Remembering Kimberly Rogers

The time for change is now
Justice with Dignity
for everyone

Canadians were outraged
in August 2001 when
Kimberly Rogers
died, destitute, alone and
eight months pregnant,
while under house arrest
for welfare fraud.


What many people
do not know is that the conditions and policies
that set the stage
for this tragedy
are still in place.

Kimberly Rogers

 

Featured Article

Two fraud cases: Conrad Black and Kimberly Rogers

A $102-million corporate theft vs. $13,500 in unauthorized
welfare benefits - which one will pay the greater penalty?

NUPGE: National Union of Public & General Employees

16 November 2004

Kimberly Rogers & Conrad Black

Toronto - It will be interesting to see how Conrad Black fares compared to Kimberly Rogers.

Black and his long-time business partner, David Radler, were charged Monday with civil fraud by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The commission alleges that the pair looted $85 million US. ($102 million Canadian) from the shareholders of Hollinger International Inc.

"Black and Radler abused their control of a public company and treated it as their personal piggy bank,'' SEC Enforcement Director Stephen Cutler said in announcing the charges.

Just what, if anything, happens to Black (and Radler) is anybody's guess at this point. American authorities are at least attempting to bring them to justice. But given the abilities of the rich and powerful to wiggle off the hook, don't hold your breath.

Sudbury welfare case

By contrast, consider the case of Kimberly Rogers. The 40-year-old woman was found dead in her overheated Sudbury apartment in August 2001 after being convicted of welfare abuse.

Rogers was sentenced to house arrest for collecting $13,500 ($11,200 US) in social assistance benefits while attending school on a student loan.

She was caught by the tough-on-welfare former Conservative government, which slashed subsistence benefits to unlivable levels (for philosophical and budgetary reasons) and left it to the tender mercies of computers to work out the details.

Rogers was one of those details. Pregnant at the time she was caught, she was confined to her stifling apartment for all but three hours a week. She took her own life.

An inquest into her death revealed a glaring discrepancy between the government's view of "welfare bums" and the reality of life on welfare in Ontario.

"Rogers lived in desperate poverty," the Toronto Star reported. "(She) had been prescribed medication for a range of health issues that prevented her from working. She died trying to fight her way out of poverty.... The (inquest) jury saw through the stereotypes about poor people and made 14 thoughtful recommendations aimed at preventing future deaths in similar circumstances."

Silence and inaction

Sadly, the Liberal government of Dalton McGuinty, which replaced the mean-spirited Conservatives in 2003, has been slow to act on the recommendations. Things are almost as bad today as they were when the Conservatives held power.

Meanwhile, Tory politicians, like former premiers Mike Harris and Ernie Eves (who are now out of power but in many cases are enjoying public pensions that make welfare benefits pale by comparison) have been conspicuous in their silence about the sins of Conrad Black.

To date, it has been left pretty much to American authorities (such as the SEC) to try to bring Black to justice. The toothless Ontario Securities Commission is still trying to decide whether shareholders were hurt. (This is not a typo.)

As always in Canadian politics, the sins of welfare recipients are treated far more seriously than those of the rich and powerful. NUPGE

More information:
• Kimberly Rogers died two years ago today - NUPGE: National Union of Public & General Employees , August 10, 2003

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• Scant solace for the poor by Sarah Blackstock & Jacquie Chic, Op/Ed Toronto Star, Dec. 19, 2003
• Call for ACTION - To Implement ALL the Recommendations from the Rogers Inquest Jury Dec. 18, 2003
• Hansard - Legislative Assembly - Oral Questions - Social Assistance exchange between MPP Shelley Martel, NDP Nickel Belt, and Minister of Community and Social Services, Sandra Pupatello - Dec. 17, 2003
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest: a year later press conference - Queen's Park - Dec. 17, 2003
• Pupatello vows to act on welfare by Kate Harries, Toronto Star Dec. 17, 2003
  
