Premier Doug Ford tabled draconian and callous legislation that will criminalize people for not having a home — and he is ready to override the courts to make it happen.  This bill will give cities more power to increase policing and forcibly dismantle encampments — when people have nowhere else to go.  Community advocates and experts have come out against it: this legislation doesn't get to the root of the issue — it will just land more people in jails, cost millions of dollars and spread encampments to new places.  Already some cities have started to speak out against it. If more cities reject Ford’s brutal legislation and demand Ford provide real solutions to the housing crisis, it could force Ford to back down.  A wave of local campaigns calling on local mayors and city councils to come out against Ford's draconian legislation could help tip the scale. Sign the petition to your city’s mayor and council demanding they reject Ford’s crackdown on the houseless community.  

Premier Doug Ford tabled draconian and callous legislation that will criminalize people for not having a home — and he is ready to override the courts to make it happen.  This bill will give cities more power to increase policing and forcibly dismantle encampments — when people have nowhere else to go.  Community advocates and experts have come out against it: this legislation doesn't get to the root of the issue — it will just land more people in jails, cost millions of dollars and spread encampments to new places.  Already some cities have started to speak out against it. If more cities reject Ford’s brutal legislation and demand Ford provide real solutions to the housing crisis, it could force Ford to back down.  A wave of local campaigns calling on local mayors and city councils to come out against Ford's draconian legislation could help tip the scale. Sign the petition to your city’s mayor and council demanding they reject Ford’s crackdown on the houseless community.  

Premier Doug Ford tabled draconian and callous legislation that will criminalize people for not having a home — and he is ready to override the courts to make it happen.  This bill will give cities more power to increase policing and forcibly dismantle encampments — when people have nowhere else to go.  Community advocates and experts have come out against it: this legislation doesn't get to the root of the issue — it will just land more people in jails, cost millions of dollars and spread encampments to new places.  Already some cities have started to speak out against it. If more cities reject Ford’s brutal legislation and demand Ford provide real solutions to the housing crisis, it could force Ford to back down.  A wave of local campaigns calling on local mayors and city councils to come out against Ford's draconian legislation could help tip the scale. Sign the petition to your city’s mayor and council demanding they reject Ford’s crackdown on the houseless community.  

For  the tens of thousands of seniors whose incomes rely on the Alberta Seniors' Benefit to supplement their low Federal Government pensions (CPP and the Guaranteed Income Supplement); and the over 75,000 disabled Albertans whose incomes are extremely low with AISH benefits, claw backs to these programs represent undue hardship and stress. This puts more strain on mental health services, food banks, and other services provided to low-income Albertans across the province. They also destabilize their incomes, preventing them from planning ahead for each month’s bills.

The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) is one of the largest investment funds in the world and manages nearly $650 billion in retirement savings on behalf of over 22 million hard-working Canadians. But rather than using that enormous financial power to lead the transition away from fossil fuels that scientists and world leaders agree is essential – CPPIB continues to invest in fossil fuel expansion. The science is clear that avoiding catastrophic climate outcomes requires an immediate end to fossil fuel expansion and rapid-phase out of oil, gas and coal. That’s why in 2022 CPPIB committed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. But CPPIB is continuing to invest our retirement dollars in oil and gas infrastructure and the companies fueling the climate crisis – in October 2024, CPPIB disclosed it holds $23 billion in fossil fuel production assets, while in 2024, CPPIB made six new investments in fossil fuels. For more information read Shift’s CPPIB Watch here. CPPIB’s board of directors also has a potential conflict of interest problem: three of the 11 members of CPPIB’s Board of Directors are also executives or directors of fossil fuel companies. The Canada Pension Plan is our money. CPPIB owes all of us a duty to maximize our returns without undue risk of loss. Fossil fuel expansion simply cannot be a responsible investment, with the high risk of assets becoming stranded as the global economy moves away from fossil fuels. Expanding and prolonging the use of oil, gas and coal locks in more carbon pollution for decades to come, increasing the risk of catastrophic climate outcomes that destabilize our communities, economies and ecosystems. Take action now.  

CPPIB is one of the largest investment funds in the world, managing nearly $650 billion in retirement savings on behalf of over 22 million working and retired Canadians.  • CPPIB committed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. In recent years CPPIB has dramatically increased its investments in climate solutions.  • But at the same time, CPPIB is continuing to invest our retirement dollars in fossil fuel infrastructure and the companies fueling the climate crisis – Shift estimates nearly $64 billion in fossil fuel investments as of September 2023. In 2024 alone, CPPIB made five new investments in fossil fuels, including marking Earth Day with a $405 million investment in fracking expansion in Ohio and buying 16,000 kms of oil and gas pipeline in the US Midwest. In September, a CPPIB-owned company extended the piping of fracked gas from the Peruvian Amazon for another ten years until at least 2044.  • CPPIB’s board of directors also has a potential conflict of interest problem: three of the 11 current members of CPPIB’s Board of Directors are also executives or corporate directors of fossil fuel companies.  The Canada Pension Plan is our money. CPPIB owes all of us a duty to maximize our returns over the long-term without undue risk of loss. Fossil fuel expansion simply cannot be a responsible investment, with the high risk of assets becoming stranded as the global economy moves away from fossil fuels.  Over the next few weeks, we have the opportunity to take part in public meetings across Canada being arranged by CPPIB in all provinces and territories except for Quebec – and we can ask CPPIB leadership hard-hitting questions on their role in fueling the climate crisis and protecting our retirement security in a healthy, livable future.  Demand answers: Send questions to CPPIB today – and demand that they stop investing our money in fossil fuel expansion and instead use the national retirement savings of Canadians to invest in climate solutions.  Show up and be heard: You can register to attend the meetings here. Show up and ask the tough questions.  For more information on CPPIB’s approach to climate change and risky investments in fossil fuels, and ideas to ask CPPIB executives about climate change and fossil fuels, read Shift’s CPPIB climate action briefing and sample questions. You can also reach out to Shift at [email protected]. 

