The Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Canada is deeply concerned by Friday’s announcement of changes to social assistance in Ontario. While the decision to allow recipients to keep more of the money they earn, before clawing back these earnings, is relatively positive for affected recipients, the change still does not take their income anywhere near the poverty line. The announcement also leaves recipients who are unable to work woefully below the poverty line. Further, the decision to make it harder to qualify for a disability pension will keep more Ontarians, who are are unable to work, in deep poverty. In short, this policy announcement leaves too many people behind. Together with the decision to freeze the minimum wage at the current level, the government in Ontario has done little to remove barriers which are undermining meaningful participation, in both society and the labour market.
Federation President, Sister Mary Ann McCarthy, sees these policies through an ethical lens: “The Sisters of St. Joseph place a great deal of importance on community. We know community works best when everyone feels like they belong; when they’re participating in the life of the community, contributing to the good of the whole and feeling valued. This is our hope for all people in Ontario.”
Sister Sue Wilson, from the Federation’s Office for Systemic Justice, adds, “In Ontario, there are too many people in our communities who are made to feel like they don’t belong. While many are finding work, too many are not finding decent work. They’re not making a living wage or getting benefits. Some can only find temporary jobs and sometimes the work isn’t safe.”
The Sisters of St. Joseph note that, rather than undermining participation in the labour force, strong social protections, such as social assistance, are a critical mechanism for increasing employment rates. Wilson explains, “Strong social protections provide vital support for workers as they transition from one job to another. Without these protections, people can become so socially and economically excluded they are not able to recover.”
It is important to learn from experience. Wilson says: “Inadequate rates of social assistance create barriers to social and economic inclusion: They erode physical and mental health; they put people in a position where they must sink all their energy into surviving and end up marginalized from the labour market and vital social connections. We have been watching this play out in Ontario since the mid-1990s.”
McCarthy concludes: “We can do better! Trust cannot thrive while different social groups experience starkly different social and economic outcomes. Greater equity isn’t just important for people who live in poverty. It benefits all of us, strengthening the ties which bind us together. Strong social protections and a living wage would create a critical foundation for greater equity in Ontario.”