• Welfare activists baffled by Grits' inaction by Bob Vaillancourt, Sudbury Star, Dec. 15, 2003
• Justice with Dignity Action Package - September 2003
• Kimberly Rogers died two years ago in Sudbury - Campaign to end cruel Ontario 'zero tolerance' policy continues NUPGE: National Union of Public & General Employees , August 10, 2003

  
  Second Anniversary of the death of Kimberly Rogers
  Events scheduled for Monday, August 11, 2003

• Let's keep fighting system for Kim Rogers' sake by Michele Landsberg Toronto Star Jan 25, 2003

• Kimberly Rogers tribunal results in common sense findings - Provide adequate benefits and never impose a lifetime ban, jury recommends by Reuel S. Amdur, Straight Goods, Jan 13, 200

• Sault MPP Martin launches campaign for welfare reform in wake of Rogers inquest by Elaine Della-Mattia, Sault Star, Jan. 9, 2003

• Martin Launches Campaign For Change - Implement Kimberly Roger's Inquest Recommendations Jan 8, 2003

• Our citizenship is on the rocks - "We must shed real light on the fates of those who flounder outside our society" says activist Catherine Frazee by Catherine Frazee, Globe and Mail, Dec 28

• Cruel welfare rules must be changed Editorial, Toronto Star, Dec. 23

• Tory glory, Tory ghosts in uneasy mix by Murray Campbell, Globe and Mail, Dec. 23

• Ban the ban by Beverly Antle, Ontario Association of Social Workers, Globe and Mail, Dec. 23

• No mercy for those with zero power by Linda McQuaig Toronto Star, Dec. 22

• A season of Tory zero tolerance on compassion by Jim Coyle, Toronto Star, Dec. 21
• CAW President urges adoption of Kimberly Rogers coroner's jury recommendations Canadian Auto Workers Press Release Dec. 20
• Ontario to maintain lifetime welfare ban by Murray Campbell & Keith Lacey, Globe & Mail, Dec. 20
• Give welfare fraudsters a break: jury - Ontario rejects finding: Inquest into suicide of pregnant woman under house arrest by Robert Benzie, National Post, Dec. 20

• Poverty's Bitter Fruits - The welfare system's emphasis on "the shortest route to employment" instead guarantees long-term need by Barbara Anello and Jacquie Chic, Op/Ed, Toronto Star, Dec. 20

• Get Involved: Post Inquest Action Kit - Ban the Bans!

• End welfare bans: jury - Crackdown on cheats called 'devastating and detrimental' Osprey Media Group Inc. Dec. 20

• Peterborough Social Planning Council Press Release, Dec. 20
• NDP Wants Fast Action on Rogers Inquest Findings Dec. 19
• Ease curbs on welfare cheats, jury says - 40-year-old pregnant woman died of overdose while serving house arrest by James McMartin, Canadian Press, Toronto Star, Dec. 19
• Eves government urged to eliminate ‘homicidal’ punishment for welfare fraud - The coroner’s jury at the inquest into the death of Kimberly Rogers has ruled she committed suicide by Keith Lacey, Northern Life, Dec. 19

• End lifetime ban for welfare fraud, jury says by Darren Yourk, Globe and Mail, Dec. 19

• Verdict of Coroner's Jury into the Death of Kimberly Ann Rogers Dec. 19

• Lifetime ban is 'both morally and fiscally irresponsible' by Nancy Vander Plaats, Dec. 18

• Rogers Inquest Jury to Deliver Verdict & Recommendations on same day as Supreme Court renders judgement on Gosselin Appeal Commentary by Barbara Anello, DAWN Ontario, Dec. 16
  
• Suggested Recommendations of the Ontario Social Safety NetWork (OSSN) & Steering Committee on Social Assistance (SCSA)

• Kimberly Rogers Inquest - Report: Dec. 11-12, Final Submissions

• End Lifetime Welfare Bans, Inquest Urged - Jury to consider recommendations in Rogers' death by Bruce Cowan, North Bay Nugget, Ospry Media Group Inc. Dec. 12

• Kimberly Rogers Inquest - Report: Dec. 6 Ontario Social Safety NetWork (OSSN)