Neither governments nor the private sector have been able to address the housing affordability crisis. We need to move away from the Financialization of Housing towards the Communitization of Housing.   An article in the Globe & Mail stated that: “We simply don’t have enough money to solve Canada’s housing crisis.”  I disagree for if we take this on as a community we do have enough money. Canadians have +$4 Trillion in RRSP and other savings instruments. If one percent those funds were put into five and ten year community bonds secured against land and property we would have the largest affordable housing fund in the world. Imagine transforming our cities and towns that are presently unaffordable to the ‘most affordable’ cities in North America. Please join us in helping us start ‘Building Solutions to the Housing Crisis’.  

Doug Ford is trying to privatize the LCBO – destroying good jobs and starving our public services of funding.  Just last year, profits from the LCBO – an Ontario Crown Corporation – provided $2.58 billion dollars of funding for education, healthcare and other public services.  But if Ford’s plan for privatizing alcohol sales goes through – those profits will go straight to the pockets of billionaires of big box stores like Galen Weston.  Striking LCBO workers are hitting the picket lines to fight back against Doug Ford’s plan – which would erode the good union jobs LCBO provides and deals a hefty blow to public services funding.  We can’t let Doug Ford get away with this. Together, let’s keep the LCBO public. Add your name to show support for the striking LCBO workers and demand Ford back off his plan for privatization. One of the best ways to support striking workers is to visit a picket line: ​​https://opseu.org/news/support-striking-lcbo-workers-find-a-picket-location-near-you/237391/

Did you know that flight attendants are only paid for the work they do while in the air? That means all the work they do preparing the plane, boarding and making passengers feel comfortable and offboarding the plane is on the clock, but off the paycheck. On average, flight attendants are doing up to 35 hours of unpaid work per week. That’s a week of full-time work for an average person — without any pay. It’s not right. Unions and MPs from multiple parties are now calling for the government to make changes to the labour code and crack down on unpaid work in the airline industry. A big showing of public support could help change the winds on flight attendants’ workplace rights — and get the government to ensure flight attendants are paid for all their work, not just their time in the sky. Sign the petition now calling for fair pay for fair work for flight attendants.

The current rules surrounding common law partnerships involving PWD also create an environment of inequity and instability. It is highly unjust to impose a tax-like burden on the common-law spouses of disabled individuals, leading to resentment, strained marriages, and increased suffering for all parties involved. PWD are effectively forced to choose between preserving their independence or placing unfair and discriminatory burdens upon partners who earn above a modest incomes. This dynamic also perpetuates outdated and sexist paradigms, particularly in heterosexual partnerships, where women often become solely dependent on men due to financial constraints. Furthermore, the current rules for common law partnerships involving PWD reinforce discrimination towards the poor and the disabled, discouraging PWD from pursuing stable marriages and stripping them of the limited independence they have been granted. We must strive for a society that supports and enables PWD to build stable relationships, fostering inclusivity and equal opportunities for all.

Since this ruling, Doug Ford’s government has said they will legislate to overthrow the OEB’s decision in favour of Enbridge and devleopers, who are furious right now. [2] The OEB’s landmark decision could encourage developers to install more affordable and energy efficient heating systems - facilitating the transition from heating Ontario’s buildings with fossil gas to green solutions such as geo-thermal and heat pumps, while also reducing energy bills for homeowners and tenants. Doug Ford’s government is standing in the way. If thousands of Ontarians show support for the recent OEB ruling, and for measures that will protect homeowners and renters and incentivize clean energy options, we can discourage the Ford government from intervening with legislation. Tell Doug Ford and Energy Minister Todd Smith - Hands off the OEB, Ontarians want affordable, green heating. Sources: [1] The Narwal: https://thenarwhal.ca/ontario-energy-board-enbridge-gas/#:~:text=In%20December%202023%2C%20the%20Ontario,fuel%20use%20is%20winding%20down.&text=Days%20before%20Christmas%2C%20Ontario's%20energy,decision%20and%20a%20fiery%20response. [2] CBC: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-energy-board-overruled-todd-smith-1.7068120

Given concerns relating to misinformation, negative impacts on our society and democracy, impact on mental health, privacy, etc. it is imperative for us to move away from Facebook. And, progressive advocacy, environmental and humanitarian organizations such as Leadnow, CARE Canada, Oxfam, David Suzuki Foundation, Nature Conservancy, Nature Canada, etc. should lead the charge. They can do this by exploring ethical alternatives to Facebook and increasing their presence on these platforms. This could slowly draw people to more ethical platforms.