On April 11, with the release of the Budget, the Government of Ontario made a significant cut of approximately one third of all legal aid funding, which will jeopardize the rights of those who need legal representation the most. Many refugee claimants arrive in Canada with almost nothing. Many are dealing with the aftermath of extreme personal trauma and struggle with PTSD, depression or other mental health issues as a result of the events that caused them to leave their homes and countries of origin. Often with little to no English, and even less legal knowledge, they are required to file legal forms, collect evidence, and appear in a hearing to test their claim. They are not equipped to represent themselves in Canada’s refugee determination system, a highly specialized legal field. This is why Legal Aid funding is so essential to protect the rights of such a vulnerable population and to ensure that their full story is heard by a refugee decision-maker through providing access to legal representation. Access to Legal Aid is also essential to low-income Ontarians who are facing legal proceedings such as in criminal, family, mental health, poverty law and child protection cases. These Ontarians will struggle to navigate these legally complex, high-stakes proceedings without legal assistance or resources. The impact of these cuts is huge. Vulnerable populations like refugees are left to represent themselves in a complex and already overburdened legal system, where a negative decision leads to deportation to countries where lives may be at risk. The cuts will lead to backlogs and delays throughout the justice system, causing chaos in the courts and costing taxpayers more, not less. URGENT! Sign your name to the petition now – let the Government of Ontario know that you care about funding to Legal Aid and are concerned about how it will impact the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people in our society, including refugees and immigrants in Ontario.

The proposal to limit availability of OHIP covered psychotherapy to 24 sessions per year will profoundly harm the most vulnerable among us. Psychotherapy is the most effective treatment for many disorders [see reference below] and the withdrawal of this service will endanger those who suffer from such debilitating mental health problems as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Major Depression, crippling Anxiety Disorders, Borderline Personality difficulties, Eating disorders and those who suffer Addiction. Those who battle suicide will be especially affected and all of these afflictions can affect children and senior citizens. To turn our backs on the suffering of our fellow citizens, neighbours and family members is beyond unconscionable. The science is clear, psychotherapy is a first line treatment. Drugs certainly don't solve everyone's problems. This proposal is cruel, wrong headed and must be stopped in it's tracks! https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-in-ontario-a-battle-for-the-soul-of-psychiatry/

In the 1960s an upstream paper mill dumped 9 tonnes of mercury into the Wabigoon River, poisoning the fish and the people of Grassy Narrows. Three generations later the people continue to suffer from intense health impacts and a loss of their way of life and economy. Shockingly, the government of PM Trudeau has done almost nothing to improve the lives of Grassy Narrows people. In November of 2017, then Minister Philpott committed to build a home and treatment center for mercury survivors in Grassy Narrows so that sick loved ones can be cared for with dignity. Almost 500 days later, not one brick has been laid and only 1% of the cost has been provided. The Federal government is clearly stalling. With the federal elections on the horizon, this could become yet another broken promise on reconciliation. The people of Grassy Narrows are an inspiration throughout the world for their perseverance, their resilience, and their strength. The survivors of this ongoing disaster deserve Canada’s respect and the best possible care. See FreeGrassy.net for more ways to support the community.

Just from my own experience I felt like I was going to die from my brain being so used to taking 2 pills every 4 hours along with 1 diazepam every 6 hours for panic attacks and sleeping medication at night so the pain would not wake me up every four hours from the back pain that I suffer from.Then he had his prescribing privilege taken away and I was forced by Him to quit taking all my pain and nerve medications cold turkey and I speak from experience Your brain does get used to taking these medications and if and when your suddenly forced to stop taking these prescriptions all of a sudden people will get deathly sick some having strokes and heart attacks through no fault of their own but from the Ford Conservative Provincial Party closing or limiting the amount of times that Pain Patients can access this Strictly Monitored Pain Care Clinic in St.Catharines ,Ontario. So if these Pain Care Clinics. are closed there will be some patients forced to buy these drugs or stronger ones (morphine) ( heroine) (fenthenayl) on the Street which will lead to many more people overdosing on illegal street drugs and not from their own fault but from the closing of the Pain Care Clinics where the Physicians closely monitor Their Patients all the time .This will ultimately cost the Ford Government more money to treat the overdoses that do not perish. So for the treatment of Patients Pain these clinic have become a last resort for the safe treatment of their Pain. I know it has been for me!!!

