rabble.ca blogs - johnbon

Community groups demand an end to Immigration Enforcement entering women's shelters

johnbon — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:10:22 -0500

The entry into a downtown Toronto shelter by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) on February 27 brought a renewed demand for prompt action from the Shelter | Sanctuary | Status Coalition, a growing movement of over 120 anti-Violence Against Women Organizations.

Fariah Chowdhury, an organizer with the Shelter | Sanctuary | Status Coalition, told a crowded press conference Monday at the Toronto Rape Crisis Centre that at the end of February immigration enforcement officers “invaded” a women’s shelter in search of Jane, a single mother and violence survivor from Ghana.

Photo Essay: International Women's Day

johnbon — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 19:16:27 -0500

Click here to see photos from the International Women's Day march held in Toronto.

Advocacy group pushes for overhaul to Ontario Student Assistance Plan

johnbon — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:39:13 -0500

The Ontario Student Assistance Plan, the primary means by which the province helps its low- and middle-income students pay for post secondary education, hasn’t updated its needs assessment model to reflect the current cost of living for students, according to an Ontario student advocacy group.

Hardship looming, union stands firm

johnbon — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 20:14:17 -0500

Times are getting tough for the CF61 TD Centre employees, but not tough enough to break their will to remain on the picket line until they get a favourable ruling from the Ontario Labour Relations Board. But the picket, in its ninth month, is approaching a crossroads.

The CF61 Hardship Fund was recently depleted when disbursements were made to needy locked out and terminated workers.

NDP slams McGuinty Liberals on workplace safety inspections

johnbon — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 19:41:16 -0500

The provincial government is paying meagre attention to the most serious breaches of worker safety in Ontario.

That’s the conclusion of NDP MPP and Employment Standards Critic Cheri DiNovo, who earlier this week criticized the McGuinty government for its “lack of action on workplace safety.”

On Tuesday during question period, DiNovo asked the Minister of Labour how many sites have been inspected and how many violations have been documented since four construction workers died in a scaffolding accident last Christmas Eve.

Healthcare advocates plan their own hearings on future of rural and northern Ontario hospitals

johnbon — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:37:17 -0500

Twelve public hearings have been scheduled next month by the Ontario Health Coalition to address concerns about local services in northern and rural hospitals.

The Coalition said they’re inviting the public to bring their recommendations before a “non-partisan” panel of “well respected experts” at a series of hearings beginning March 4.

Union president reacts to private member's bill to declare TTC an essential service

johnbon — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:39:04 -0500

Toronto transit workers' union president Bob Kinnear issued a statement Monday calling former McGuinty cabinet member David Caplan’s private member’s bill to declare the TTC an essential service “a pathetic political ploy to deflect attention away from his government’s chronic negligence of public transit.”

Kinnear argued that the 52 hours in service disruptions in the last six years due to his union’s job actions paled in comparison to the daily delays endured by TTC riders because of what he described as the McGuinty government's unwillingness to restore provincial financial support for TTC operations.

Report finds Ontario’s coal plants can be phased out in 2010

johnbon — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 13:56:57 -0500

A new report shows that Ontario’s coal-free generation capacity now exceeds our peak day demands, making it possible to eliminate the province’s coal plants before the G20 Summit at the end of June.

Conference Board report on P3s biased and superficial, says CUPE economist

johnbon — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:25:34 -0500

Increased private sector involvement through public-private partnerships (P3s) have delivered efficiency gains for the public sector, a high degree of cost certainty and greater transparency than traditional procurement, the Conference Board of Canada said in a report issued in January.

In their report, Dispelling the Myths, the Conference Board said P3s yield substantial cost and time savings, but cautioned “not all infrastructure projects are suitable for P3 procurement.”

Rally recalls murdered and missing indigenous women

johnbon — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 20:28:26 -0500

More than 300 people gathered Sunday outside police headquarters in Toronto, along with friends and family of murdered and missing indigenous women, for a rally calling for greater public awareness and an end to the battering and slaying of native women.

“The murdered and missing women were loved too,” said Doreen Silversmith, who explained why the annual rally is held on Valentine’s Day. “They have families that truly care for them and love them.”