• Welfare ban ‘a death sentence’ - Rogers inquest nearing a conclusion by Eli Schuster, Osprey Media Group, Dec. 7
• The life and death of Kim Rogers - Was it suicide or an accident? Witnesses debate welfare policies by Kate Harries, Toronto Star, Dec. 7
• Welfare system punishes people, professor testifies by Keith Lacey, Northern Life, Dec. 5
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest - Report: Dec. 4 Ontario Social Safety NetWork (OSSN)
• Welfare ‘not enough to live on’ - Rogers inquest hears from two experts critical of Ontario’s welfare system by Eli Schuster, Osprey Media Group, Dec. 5
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest - Report: Dec. 3 Ontario Social Safety NetWork (OSSN)
• Jail would've 'isolated' Rogers - Prison life exacerbates or creates mental health difficulties of most women who go to jail, inquest is told by Eli Schuster, Osprey Media Group, Dec. 4
• Justice system not designed to handle welfare fraud cases by Keith Lacey, Northern Life, Dec. 4
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest - Report: Dec. 2 Ontario Social Safety NetWork (OSSN)
• Welfare fraud should not be criminalized: poverty law expert - Rogers inquest continues by Eli Schuster, Osprey Media Group, Dec. 3
• NDP Poverty Critic, Tony Martin, MPP Sault Ste. Marie (NDP) Questions Minister Elliott in Legislature - Dec. 2, 2002
• Judicial Review Decision in CAEFS v. Dr. David Eden, Coroner (HTML) dd Nov. 28. 2002
  View the decision in PDF Format (requires Acrobat Reader)
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest - Report: Nov. 26 Ontario Social Safety NetWork (OSSN)
• Welfare a Kafkaesque hell: activist Being on welfare ‘can send you over the edge if you’re already on the edge,’ Rogers inquest hears by Eli Schuster, Osprey Media Group, Nov. 27
• Single mothers living on welfare ‘desperate’ by Keith Lacey, Northern Life, Nov. 26
• Education, poverty linked - The better education, the more job opportunities a person has, Rogers inquest is told Monday by Eli Schuster, Osprey Media Group, Nov. 26
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest - Report: Nov. 25 Ontario Social Safety NetWork (OSSN)
• Welfare policy a health risk, inquest told Public health officer raps zero tolerance Says payments don't cover basic costs by Kate Harries, Toronto Star, Nov. 23
• Poverty bad for health, medical officer of health testifies by Keith Lacey, Northern Life, Nov. 22
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest - Report: Nov. 22 Ontario Social Safety NetWork (OSSN)
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest - Report: Nov. 21 Ontario Social Safety NetWork (OSSN)
• Welfare fraud policies get stern rebuke at inquest Woman's house arrest questioned Heat suggested as cause of suicide by Kate Harries, Toronto Star, Nov. 21
• Woman’s ‘triple whammy’ of troubles led to suicide, U of T expert testifies by Keith Lacey, Northern Life, Nov. 21
• Suicide expert thinks Rogers killed herself by Keith Lacey, Northern Life, Nov. 21
• House arrest linked to suicide, inquiry told by Keith Lacey, Globe and Mail, Nov. 21
• Psychiatrist defends opinion on Rogers - Despite intense grilling by inquest lawyers, he says it’s likely the pregnant Sudbury woman killed herself by Eli Schuster, Osprey Media Group, Nov. 21
• Tony Martin's Speech in the Ontario Legislature Nov. 21
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest - Report: Nov. 20 Ontario Social Safety NetWork (OSSN)
• View Pictures from the SWAN (Somerset West Action Network) Bus Visit from Ottawa to Sudbury to Attend the Coroner's Inquest into the Death of Kimberly Rogers Nov 20th
  photo  1  |  2  |   3  |   4   |   5   |   6   |   7  |
• Courts need mental history: MD - Suicide expert at inquest into woman's death Says records show victim had been stockpiling pills by Kate Harries, Toronto Star, Nov. 20
• Rogers tried to kill herself, suicide expert tells jury The Globe and Mail, CP
• Rogers likely wanted to die: expert - Suicide expert testifies at inquest by Eli Schuster, Osprey Media Group, Nov. 20
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest - Report: Nov. 19 Ontario Social Safety NetWork (OSSN)
• Social activists challenge coroner’s ruling Northern Life, Nov. 19
• Welfare fraud rare: inquest - Between 5-10 per cent of welfare claims in Sudbury involved fraud, Rogers hearing told by Eli Schuster, Osprey Media Group, Nov. 19
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest - Report: Nov. 18 Ontario Social Safety NetWork (OSSN)
• Groups fight inquest ruling in Sudbury - Woman died while under house arrest for welfare fraud Coalition says case shows flaws in the justice system by Kate Harries, Toronto Star, Nov. 18
• SWAN Bus from Ottawa to Sudbury to Attend the Coroner's Inquest into the Death of Kimberly Rogers Media Alert dd Nov. 18
• Disabled man gets house arrest for welfare fraud by Keith Lacey, Northern Life, Nov. 15
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest - Report: Nov. 8 Steering Committee on Social Assistance (SCSA)
  