The government of Ontario oversees many social justice agencies in Ontario including the Human Rights Tribunal and the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. If the government seeks to distance and shield itself from legal liability where it's actions are concerned, what recourse will residents of Ontario have in response to damages caused by the government? How might changes to the Act influence the efficacy of other social justice agencies operated by the province?

Tillicum is a unique designated inner city school; part of a support network families depend on. Closure would disproportionately impact families in need. NEED: The school population reflects our diverse surrounding community with approximately 34% English Language Learners, 23% Special Needs Students and 21% Indigenous Students. Many families do not have cars and travelling up to 5km more to school each day would be a real challenge. FN students receive culturally appropriate support in a welcoming environment where they are well-represented. Tillicum offers Reading Recovery – Early Literacy (Reading) Intervention and we are a model of SEL (Social Emotional Learning) with Mind Up and Jump Start, and Ready Bodies Learning Minds (K/1). A higher % of families than usual are involved with Social Services - our Youth and Family Worker has years-long relationships with these children and families. The school's size allows the worker to work with all classes weekly to teach self-regulation and inclusion skills. SHARED USE: A well-attended Strong Start program in a Tillicum classroom prepares local children for school and supports parents in parenting and service referrals. Tillicum shares a city block with Kiwassa Neighbourhood House, a lifeline for many vulnerable families for whom cost and convenience are major factors: A large percentage of children at Tillicum are food-insecure or "at risk”. Kiwassa services include: free student/family breakfasts school days, low cost after-school and school break child care, drop-in Family Place, food banks and food programs, immigrant and translation services, and supportive housing. Kiwassa programs use the Tillicum gym for after-school programs regularly. DEMAND: In June 2018 though enough students had registered to have 2 kindergarten classes (20% expansion) VSB denied a 2nd class and these students were shifted to other farther schools.

Although we understand that the previous model of OSAP may have been unsustainable in terms of funding, we ask that you consider some changes to the new model released, specifically Under the calculator currently on your website, low income students are receiving almost half of what they would have received in the previous model. These are families who need this funding in order to make post-secondary education a reality for them. Making even the smallest increases to these values can make their lives easier. Education is a fundamental human right, and individuals should not be denied it based on their income. For new graduates, any grace period means the opportunity to break into the workforce and gain experience without loans looming over their heads. In today's society, work experience is essential, and any grace period would make those opportunities feasible.

- Rollerskate sports are a female-dominated area of sport known for body-positive, gender-inclusive, and LGBTQ/2S-friendly culture. - A rollersport facility will support underserved youth in sport in Vancouver, including girls and non-binary youth. There are not many sports where youth can fit in without having to identify to a specific gender, and women and girls are traditionally a lower priority for public sports facilities. - Rollerskate sports are a growing community that generate economic revenue for Vancouver through businesses, events and tourism. Vancouver Junior Roller Derby has been working hard to find a reliable location that serves the needs of our growing community, but due to the priority of other sports and programs, we can’t find an appropriate and receptive year-round space for kids to play the sport they love in Vancouver. City of Vancouver and the Vancouver Parks Board can recognize the positive impact of this growing, inclusive youth sport and help all roller sports thrive by providing an adequate, year-round, permanent space!

This would allow people to better their own lives. The poor and students and seniors - low income or not - would be able to go to libraries and YMCA programmes, and wherever else there are programs and food banks .. to be able to travel to the edge of our Great Lakes to walk or picnic or just think about life .. to go to free concerts, and just generally be exposed to the wonders of our beautiful province. It would lift their spirits and raise their hopes and dreams. The increased use of public transportation would help reduce traffic issues and lower green house gasses. Obviously this is important. This would have all sorts of positive social aspects as well. More people using public transportation means safer friendlier communities. I see this as enabling people to improve their own lives. When students can get to school without the stress of high expense they will do better. When seniors can get to places freely they will go and enjoy their lives. When the poor can access all that our province has to offer, they will improve their ow lives. Joyfully.

