25 in 5 Postcard Launch (Hamilton)
Over 75 people filled the Workers’ Arts and Heritage Centre on Tuesday, October 21 to view the quilt that formed the basis of a postcard campaign conducted over the last several months in Hamilton.
The Hamilton 25 in 5 group (Hamilton working Group on Ontario’s Poverty Reduction Strategy) hosted the event and co-chairs Brooke Camplin and Deirdre Pike moderated the speakers. Speakers included staff of the Arrell Youth Detention Centre where the quilt was created; Don Fraser, president of the Hamilton District Labour Council; Jane Aronson, Director of McMaster’s School of Social Work; Marv Friesen, minister, Welcome Inn; Peter Graefe, member of the Hamilton Working Group and McMaster professor; Debbie Wilke, Director on the board of the Hamilton Social Planning and Research Council; Rosemarie Chapman, member of the Campaign for Adequate Welfare and Disability Benefits; two leaders of ROCK – Raising Our Children’s Kids; Tom Cooper, Roundtable for Poverty Reduction; Barb Miller, Liberal riding association president.
These local leaders spoke about why they endorse the 25 in 5 declaration. They talked about why a poverty reduction strategy for Ontario is so important for Hamilton. Local stories illustrated the three prongs of the strategy (sustaining employment, livable incomes and strong and supportive communities).
Thousands of signed postcards were on display and the group was told the cards would be presented to Deb Matthews on Monday, Oct. 27.
Local print and broadcast media covered the event. The concept of a Living wage was picked up by one of the local radio stations.
There was so much energy in the place – everyone wants to participate in helping this get implemented. More and more people are joining the local effort to fight poverty. There was much enthusiasm for the arts aspect of the efforts with regard to the quilt. People were moved to tears by some of the stories that were shared by the speakers.
Prepared from information submitted by Deirdre Pike, Hamilton Social Planning and Research Council
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading ...If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Congratulations, Ron Payne for recgnizing that there are legal and human rights violations associated with the OW A and ODSP A. For a full account of one man’s (Wayne Coppin’s)struggle for his and our human rights, google “Quixote’s Horse” and click on “workfare” or google “workfare””human rights” and again click on Quixote’s Horse.
How has the government of Ontario been allowed to abuse people’s human rights for over a decade with no legal repercussions?
Dianna K.Goneau Inkster
Congratulations, Ron Payne for recgnizing that there are legal and human rights associated with the OWA and ODSP A. For a full account of one man’s (Wayne Coppin’s)struggle for his and our human rights, google “Quixote’s Horse” and click on “workfare” or google “workfare”"human rights” and again click on Quixote’s Horse.
How has the government of Ontario been allowed to abuse people’s human rights for over a decade with no legal repercussions?
Dianna K.Goneau Inkster
Can anyone from the 25 in 5 group tell us why people that live in poverty in Ontario do not have access to the new Ontario Works directives?
Our latest research has more evidence that the legal clinic and paralegal communities have no idea about these changes.
Welfare Legal take the position that it is a serious abuse by the government to the people that need these benefits so desperately.
Please, the people that you say you are representing/helping need your assistance now.
Can someone at least talk about it?
Ron Payne
Welfare Legal
Hamilton, Ontario
E-mail welfarelegal2004@hotmail.com