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The Canadien Champion, Friday, MarcIs 3, 2000 - 3 Halton put on firi"ng squad by Workfare opponents ByIENE GENTILE The Champion Anti-poverty activists opened fire on Ontario's social assistance legisiation, but it *was regional councillors who reported feeling burned. A slew of delegates confonted Halton's health and social ser- vicea comntittee February 22 to lobby for changea to the Ontario Works progrant. But they should have done their homework on Regional efforts first, aaid Hakton Chair Joyce Savoline. "When we hear criticism that we're flot doing enough, it would behoove themn t tee what we are doing firit and then corne back and tay we can do better," ahe taid. "Are we perfect? No. But we're good. We're damin good. And we're working to be even better." Oakville Mayor Ann Mulvale alto feit deflated by the dele- gatet. 1I really feel a littîe de-ntotivated, almoat depressed," ahe taid. "I'nt sorry if you can tente a littie frustration here but no one likes being judged. *We on thia contnittee feel as though we've beenjudged unfairly." But that didn't stop the contmittee front pasaing a teries of rec- ommendations subntitted by Oakville Councillor Kathy Grahamn. She appeared as a private citizen in hopes of perauading the comntittee to lobby the Province on the issue. TIse recommendationa were approved by counicil Wednesday. They ask for s wideapread review of social assistance rates and benefits, the definition of disability and the re-establishment of a progrant for the working poor. Specitically, Ma Grahant suggest- ed that the cost of prescription eyeglasses and tonte druga be cov- ered to help the working poor keep their jobs. She alto battled for a retum of the national child tax benefit supplement, which is currently deducted front the monthly social assistance payouts. Critica of the legialation weoe lining up t0 speak at both cont- ntittee and counicil, including thse president of the Oakville and District Labour Council, Willie Lantbert. He soundly condemned Workfare, the controvertial provincial progran that puts social asaiatance recipients to work. "'Ibis progrant la conscripted forced labour for free enterprise," he said. "We'oe in the infancy of the advent of fasciant. Ibis pro- One option is to let Workfare participants legally unionize and atrike, auggested Brenda Dolling of the Halton Social Justice Coalition. "We feel Workfare is a regrestive progrant forcing people to work for free to receive assistance," she taid. grant is the advent of a new fasciant in thse new ntillenniunt." But Mr. Lamtbert made o comment when told that participants toil exclusively with non-profit organizations. Mr. Lambhert also called for an increase in the minintunt wage and accuaed counicillors of not representing their lest wealthy constituents. "I'd say Ibis counicil doean't represent the people on thse low end," he aaid. "No, not at ail." And the contnittee got an earful front co-chairs of Use Halton Anti-poverty Coalition, Fred Stewart and Deanna Goodine. Both gave firat-person accounts of having to get by on slight social assistance cheques. Currently, single people on social assit- tance receive $520 per month. A single mother of two, auch as Ms Goodine, pockets $ 1.100. She charged the contnittee with flot understanding the impact of poverty. "People on welfare are sick of being pushed arounda. When you receive benefits the goverfment owns you," se said. "Being poor is being degraded every day of your life." But Ms Mulvale put the boots to thse assumption that counicillors haven't been cash-ttrapped. 1I was part of thse Children'a Aid Society. 1 was a foster child," she said. "1 know what it's like to flot have enough coal in the houte for heat or food in the cupboard." 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