More than 1200 people lost their lives to drug overdoses in 2017, many of them accidentally; they are mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, cousins, daughters, sons, friends, grandparents, and mentors, and deserve a path to recovery. If we stop funding overdose prevention sites in Ontario, without any additional programming or funding to take their place, we become passive in the recovery of those who need us most. There were 6,688 opioid-related emergency department visits in the province in the first nine months of 2018 and another 1,544 hospitalizations. This issue is not abating, and until we start addressing the root cause of the crisis, we should not be cutting the funding and programming that aims to support those in need. Addiction and recovery are not individual issues but societal issues that require a broader strategy that involves on-site immediate action. As an example, The Works, run by Toronto Public Health, see's 3000 visits a month--where will they go without funding? Please, don't turn your back when they need you the most. Cutting funding to these sites will likely see a sharp rise in the number of preventable overdose deaths across Ontario, an issue we cannot afford to ignore. If we do not start addressing the fundamental issues that cause and perpetuate the opioid crisis, it would negligible to cut funding to programs that deal with the effects. Please consider halting this funding cut until you are able to implement other programs for those who rely on the services of current overdose prevention sites.

The Ford government, and Lisa Thompson, the Ontario Minister of Education, have proposed to change the funding formula from the current 22:1 to 28:1. This is a MASSIVE CUT of 20%. This will mean that 20% of all high school courses will be cut- meaning ALL elective courses will no longer be offered- courses such as physics, music, computer science, physical education, visual art, drama, business, or technology will all be CANCELLED. Students will have only their compulsory courses, and each of those will have classes in excess of 40 students. Consider a school of approximately 1000 students with 58 teaching staff. These cuts would potentially mean the loss of 14 teaching positions, meaning 84 sections of courses at this school are now CANCELLED. Since compulsory courses must be offered, that means EIGHTY-FOUR elective classes will be gone in that school!! The TDSB trustees just voted to remove all GUIDANCE COUNSELLOR, STUDENT SUCCESS, and LIBRARY positions from high schools. Teenagers are the MOST in need of guidance counsellors as they are going through the most emotionally/turbulent times in their lives. Help stop these cuts! Doug Ford and Lisa Thompson need to hear that we will not accept massive cuts to our education system. Tell them they should be INVESTING in education, not cutting!! What can you do? 1) Email: - Doug Ford - [email protected] - Lisa Thompson - [email protected] - Sam Oosterhoff - [email protected] - plus your local MP & MPP 2) Call: - Doug Ford - (416) 325-1941 - Lisa Thompson - 1-800-668-9320 - Sam Oosterhoff - 905-563-1755 - plus your local MP & MPP 3) Tweet: - Doug Ford - @FordNation - Lisa Thompson - @LisaThompsonMPP - Sam Oosterhoff - @samoosterhoff - plus your local MP & MPP 4) Facebook - message the above via Facebook & share the incredibly helpful infographics made by ETFO or Ontario Families for Public Education... concise, factual & accurate. 5) Support education workers... on days you see them wearing certain colours, dress the same in solidarity. Educate those who are not aware of what is going on. Create your own parent group & picket or write letters. Join a parent advocacy group on Facebook like Ontario Families for Public Education. AND .... If (heaven forbid) ... education workers go on strike, picket with us, honk for us and understand we are fighting for ALL children to equally have an excellent education.

