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Ontario is a wealthy society — and Kathleen Wynne is imposing austerity on people who work for low wages and who receive social assistance, rather than raising revenue by making the wealthy pay their fair share.
Toronto (28 April 2015) — Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne announced in the April 23 budget that the Liberal government will raise social assistance rates for Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) by only one per cent — which is less than the inflation rate of almost three per cent. The rate of "food inflation" is almost five per cent.
Info picket highlights the disparity between Loblaws profits and ODSP rates or workers' wages
The Globe and Mail has reported that the Ontario government also cut a vital $100 monthly supplement to people who receive ODSP and work part-time.
“The government, for instance, is eliminating $100 monthly payments to Ontario Disability Support Program recipients who work," said ODSP recipient Kyle Vose. "The payment helps cover work-related costs, such as transportation."
Compare the situation of people who receive social assistance with that of Galen Weston Jr., President of Loblaws Companies.
Ontario government refuses to ask profitable corporations and the rich to pay more
Galen Weston Jr.’s annual salary is $4.3 million. He pays cashiers in his store as little as $11 an hour, and asks the public to buy food in his stores to give to food banks.
Galen Weston Jr. is a member of the second-wealthiest family in Canada with assets of $9 billion. Corporations in Ontario like Loblaws pay the lowest corporate taxes in Canada. The Weston family has donated $22 million to the Fraser Institute – an organization that lobbies for low corporate taxes.
Premier Wynne chooses to "balance her budget" with austerity for people who are poor — while letting wealthy CEO’s avoid paying their fair share of taxes.
Ontario is a wealthy society — and Kathleen Wynne imposes austerity on people who work for low wages and who receive social assistance, rather than raising revenue by making the wealthy pay their fair share.
Ask the Ontario Premier to put food in the budget
If you believe Premier Wynne should put food in the budget by
- Raising social assistance rates
- Raising the minimum wage and
- Raising corporate taxes to provide government the revenue it needs
Join the information picket on May 7 in Toronto
Then join the information picket from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on May 7, outside the Loblaws Annual General Meeting at the old Maple Leaf Gardens building at 50 Carlton Street, Toronto.
You can sign up for the event here.
NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE