The Bentley/Matthews/Ramal Liberals will point to the several (small) increases to OW and ODSP as proof of how much better they’ve been, but the fact is that recipients of social assistance receive -40% per cent today compared to the 1995 Harris cuts.

This website is part of a campaign called “Do the Math,” by The Stop Community Food Centre in Toronto:

The Stop Says It’s Time To Do The Math On Social Assistance

(Thursday, June 25, 2009 – Toronto, Ontario) The Stop Community Food Centre announced today that food banks in Ontario are feeling the squeeze as more people are being forced onto social assistance due to the continued economic crisis. In response to the obvious inadequacies of Ontario’s social safety net The Stop is calling for Ontarians to Do The Math to see if social assistance benefits provide enough income for recipients to live with health and dignity in this province.

The campaign at http://www.thestop.dothemath.org asks people to create a monthly budget for someone living on social assistance selecting from a range of possible monthly expenses and items. The campaign asks participants to make choices for that person – do they need internet? Pet food? Soap? Transit? If so, what do these things cost? How much is a reasonable amount to spend on rent and food? At the end of the survey, the budget results are tallied and compared to the amounts actually received by people on Ontario Works and Ontario Disability benefits.

“There is a line of thinking that says that people on welfare are ‘being paid not to work’ and that they make poor choices with whatever money they do receive on social assistance. But if you’re not on welfare, you probably have no idea how low rates have sunk compared to the actual cost of living,” says Nick Saul, Executive Director at The Stop. “We would like to think that most Ontarians actually do believe that if they or others are laid off, ill, or down on their luck, some assistance from the government is warranted. The question is then: how much? Do the Math demonstrates that even the most frugal estimation of needs far exceeds the realities of what people get on social assistance.”

“There are a lot of problems with social assistance—and we do need a full-fledged overhaul of the system — but the biggest immediate problem is that the benefits simply do not add up each month and it’s impossible to afford basic things that we all need to be healthy. Unfortunately, in these difficult times, a lot more people are discovering this the hard way”, says advocate and ODSP recipient Cheryl Smith. “Government needs to do the math too. It’s clear to me that rates aren’t set with any reference to reality.”

The website is helping to build support for “put food in the budget” – a campaign launched last February in partnership with the Social Planning Network of Ontario and the Association of Public Health Agencies that is asking for an additional $100 each month as a first step in addressing the chronic food insecurity and poor health of people on social assistance in Ontario.

Do the Math is a public awareness tool, but is also aimed at getting policymakers to do the math, in order to put the question of social assistance adequacy within the framework of the poverty reduction promised by the Ontario Government. Located in Toronto’s Davenport West neighbourhood, The Stop Community Food Centre works to increase people’s access to healthy food in a manner that maintains dignity, builds community and challenges inequality.

Saying that it accepted the recommendations in principle and noting that this area of law “has become excessively complex” and that the 40 y.o. breath-testing provisions have been “repeatedly amended in response to technological advances and court decisions,” the government promised “to consult on a priority basis…”

Those of us who are low on the government’s priority list (you and I) have now been offered a discussion paper and 20 questions which (along with your general comments) can be responded to before 2010/04/30.

On Friday March 19 2010 at 12:15 am a 35 year old female was stabbed in the back by a known female in front of an address on Rectory Street.

The victim was taken to hospital and is currently in good condition.

A warrant has been applied for Dawn Randall, 26 years of London for aggravated assault. A photo of Dawn Randall is attached above.

Anyone with any information regarding Dawn Randall’s whereabouts is asked to contact Police at 519-661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS. You can also provide your tips online at www.londoncrimestoppers.com.

On Thursday March 18 2010 at 4:15 pm a 17 year old male was walking on Oxford Street near Fiddlers Green Road when he was approached by two males on foot and a third male on a bicycle. The victim was assaulted by the males and property was taken from him.

The victim received non life threatening injuries.

Police are looking for three suspects described as:

• White male, 17-18 years old, 6’, short black hair wearing a black t shirt and jean shorts.
• White male, 17-18 years old, 5’10, short black hair wearing a white and black muscle shirt.
• White male, 17-18 years old, on a bicycle.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Police at 519-661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS. You can also provide your tips online at www.londoncrimestoppers.com.

On Wednesday March 17 2010 at approximately 8 pm a 16 year old male was sitting with three friends at a table in McDonald’s located on Wellington Road South when he was approached by three males, assaulted and property was taken from him.

The victim received minor injuries. Police are looking for three suspects described as:

• White male, approximately 17 years old, black hair with a shaved head wearing a black hoodie.
• White male, approximately 17 years old, blonde hair wearing a white hoodie, black jeans and wearing a white hat.
• Male with a medium complexion approximately 17 years old wearing a blue hat and a blue undershirt.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Police at 519-661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS. You can also provide your tips online at www.londoncrimestoppers.com.

On Thursday March 18 2010 at 1:30 am a 23 year old male was walking on Cheapside near Richmond Street when two unknown males approached, assaulted him and demanded property from him. The suspects obtained a quantity of property from the victim and fled eastbound.

The victim received minor injuries.

Police are looking for two suspects described as:

• White male, 27-30 years old, 5’11, 176 lbs, wearing a black coat.
• White male, 22-30 years old, 5’9, 176 lbs, no clothing description at this time.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Police at 519-661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS. You can also provide your tips online at www.londoncrimestoppers.com.

On Thursday March 18 2010 at 1:20 am a 25 year old male was walking on Kent Street near Talbot Street when he was approached by two unknown males, was assaulted and property was taken from him.

The victim received non life threatening injuires.

Police are looking for two suspects described as:

• White male, in his late 20’s or early 30’s, 5′10″, medium build, dark hair and was wearing a dark coloured t-shirt .
• The second suspect is only described as a white male in his late 20’s or early 30’s with a medium build.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Police at 519-661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS. You can also provide your tips online at www.londoncrimestoppers.com.

On Wednesday March 17, at 9:45 pm five black males approached a lone 19 year old male who was walking in Gibbons Park and demanded property from him. Two of the males used unknown weapons to strike the male and take a quantity of property from him.

The victim received non life threatening injuries.

Police are looking for five suspects described as:

• Five black males, two wearing hoodies, one male was 6′1″, 210lbs.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Police at 519-661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS. You can also provide your tips online at www.londoncrimestoppers.com.

On Wednesday March 17 2010 at 7:12 pm a 41 year old male was walking on Maitland Street near Simcoe Street when he was approached by a silver Dodge Caravan. The driver got out of the vehicle and demanded property from the victim.

The suspect obtained a quantity of property from the victim and left in the vehicle. The victim was not injured.

Police are looking for a suspect described as:

• White male, 5′9ft, 150lbs, short blonde hair, wearing grey t-shirt, baggy light blue jeans, and a baseball cap.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Police at 519-661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS. You can also provide your tips online at www.londoncrimestoppers.com.