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  • My second open letter to Ontario members of parliament.

    written by

    james

    Two weeks ago, I sent the first of my letters to Ontario’s members of parliament. Specificly, I emailed the premier, the minister of community and social services, my local conservative member of parliament, and the leaders of both the conservatives and the NDP. I went into quite a bit of detail on the specifics of our problems with the way current disability arangements are set up. Surprisingly enough, the best response came from an unlikely source–the NDP, who actually went so far as to tell me roughly what they’d do differently were they in government. I picked it apart yesterday. There was even less to pick apart from the liberals, who basicly said “So noted.”, or the conservatives, who said absolutely nothing. So, I fired off this one just this morning.

    Subject: Further to my letter (Disability Does Not Equal Poverty – 3/12/2010)

    Honourable members,

    On March 12 of this year, I wrote a letter to each and every one of you, and challenged you to establish a dialogue as to what can be done to address the currently unacceptable inequality between those of us living on disability support and those of us able to land at least minimum wage employment. In the time that has past since that letter, I have received what at best can be described as a minimalistic response. Since our brief exchange re: Ontario disability Support Program, the provincial budget was released, and appropriately criticised for its shortcomings in this area.

    As stated in my original letter, on March 31 of this year, the seventh in a string of increases will be applied to the minimum wage, effective immediately. That increase, an addition of 75 cents per hour, amounts to a total of approximately 27 dollars more based upon a 37-hour work week, or 111 dollars extra per month. In contrast, the Ontario Disability Support Program is to see its monthly distribution to recipients increased by a far less than encouraging 1 percent, or 10 dollars extra, as of the fall of this year.

    This only serves to further widen, not narrow, the gap between Ontario’s disabled population and those able enough to find at least a minimal amount of work. It additionally runs the risk of further raising the poverty line, putting it that much farther out of the reach of those of us under these restrictions.

    As I have done in my previous letter, I would like to take the opportunity to encourage all parties to establish a dialogue in order to address an obvious underfunding of services crutial to many of Ontario’s disabled and their ability to live independantly while at the same time attempting to find work, so as to remove themselves from the need for further ODSP services. Credit should be given, at least in part, to the leader of the NDP, who has at the very least indicated the willingness to explain what if any action they would be willing to initiate were they given the opportunity to govern. I had hoped to see a similar response from Ontario’s liberal party, however I was instead greeted by a response which, summarized, amounted to little more than “We’ll take it under advisement.”. I received less than that from Ontario’s conservative party, including Pembroke and area’s local member of provincial parliament. This demonstrates to me an unwillingness by the two parties in question to discuss the issue of what amounts to financial handycapping, despite evidence indicating the problem not only exists but is worsening. This will not by any means correct the problem as it stands now.

    Once again, I would encourage extensive conversation regarding this issue, which will hopefully lead to equally extensive measures in rectifying the financial situation faced by disabled individuals, who are quite capable of working but simply have not been hired, across the province. I would be more than willing to have this conversation with anyone with an interest, and in so doing, provide them with the information necessary to obtaining a closer look at the precise limitations placed on Ontario’s disabled due to the present situation. This includes, but is not limited to, a glaring disconnect in the realistic financial requirements of a disabled individual needing to provide shelter for him/herself and the allowance for same provided under the Ontario Disability Support Program.

    This is a conversation that absolutely must happen, most especially in order to minimize if not negate completely the dependence on other social systems, such as subsidized housing, which are already under significant strain (see: subsidized housing waiting list in Renfrew county, currently 2-4 years, or subsidized housing waiting list, Ottawa and area, currently 4-8 years). Only through extensive dialogue can problems such as this be addressed, and ultimately solved. I would therefore again encourage everyone named in this letter to become actively involved in this dialogue. Failure to address an issue of this magnitude will amount to a failure to provide affordable living for all Ontarions, and is unacceptable at the absolute minimum. I look forward to seeing the beginning of a hopefully educational dialogue on the ODSP issue in the near future. Thank you in advance for your time, and I will appreciate your prompt feedback concerning the matter in question.

    Sincerely,
    James Homuth
    Petawawa Ontario
    (Contact info removed from this version–I hate spam)

    It’s actually quite sad that the NDP, who I have very little really in common with, gets this more than the other two appear to so far. There’s a large as hell problem cropping up here. Well, okay, it’s been cropping up since at least as long as I’ve been legally old enough to actually be affected by it. Sad part is, for at least that long, no one’s really been open to the idea of talking about it. Kind of like it’s one of those things you kind of toss onto the back burner in the hopes some seemingly larger problem will come up and divert attention away from it. Then, once that’s done, you can safely tuck it under the nearest piece of carpet or something and forget about it. It’s worked for this long–folks have been more than willing to forget about it. Now, let’s see if we can try and convince some of these folks that actually talking about it is the better way to go. Or, at the very least, I’ll just keep periodically bouncing something off their mailboxes. Sooner or later, someone’ll get tired of seeing my name show up. Tired enough to talk about it? Could happen.

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  • The nephew, in pictures!

    written by

    james

    Because I keep threatening to do this and never get around to it, I now get around to it. I don’t have many pictures of him yet, but thankfully he’ll be around for ages, so that’ll change in plenty of time. He’s just over 6 months old now, and growing like a freakin’ weed. Here’s a comparison.

    Jess was up in December for Christmas, and got to spend a little time with him. You may or may not be able to see her in this picture, but she’s there. Mostly, she’s distracting him while mom snaps his mug. You kind of had to be there. Warning: cute overload.

    That was at 3 months old. He blew up in the 2 months since then–here’s the same kid in February. Freaking scary the difference. Gotta love me.

    And, because my family has its extreme random moments, here’s the same 5-month-old, in gangsta form. Hey, if you knew his father, you’d catch on. If you know his father, be afraid for his kid. That's one gangsta baby!

    Appologies in advance of the images are a little difficult to view or anything. They were taken on a cell phone, and I may or may not have stuck them up here properly. Still, there’s the familial snap fest. There will probably be more. If there are, they will probably be here. And probably, hopefully, slightly less broken.

    Also: You hotlink the images and not ask me, I break your fingers. Or at least stare you down angrily. You have been warned.

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  • Sometimes, family outings are awesomeness.

    written by

    james

    I hadn’t planned to do a whole lot yesterday, with the exception of posting the very little info I managed to get my hands on regarding Ontario’s, shall we say, ripping off of an entire class of tax payer. But, as often tends to happen, plans came up and told me otherwise. So, instead I wrote those posts the day before, and took advantage of yesterday to go out for breakfast with mom, my aunt and uncle, and my cousin Stephen’s daughter–they were apparently babysitting her, unbeknownst to us when we dropped the invite. Which ended up working out for the better, since I had a sneaking suspicion breakfast with these particular people would translate to a morning spent doing very little.

    I was right, and it did exactly that. Fortunately seeing the baby served to counter the otherwise boredom. She’s approaching 2, and I can probably count on one hand the times I’ve actually seen her–which, naturally, explained why she pretty much had absolutely no idea who I was. Then again, when you’re still measuring your life in months as opposed to years, it happens.

    Breakfast took up a fair bit of the morning, followed by a run to Wall Mart where we once again ran into them. Which, as often happens, meant we spent 3/4 of the time there browsing/talking/generally being bored before we finally managed to pick up the two things we’d intended to go there for. The rest of the morning, and a goodly chunk of the afternoon, was taken up with a visit to my grandparents, who I also don’t get to see a whole lot of recently–and, again, we were followed there by my aunt and uncle which meant our visit ended up being longer than we’d planned. Fortunately, the cute factor made it semi-entertaining–which is more than I can say for a lot of visits there. I came back here, intent to grab a power nap and ended up grabbing a bout of unconsciousness instead.

    All in all, a semi-productive, not quite lazy, but still non-boring enough to be somewhat noteworthy day. Plus, time spent with a kid not yet old enough to make you want to curse the existence of kids everywhere. Epic win by default. And now, I attempt to invent a Monday. God help me.

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  • Penguins 5, Maple Leafs 4.

    written by

    james

    We actually kept up with them for most of the game. Hell, we even had a lead once. In spite of the fact they seemed to be more into the game than we were–probably because they’re more in the playoffs than we are. Which explains why it took them until the shootout to finally beat us. And part of me was kind of hoping we might knock them down a peg or two, too. Oh well, can’t spoil everyone’s playoff hopes. At least the winning streak was good while it lasted.

    Last time

    Back in January, we didn’t do quite so hot. Well, more like we didn’t do a whole lot of anything at all. Largely different team, largely different game, largely different excitement level. Same result, though. Ah well, whatcha gonna do? Besides watch the next one, I mean.

  • Deconstructing the NDP’s response to my open letter.

    written by

    james

    So far, the only other person to respond to my email thus far is the NDP. Or rather, the NDP leader’s corespondence officer. Who, apparently, didn’t quite get all her information accurate. But, one step at a time. What does miss Andrea’s corespondence officer have to say?

    Dear Mr. Homuth,

    Thank you for your email to Andrea Horwath expressing your views concerning Social Assistance.

    Ontario’s New Democrats have called the McGuinty government to task many times over the past six years on its failure to provide adequate supports to Ontario’s most vulnerable people. Sadly, not much has changed for our poorest people. The promised review of social assistance rates has not yet occurred, tens of thousands languish on waiting lists for affordable housing and we have yet to see a significant number of public child care spaces increase.

    Not overly concerned with childcare spaces over here, but I’ll ignore that. Clearly, not much has changed. Scream a little louder, please?

    The NDP continues to be vocal in the Legislature and across Ontario in an effort to force this government to take real action to alleviate poverty.

    I’d be interested to see the definition of “real action” according to all three parties. But I’ll settle for the NDP’s definition. Particularly since my own local, conservative MPP has yet to respond, nevermind his party leader.

    That’s why the NDP called for the following amendments to Bill 152:

    Adding as a goal to work for a poverty-free Ontario

    Recognizing the right of all Ontarians to an adequate income, decent housing, healthy food, and fair paid employment

    Require the creation of a Poverty Reduction Commission (including people living in poverty and other key stakeholders) to independently report on the government’s progress in reducing poverty each year

    Require that the Minister reports to the legislature on progress each year

    Including adequate funding for proper consultation

    Require that poverty reduction strategies:

    address all people living in poverty – not just one sub-group
    address income support, labour market participation, food access, affordable housing and other causes of poverty
    Set a long term poverty reduction target that goes further than 25% in five years

    As a health care professional, you know that poverty is the root cause of many serious health problems and we thank you very much for taking the time to write and for your hard work and support.

    Healthcare professional? I’m an ODSP recipient. Big difference.

    Please visit www.ontariondp.com to learn more about how the NDP Caucus is fighting for Ontarians in our communities and at Queen’s Park.

    Sincerely,

    Ezia Cervoni,

    Leader’s Correspondence Officer

    I don’t want to visit a website to learn what you’re planning to do. Nor do I want to visit the government’s website to learn what they want to do. I want two-way dialogue here. The ruling parties have the money. Or, at least, the ministries overseen by the said parties have the money. We, meaning the people receiving said money, know where it needs to be put and in what quantity. All that has to happen is the conversation. One of us is making that attempt. Let’s see how far it goes.

  • My now open letter to Ontario’s government, and the premier’s response.

    written by

    james

    I’ve mentioned already that if you’re on disability in Ontario, you’re almost getting the shaft so far as actual help to do anything without needing to rely on help, financial or otherwise, from friends/family/whatever. In this letter, sent to Ontario’s ruling parties, I mentioned it to them in far more simple terms. So far, response has been rather minimal.

    Subject: Disability Does Not Equal Poverty

    Honourable members,

    I write you today to bring to your attention what I had hoped initially might have been a grave oversight in the administration of the Ontario Disability Support program (ODSP). Presently, minimum wage in Ontario is scheduled to undergo a 75 cent increase on the 31st of March. This would be the seventh such minimum wage increase since the McGuinty government took office in 2004, and would bring the wage to $10.25 per hour–a nearly 43 percent increase in a 6-year period. In the same length of time, however, ODSP payments have seen an increase of slightly more than 100 dollars, or approximately 10.5 percent.

