Location
Join the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) and allies for a march
and rally on Friday, March 16th, in the lead up to the 2012 Provincial
Budget. The McGuinty government has hired former head of the TD bank, Don
Drummond, to propose and provide the basis for massive social cutbacks in
their 2012 budget. It is being drafted as the Provincial component of the
austerity agenda that is gathering force across Canada and
internationally. City Hall, Queen`s Park and Ottawa are delivering
austerity, but clearly it is being cooked-up on Bay Street by bankers like
Drummond to the benefit of their rich friends.
We have to stop the cuts and fight for what poor and working people need!
The measures they intend to hit us with will fall on top of the losses we
have already faced:
-Social assistance rates have lost at least 55% of their spending power
since the days of the Harris Tories; the base amount for welfare today is
a despicable $599/month
-The minimum wage has been reduced in real terms and more and more workers
are forced into low wage jobs with E.I, employment standards and
protection for workers being steadily eroded
-The fastest growing numbers amongst the poor in Ontario are racialized
people without status; forced in to an economy that benefits from their
massively underpaid and exploited labour, but fails to provide even basic
services
-Waiting lists for social housing across this province are decades long
while people are priced out of the private housing market and homeless
shelters are overcrowded
-Access to affordable childcare is almost non-existent while thousands
wait for limited subsidy spaces.
For poor people and workers in this province, it has been a constant state
of crisis. McGuinty is now preparing to make this situation much worse.
On March 16, we will be rallying at an Ontario Government location but
taking our march to Toronto`s financial centre where the real decisions
are being made by and for the '1%'.
We will be marching to oppose austerity measures but also to demand the
reversing of previous cutbacks, the right to a living income, the right to
affordable and accessible housing, and for good quality public services
for all! We will be marching against the kind of society Drummond and the
rich are creating, and for one that meets the needs and improves the lives
of all of us!
JOIN US!
HOW TO BE INVOLVED IN MARCH 16:
-Organize a contingent: bring a group of people from your organization,
neighbourhood, city or union local to this demonstration - bring your
demands
-Drum out Drummond: bring drums, noise makers, pots and pans
-Organize a group of students or a ‘kids block' to be a part of the day as
part of March Break
-Banners, flags and signs: Organize a ‘banner making day' in your area,
bring your banners to the march
-Help fund a bus, food, transit tokens, ASL, and materials for the day: if
you or your organization or union local can make donations of money or
in-kind, please help us make this day as participatory and accessible as
possible
-Build the movement: add your organization's to the list of endorsers for
this day of action
-Get the word out: help us get the message out about this day of action,
download the poster and flyer at www.ocap.ca, forward this announcement
far and wide, contact us if you would like to help with postering,
flyering, etc.
GET IN TOUCH: Ontario Coalition Against Poverty ocap@tao.ca / 416-925-6939
Visit:www.ocap.ca
On Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/groups/OntarioCoalitionAgainstPoverty/
Twitter: @OCAPtoronto
