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- 1 OPINION "JOIN THE RUBY CAMPAIGN INITIATIVE AIMS TO PUT AN END TO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, WRITES BOZO If you live anywhere in Halton you are probably aware that Halton Wom- en's Place is the only wom- en's shelter in the region. In total, we have 52'beds available at two facilities on a daily basis. We oper- ate at 98 to 105 per cent ca- pacity for most of the year. These are astounding sta- tistics. * This year, we are com- memorating 40 years of service: 40 years of keep- ing abused women and their children safe; 40 years - 14,600 days of open- ing doors, answering calls, counselling, refer- ring, supporting, empow- ering. We could not have done this without our community's support, generosity, dedication and advocacy. On behalf of the thou- sands of women and chil- dren who have called our SE RVICE shelter home, we thank you. As we embark on 40 years serving the women and children of the region, we are inviting the com- munity to be a part of our Ruby Campaign - a cam- paign to signify the future end of violence against women. The future is with our children. Our public education and advocacy program is in high demand.in classes across the region. Our ed- ucators present to stu- dents--in grades 1-12 on a variety of topics, includ- ing healthy relationships, gender stereotypes, coh- sent, dating violence and the law and so much more. We know that the key to ending violence against women is educating our children. We need to make sure that kids living in abusive homes know that they have options, that they don't have to repeat the cycle of violence. We also need to educate children. about what a healthy relationship is to prevent unhealthy, abu- sive relationships to start. However, this program is not government funded. It's a program that relies on community support. ¥our support. We need this program in Halton schools now GET YOUR VEHICLE READY FOR VACATION! more than ever - especial- ly since the provincial government repealed the 2015 sexual-education cur- riculum, reverting back to the 1998 curriculum that didn't address critical top- ics like consent, healthy relationships, LGBTQ is- sues, same-sex marriage, cyberbullying or sexting. "Halton Women's Place is proud of the work our public education team - li- censed teachers - has done in our classrooms across the region and their pre- sentations are in high de- mand by educators. For more information on our public education program, please visit www.hwpeducation.com. To support this program or any rogram at Halton Women's Place, call .905- 332-1200 ext. 222 or email cbozzo@haltonwomen- splace.com. Invest in keeping wom- en and children safe. - Carm Bozzo is the development manager at Halton Women's Place. SIGN UP FOR - OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AT INSIDEHALTON.COM NEXT DAY CANCELLATION OF BASIC INCOME PILOT PUTS FAR TOO MANY AT GREATER RISK: POVERTY ROUNDTABLE This is an open letter to MPP Lisa MacLeod, Minis- ter of Community and So- cial Services Dear Minister Leod, We are writing in re- sponse to your govern- ment's decision to end the Basic Income Pilot pro- gram in Ontario. We strongly disagree with your decision to end this pilot prematurely and without regard for the de- monstrably positive im- pact that this program was having upon the lives of Mac- "people living in poverty in our province. As such, we respectfully urge you to reconsider a policy decision that will only serve to deepen the experience of poverty for millions of Ontario's chil- dren, families and seniors. The Halton Poverty Roundable is a'registered charity and a leader in con- necting, educating and act- ing on issues related to poverty in Halton. In our community, one in 10 of our neighbours do not know where their next meal will come from and one in three seniors are liv- ing below the poverty line. Our communities of Oakville, Burlington, Mil- ton and Halton Hills have over 37,000 individuals' who struggle daily to sur- vive on low incomes or who live in poverty. Minister MacLeod, the conclusion of the first phase of the Basic Income Pilot in April of this year, brought with it an abun- dance of first-hand ac- Gallin MILTON esl. 1967! counts of the difference that basic income had made to people's lives. The decision to abandon the pi- lot will cause needless dif- ficulties for the partici- pants struggling to escape poverty. Given the initial suc- cess of the program, we cannot understand the im- mediate need for cancella- tion. Surely, it would have been prudent to conclude the pilot and use the result- ing data in the develop- ment of social policy. We are hopeful that your government's an- nouncement to reform so- cial assistance in the next 100 days includes an inclu- sive and transparent pro- cess, collaboration across all sectors and a fulsome consultation process in- cluding those living with the challenges of poverty. As you may know, hav- ing a 100-day timeline to re- form the entire social as- sistance program will be met with challenges, in- cluding the potential for increases of punitive and ineffective approaches and models being implement- ed, the reduction of sup- ports under the guise of de- creasing resource costs and:a lack of understand- ing of the lived experience of being on Ontario Works and Ontario Disability * Support Program. As you embark on this, reform, we would like to draw your attention to the living wage in Halton Re- gion. In order for a family in Halton to cover their ba- sic living expenses, a fami- ly of four would have to have both adults working 37.5 hours per week, mak- ing $17.95 per hour. Clearly, minimum wage, Ontario 2 Works and ODSP do not § come close to affording re- cipients a basic standard of 2 living in Halton. Your gov- & ernment's proposed 1.5 per = cent increase in social as- & sistance will do little to as- § sist the most vulnerable 3 people in our communi- yp ties. The Halton Poverty Roundtable respectfully requests that the Govern- ment of Ontario continue the Basic Income Pilot pro- gram through to its con- clusion before making a fi- nal decision as to the effi- cacy, both socially and fi- nancially, of the basic income concept. In light of the current economic climate in Onta- rio, the low Canadian dol- lar, the ongoing trade tariff situation with the United BY) uelpeUR) UOHIN | ~ v 'Aepsi 810¢ 'States combined with the cost of living, this is driv- ing uncertainty for the most vulnerable. Bottom line: you know that it is harder for fami- - lies to survive, and the can- cellation of the Basic In- come Pilot program and the cut to our current so- cial assistance program puts far too many at even greater risk. SARAH SABIHUDDIN HALTON POVERTY ROUNDTABLE'S DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AT INSIDEHALTON.COM a nice place to do business 655 MAIN STREET E., MILTON . - -- = - APPOINTMENTS AVAHABLE "Call or email appointments@gallingerford.com 205:87,3;FORD izes) Gallingere. | woo" uo)jeyapisul