    These statistics constitute a grose imbalance between those Ontarions restricted in their employment options due to a disability and those capable of filling any minimum wage position. Additionally, it strips many of the disabled of their independence by forcing them to rely on the support and shelter of family/friends due to the inability to aford living on their own. The difference, which is the difference in some cases between poverty and independence, is 500 dollars based on a standard 37.5-hour work week. A disabled individual living on the current level of ODSP will most likely not continue to remain self-sufficient based on current cost of living trends.

    I speak on this matter as one of the said disabled individuals affected by the imbalance between current established minimums and those available to the disabled via the ODSP. Living presently in Petawawa, after being forced to leave Ottawa due to my inability to aford to remain, I now reside in an apartment who’s rent is still approximately $100 above the current allowance for shelter of $465–presently, it is the lowest rent available to me without the assistance of subsidised housing. The rent does not include heat and/or electricity, which brings total expenses paid well above $100 over the allowance for basic shelter. Transportation costs then must come out of my allowance for food/clothing, along with payment of necessary expenses not currently considered necessary under the ODSP (E.G. telephone). As Pembroke/Petawawa does not have a public transit system, transportation costs will vary depending on several conditions including: where i’m going, how far away, how frequently, and whether by family or friends’ vehicles or local taxi services. When expenses are finally alocated to groceries, clothing etc, it would be an understatement to say the remainder of current ODSP payments are spread a little thin.

    I find it less than acceptable that able-bodied individuals with little to know limitations applied to their ability to work are able to remain virtually entirely self-sufficient, whereas the disabled who are unable to occupy a position at, for example, McDonalds for the said minimum wage are forced to depend on the support of others in order to establish a degree of independence. Furthermore, I find it even less acceptable that over the past 6 years under this government, the gap between disabled and non-disabled Ontarions has only widened. The disabled do not get discounts on rent, nor do we get a similar discount on electricity, groceries, transportation, or any other item easily aforded by those individuals earning minimum wage. And yet we are expected to pay equal prices for equal services on significantly less income. Disability should not equate to poverty, however under the current system as it stands right now, that is precisely what it equates to. If the minimum wage was adjusted in order to allow Ontarions to maintain the ability to cope with the increase in cost of living and inflation, payments via ODSP should likewise see a similar increase. A failure to do so should be seen as a failure to provide afordable living for the people of Ontario.

    I would be more than happy to have this conversation in a more direct manner with each one of you, should you be so inclined, and provide you with any further information that might assist you in determining the entirety of this issue. If you would like to discuss this matter further, my contact information is below. I will also include for your reading pleasure a link to a website in which many non-disabled individuals not only agree with me, but have performed their own research based on information publicly available to determine for themselves that current support levels are insufficient. Thank you for reading, and I hope we can speak further on this topic.

    Additional Information: https://www.knitnut.net/2010/02/do-the-math/

    Sincerely,
    James Homuth
    Petawawa, Ontario
    (contact information removed from this version–I hate spam)

    It took a couple days, but Dalton McGuinty did eventually get back to me. Or, rather, one of his slightly modified form letters got back to me.

    Subject: An e-mail from the Premier of Ontario

    Thanks for your online message about the Ontario Disability Support Program. I appreciate your having taken the time to share your valued feedback with me.

    Our government remains committed to improving the quality of life for all Ontarians. I note that you have also sent a copy of your e-mail to my colleague the Honourable Madeleine Meilleur, Minister of Community and Social Services. I trust that the minister will take your views into careful consideration.

    Thanks again for contacting me. Please accept my best wishes.

    Dalton McGuinty
    Premier of Ontario

    c: The Honourable Madeleine Meilleur

    While he noticed I sent a copy to his minister of social services, he didn’t exactly prod her in the rear end to get back to me. I’m still waiting, Dalton. In the meantime, let’s talk about that extra $10 you’re giving me in about 8 months. Specificly, let’s make it $500, and effective next month. Deal? Didn’t think so.

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  • Maple Leafs 3, Rangers 2.

    written by

    james

    It didn’t look entirely too convincingly in our favour for most of the night–they scored twice in the first, we didn’t do squat. We managed to get one back in the second, and that was about it. right up until the 16 minute mark of the third, before we finally managed to net the equaliser. And, with maybe a minute–if that long–gone in overtime, we knocked home the winner. It doesn’t feel like an ultimate victory right now, but as I tweeted after the end of the game, we may not be playoff bound this year, but we’re sure gonna screw it up for anyone who is. I’d say this isn’t a bad start. Welcome to the new highlight of the 2010 season–ruining everyone else’s playoffs.