• Welfare no living, city official testifies as inquest winds down by Keith Lacey, Northern Life, Nov. 8
• City doesn’t support severe penalty for welfare fraud by Keith Lacey, Northern Life, Nov. 8
• Sudbury social services 'schizophrenic': administrator - Harold Duff tells Rogers inquest his department reports to all levels of government by Eli Schuster, Osprey Media Group, Nov. 8
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest - Report: Nov. 7 Ontario Social Safety NetWork (OSSN)
• Woman, who saw Rogers shortly before she died, testifies by Keith Lacey, Northern Life, Nov. 7
• Welfare applicants warned about penalties by Keith Lacey, Special to Globe and Mail, Nov. 7
• Caseworker met Rogers only once - In their one meeting, Sudbury woman was not told about a diet allowance by Eli Schuster, Osprey Media Group, Nov. 7
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest - Report: Nov. 6 Ontario Social Safety NetWork (OSSN)
• Woman felt ill day she died, inquest told - Was afraid of going to jail if she left her house by Kate Harries, Toronto Star, Nov. 6
• Rogers excited about pregnancy, inquest told - ‘I never saw any indication she was suicidal,’ suicide counsellor says by Eli Schuster, Osprey Media Group, Nov. 6
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest - Report: Nov. 5 Steering Committee on Social Assistance (SCSA)
• Lawyer went out of way to help Kimberly Rogers by Diane Gilhula, Northern Life, Nov. 5
• Rogers would have been given leave: supervisor CP, Star Staff, Nov. 5
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest - Report: Nov. 4 Steering Committee on Social Assistance (SCSA)
• House-arrest overdose accidental, inquest told CP, Globe and Mail, Nov. 2
• Women's overdose death accidental - lawyer CP, North Bay Nugget, Nov. 2
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest - Report: Nov. 1 Ontario Social Safety NetWork (OSSN)
• Women knew welfare would be suspended by Liz Cowan, Osprey Media Group, Nov. 1
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest - Report: Oct 31 Steering Committee on Social Assistance (SCSA)
• Tony Martin's Speech in the Ontario Legislature Oct. 31
• Rogers would have been jailed if Tories hadn’t changed law by Keith Lacey, Northern Life Oct. 31
• Court knew welfare would be cut, probe told by Keith Lacey, Special to Globe and Mail, Oct. 31
• Sentence Not "Unduly" Harsh, Inquest Told by Liz Cowan, Osprey Media Group, Oct. 31
• Finding Answers: the Kimberly Rogers Inquest by Kim Brooks, National Association of Women and the Law [to be published in Jurisfemme vol.21 n.3 Fall 2002]
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest - Report: Oct 30 Ontario Social Safety NetWork (OSSN)
• House "like the jail" in Sentence, Inquest Told by Liz Cowan, Osprey Media Group, Oct. 30
• Fraud meant jail in '96, probe told by Keith Lacey, Special to The Globe and Mail, Oct. 30
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest - Report: Oct 29 Ontario Social Safety NetWork (OSSN)
• Fraud Could Have Been Prevented by Liz Cowan, Osprey Media Group, Oct. 29,
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest - Report: Oct 28 Ontario Social Safety NetWork (OSSN)
• Committee to Remember Kimberly Rogers : press releases dd Oct. 28

