povertyandhumanrights.org » welfare

Human Rights Denied: Single Mothers on Social Assistance

phrc — Mon, 25 Apr 2005 22:51:23 +0000

Human Rights Denied documents the very difficult conditions in which single mothers
are raising their children in British Columbia today. It is a call for the Government of British Columbia to abandon its current policies – because they are a cruel failure.

Human Rights Denied: Single Mothers on Social Assistance

Take The Welfare Time Limit Off the Books

phrc — Fri, 02 Jul 2004 19:18:16 +0000

The Government of British Columbia now says that, over the next year, only 339 people will be affected by the 24-month time limit on welfare––the rule intended to limit “employable” welfare recipients to two-years of support during any five year period.

On Friday, the Government created a new exemption––the 25th. Now those who follow their employment plans and are seeking work will be exempted from the 24-month time limit. Though this is an encouraging development, the Government still has to go the full course and remove the time limit from the books.

Take The Welfare Time Limit Off the Books

Letter to the Prime Minister and BC Premier on welfare time limits

phrc — Thu, 05 Feb 2004 03:43:44 +0000

A letter written to Prime Minister Paul Martin and Premier Gordon Campbell, endorsed by 137 organizations, asking them to act immediately, together and separately, to ensure that legislation which imposes a twenty-four month time limit on eligibility for welfare in B.C. is rescinded before April 1, 2004, and that no similar provision is implemented in B.C. or any other province in future.

act immediately, together and separately, to ensure that

legislation which imposes a twenty-four month time limit on eligibility for welfare in

B.C. is rescinded before April 1, 2004, and that no similar provision is implemented in

B.C. or any other province in future.

Letter to the Prime Minister Paul Martin and Premier Gordon Campbell (February 2004)

The Right to Social Assistance: 14 Questions and Answers (October 2003)

phrc — Wed, 01 Oct 2003 23:17:53 +0000

British Columbia is the only province in Canada to place a time limit on

welfare eligibility. From diverse perspectives, many people are concerned

about the harmful results of this harsh and unprecedented new rule. This

report is a response to numerous requests that the Poverty and Human Rights

Project has received from concerned groups and individuals for an analysis

of the human rights implications of the 24 month cut off rule.

British Columbia is the only province in Canada to place a time limit on welfare eligibility. From diverse perspectives, many people are concerned about the harmful results of this harsh and unprecedented new rule. This report is a response to numerous requests that the Poverty and Human Rights Project has received from concerned groups and individuals for an analysis of the human rights implications of the 24 month cut off rule.

The Right to Social Assistance: 14 Questions and Answers (October 2003)

UN singles out BC government on women’s rights (March 2003)

phrc — Sat, 01 Mar 2003 03:30:13 +0000

B.C. is not meeting its obligations to women under international human rights law. That

was the clear message of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of

Discrimination against Women in comments issued recently in New York City.

The U.N. Committee singled out the province of British Columbia for criticism in its

review of Canada’s compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Elimination

of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The Committee is concerned

about the disproportionately negative impact on women and girls of a number of recent

changes in British Columbia, including: funding cuts to legal aid and welfare assistance;

narrowed eligibility rules for welfare; the elimination of the freestanding Ministry of

Women’s Equality; the abolition of the independent Human Rights Commission; the

closing of a number of courthouses; cuts in support programmes for victims of domestic

violence; and proposed changes regarding prosecution of domestic violence.

B.C. is not meeting its obligations to women under international human rights law. That was the clear message of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in comments issued recently in New York City.

The U.N. Committee singled out the province of British Columbia for criticism in its review of Canada’s compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The Committee is concerned about the disproportionately negative impact on women and girls of a number of recent changes in British Columbia, including: funding cuts to legal aid and welfare assistance; narrowed eligibility rules for welfare; the elimination of the freestanding Ministry of Women’s Equality; the abolition of the independent Human Rights Commission; the closing of a number of courthouses; cuts in support programmes for victims of domestic violence; and proposed changes regarding prosecution of domestic violence.

UN Singles Out B.C. Government on Women’s Rights

Majority embraces stereotype of the poor (December 2002)

phrc — Sun, 01 Dec 2002 01:14:50 +0000

Majority Embraces Stereotype of Poor

by Shelagh Day

The majority decision of the Supreme Court of Canada in last week’s welfare rights case,

Gosselin v Quebec, is a disturbing one. Five judges endorsed a Quebec scheme that

consigned thousands of 18 to 30 year old welfare recipients to extreme poverty, and

found that it did not harm the human dignity of these poor young people.

The majority decision of the Supreme Court of Canada in last week’s welfare rights case, Gosselin v Quebec, is a disturbing one. Five judges endorsed a Quebec scheme that consigned thousands of 18 to 30 year old welfare recipients to extreme poverty, and found that it did not harm the human dignity of these poor young people.

Majority Embraces Stereotype of Poor