  • My thoughts on the Sirius Canada trial.

    written by

    james

    A few weeks ago, I received a free trial offer for Sirius Canada, or Sirius XM Canada if you prefer. I took full advantage of it, mostly because I had little to nothing else to do at the time. And because it was free, but y’know. The service itself is pretty nifty. And, surprisingly enough, useable with a minimal amount of headache. I thought very briefly about paying for it. Except, small problem. I don’t see anywhere you can go to purchase just an online subscription. I have no use for one of their radios, and in fact don’t even listen to the radio I do have–any music I listen to will more than likely be streamed over the internet by a site similar to Jango. I did receive a special promotion email offering me a discount on their services if I were to purchase a certain radio. Which would rule, if I was looking for that. I’ll make you a deal, Sirius. You give me an option for strictly online listening, and we’ll talk. ‘Til then, thanks for the free trial.

  • Ontario’s generous provincial government strikes again.

    written by

    james

    The budget for 2010 came out on thursday. And, expecting to see a slight improvement in areas that actually matter, I read things over as they came in–because, you know, I’m like that. Sure enough, slight was probably the best way to describe the improvements. Very slight, in some cases. One improvement in particular I was looking out for, since it affects me directly–at least until such time as I can find something I can call work, is Ontario’s disability support program (ODSP). They’ve already drawn my irritation for being among the cheapest of the out of work options currently available to anyone not currently managing just fine through the recession–second only to welfare in its cheapness. And now, they’re managing to become only very slightly less cheap.

    In 2009, we saw an increase of approximately 2 percent in payments through ODSP. Which, for me, amounted to a grand total of $20 more on my check. Woopdy do–I can now aford to more easily pay for my hot water tank rental. Go me. This year, and not until fall of this year at that, we get an additional single percentage point increase. Which amounts to another $10. Yay–now I can aford my hot water tank rental, and maybe stuff for sandwitches!

    In contrast, at the end of march minimum wage is going to go up roughly 75 cents more per hour–the seventh such increase since 2004. For those keeping score, that leads to a roughly $500 gap between what someone like me who can’t go find a gig flipping burgers on account of not being able to see the grill is making, versus what someone doing the said burger flipping job is making. And yet, they claim ODSP is designed with independence in mind for those who can’t do things like flip burgers or work in construction until something more to their liking comes along. I’d like to see where they get that from.

    To their credit, everyone not currently a member of the liberal party is sort of trying to say things of a similar nature–1 percent, is that all? Not that I expect that to do a whole lot of good, so I wrote and sent an email to Ontario’s premier, the minister of community and social services–who oversees the ODSP situation, both opposition party leaders and Pembroke’s MPP–also a member of the conservative party. Those conversations, or what they think passes for conversations, are about to become open letters on this blog. As will every other correspondence that gets sent their way–and there’s going to be others.

    I took the advice of another Ottawa area blogger and did the math, and could very easily live on a minimum wage style budget–believe it or not, quite luxuriously actually. I’m in Pembroke, which automaticly means subtract at least $100 from the price tag on just about anything related to actually living–rent, for starters. So my overly luxurious habbits aren’t exactly cause for concern, here. The overly generous habbits of our government, however, now there’s a cause for concern. Can we hit minimum wage before I hit the point of flat busted, please? That’d be appreciated.

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  • Earth hour cancelled on account of hockey.

    written by

    james

    In just less than 2 hours, we’ll be encouraged to turn our lights and probably anything else electrical off to conserve energy and save the environment. Because, you know, the whole global warming thing hasn’t already been kicked about a hundred times in the gonads. In this apartment, however, the only thing being conserved is a love for hockey. And it will be displayed in approximately 10 minutes in the form of a louder than usual television broadcast. Since the two are mutually exclusive, unless I’d like to miss approximately an hour of hockey, Earth hour has been cancelled for this year. Sorry, climateists. Can we reschedule for a non-sports day?

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