What is a Neighbourhood Improvement Area (NIA)? In March 2014, the City of Toronto identified and designated 31 neighbourhoods (out of a possible 140) as Neighbourhood Improvement Areas (NIAs) under the Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy 2020 (TSNS2020). Based on various indicators of socio-economic need, NIAs are given priority status on public and private funding towards community development and sustainability. What are the domains of neighbourhood well-being? The City considered five primary and fifteen sub-indicators of neighbourhood well-being, developed by Urban HEART@Toronto: 1.Economic Opportunities a) unemployment; b) low income; c) social assistance 2.Social Development d) high school graduation; e) marginalization; f) post-secondary completion 3.Participation in Decision-making g) municipal voting rate 4.Healthy Lives h) premature mortality; i) mental health; j) preventable hospitalizations; k) diabetes 5.Physical Surroundings l) community space for meeting; m) walk score; n) health food stores; o) green space Why North St. James Town? Neighbourhood 74: North St. James Town (see map to the left), has, in the two past years, experienced cascading incidents of massive resident displacements due to critical incidents in buildings at 650 Parliament St., 200, 240, 260, and 280 Wellesley St. E. -- all of which have required multi-sectoral emergency response support efforts from the local community, agencies from the St. James Town Service Providers’ Network (SJTSPN), Office of Emergency Management (OEM), Red Cross, and all levels of government. The critical incidents, and emergency responses thereto, have highlighted the strength of the St. James Town community’s concentrated and coordinated networks, but have also illustrated the need to consider North St. James Town under the TSNS2020. As Toronto’s most densely-populated neighbourhood, with a significantly lower median household income (see table below), the highest immigrant population (54.2%), and highest proportion of recent immigrants (34.8%) in Mid-East Toronto, North St. James Town provides physical surrounding and a rich infrastructure of opportunity for community decision-making and social development, ultimately providing for economic opportunities and healthy lives for its residents. With a relatively high proportion of residents living with low income, as well as a lower proportion of post-secondary education compared to Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) average, there is a community need for a stronger support system to be put in place to create more equity across Toronto and improve the five domains of neighbourhood well-being to the benefit of St. James Town residents. Toronto Central LHIN data further identifies that residents in North St. James Town experience the highest rates of marginalization of all the neighbourhoods in the Mid-East. For example: •One out of every four people (age 19+) have low continuity of primary care. •Two out of five eligible women get regular pap smear screening. •Residents have a higher rate of hospitalization for mental health conditions, ambulatory care sensitive conditions, and a higher overall hospitalization rate. •Children (ages 0-4) and youth (ages 5-19) have the highest low urgency emergency department (ED) visits. •Prevalence rates for diabetes, high blood pressure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are higher in North St. James Town than the Toronto Central LHIN rates, and the emergency department visit rate per 1,000 children is also higher at 785.9. When NIAs were determined, North St. James Town received a score of 47.55 out of 100, which indicated that the neighbourhood faced a high number of inequities. However, it fell just above the Neighbourhood Equity Benchmark of 48.29 needed to be designated an NIA. In light of North St. James Town’s unique position as a densely-populated and culturally-diverse neighbourhood in downtown Toronto, and the ongoing critical infrastructure emergencies in recent years, it is clear that North St. James Town faces serious inequities that require immediate action. The erosion of the community’s quality of housing and physical surroundings has had a negative impact on all five domains of neighbourhood well-being. In effect, North St. James Town requires a stronger support system to be put into place by being designated as an NIA. What are some of the benefits of being designated an NIA? •Each NIA is assigned a Community Development Officer (CDO) who will: •Collaborate with residents, service providers, and other City Staff to make sure City services address neighbourhood priorities; •Support partnerships with residents and community agencies; and •Work with funders and businesses to bring new investments. •Neighbourhood Planning Tables, which bring the City together with residents, community agencies, and businesses to implement Neighbourhood Action Plans. •Resident Advisory Committees with a focus on activating people, resources, and neighbourhood-friendly policies. •Neighbourhood Grants Program: $1,000-$3,000 to resident-led events or activities. •Local Champions Program: creating local impact for city-wide change through resident leadership. oBridging opportunities into college programs oMembership in a wide network of changemakers oCity of Toronto Certificate of Participation •The Partnership Opportunities Legacy Fund (POL): chosen by local community-based partners; $50,000 to $350,000 to support community infrastructure projects that improve city-owned or leased spaces (i.e. sports pads, parks, activity rooms, gardens). oResidents participate in the improvement of their physical surroundings; oProject applications collaboratively developed by local residents, City Agencies or divisions, service providers, and City Councillors; oProjects added to the quality of life of residents; and oThe improvements to community spaces are long-lasting.