minimum Wage:
The Green party would increase the minimum wage by $2 per hour spread over a two-year period, so that full-time minimum-wage earnings are above the poverty line. The minimum wage would then be indexed to the CPI (Consumer Price Index) to provide inflation protection. At this level of income most wage gains go directly into local consumption of basic necessities that directly stimulates local economies.
(4) Community Works not Workfare:
The majority of people on welfare would voluntarily participate if worthwhile "values -added" community work were made readily available. The Green Party would replace the punitive Workfare programs with a voluntary Community Works program. Community Works projects would be careful to not incorporate jobs that are currently subject to public or private employment. Stereotyping the poor on welfare to gain political votes from an over-worked and stressed workforce is reprehensible.There will always be a few examples of abuse of any program, but the legitimate majority should not suffer for them. Abuse of welfare programs would be dealt with very firmly but creatively on a case-by-case basis at the local community level. Parents on welfare at home with children under five years of age would automatically be considered as fully participating in Community Works.
(5) A Larger Scale Province wide Construction Program of Affordable Housing:
Without safe and affordable housing, the opportunities to escape from poverty are very limited. The provision of affordable housing is the foundation on which successful education, health, re-training, and employment programs are built. The cost to society of lost human potential far outweighs the investment in subsidized housing programs. Yet, the number of homeless people in Ontario has increased during a time of economic boom and budget surpluses. This is unacceptable.
The Green Party as government would work closely with Federal and Municipal governments on an ambitious and multi faceted affordable-housing program. Our package of housing initiatives would include creative financial assistance, conversion and retro-fit of surplus publically owned industrial and institutional structures, special enhanced support for co-housing, accessible and co-operative developments, provincial land grants for housing developments, tax and zoning changes to accelerate and reduce the planning costs of subsidized housing developments, and emergency loans for families at risk of eviction. We immediately prohibit the winter eviction of tenants from all municipally or provincially owned or supported housing. We would also immediately tie shelter allowances to the current average rent level in each region of Ontario.
(6) Educational Opportunities:
We would entice universities and colleges to reduce post-secondary tuition levels (by 50 - 70%) in exchange for enhanced core funding. We would increase scholarships, expand education grant programs for low-income families, and offer opportunities for partial student-loan repayment through in-kind community service.
(7) Other Initiatives:
Other Anti-poverty initiatives would include a re-investment in public-transit infrastructure and the nomination of a new Cabinet-level Anti-Poverty Minister. A serious anti-poverty program requires upfront spending but this kind of smart investment in our people repays itself many times over. It is also the fair thing to do.