• A Time When Government Cared - Featured Letter by Susan Scruton, dd Oct. 26

• Welfare prosecutions were few, inquest told by Keith Lacey, Special to The Globe and Mail, Oct. 26
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest - Report: Oct 25 Ontario Social Safety NetWork (OSSN)
• Welfare fraud not open and shut Editorial, The Barrie Examiner, Oct. 25
• Program tracked welfare payments by Kate Harries, Toronto Star, Oct 25
• Druggists withheld pills, jury told by Keith Lacey, Special to The Globe and Mail, Oct. 25
• Pharmacists testify to filling Rogers' prescriptions by Liz Cowan, Osprey Media Group, Oct. 25
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest - Report: Oct 24 Ontario Social Safety NetWork (OSSN)
• Troubled woman apologized for ‘mistake’ by Keith Lacey, Northern Life Oct. 24
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest - Report: Oct 21 - 23 Ontario Social Safety NetWork (OSSN)
• The Inquest into the death of Kimberly Rogers: WHO SHOULD CARE, AND WHY?
  by Pam Kapoor, NAPO dd Oct. 24, 2002
• Doctor denounces welfare ban in fraud cases by Kate Harries, Toronto Star, Oct 23, 2002
• Woman altered drug prescription, sister tells inquest by Keith Lacey, Special to The Globe and Mail, Oct. 23, 2002
• Exchange between Premier Eves & Tony Martin, NDP MPP - from Hansard - Ontario legislature dd Oct. 22, 2002
• Doctor allowed woman to stockpile pills by Keith Lacey, Northern Life, Oct.22
• MD believes Rogers took her own life by Keith Lacey Special to The Globe and Mail, Oct. 22

• Woman's death was suicide, MD tells inquest by Kate Harries, Toronto Star, Oct 22

• Woman not suicidal, boyfriend testifies by Keith Lacey Special to The Globe and Mail, Oct. 19
• House Arrest a Relief, Inquest Told by Kate Harries, The Toronto Star, Oct. 18, 2002
• Globe and Mail - Letters to the Editor dd Oct. 18, 2002
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest: Oct. 17 - 3rd day - Ontario Social Safety NetWork (OSSN)
• International Day for the Eradication of Poverty NAPO Press Release dd Oct. 17

• No note: Experts can’t determine if Rogers took her own life Keith Lacey, Northern Life, Oct.17

• Police called for help after woman found dead by Kate Harries The Toronto Star, Oct. 17
• Call for Donations for the Social Planning Council - Legal Action Fund
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest: Oct. 16 - 2nd day - Ontario Social Safety NetWork (OSSN)
• House-arrest death was drug overdose by Kate Harries The Toronto Star Oct. 16
• Rogers' pregnancy 'was taking a toll' by John Size, Canadian Press, dd Oct. 16, 2002
• Rogers’ troubled life opens inquest, Canadian Press, dd Oct. 16, 2002
• Kimberly Rogers Inquest: Oct. 15 - 1st day - Ontario Social Safety NetWork (OSSN)
• NDP MPP Tony Martin's Statement in the Ontario Legislature - Oct. 15, 2002
• Inquest begins into welfare mother's death, Darren Yourk, Globe & Mail, Oct. 15, 2002
• Inquest to probe why woman, cut from welfare, died M. Campbell, Globe & Mail, Oct-15-02
• Inquest to probe house-arrest death Pregnant woman was cut off welfare and confined to home by Kate Harries, Toronto Star Oct. 15, 2002

Post Inquest ACTION KIT - Ban the Bans!

Verdict of Coroner's Jury into the Death of Kimberly Ann Rogers

Post Kimberly Rogers Inquest Alerts
content indexed by date

Daily Inquest Reports

Daily Media Coverage

Recommendations to the Jury

Justice with Dignity Campaign

Inquest into the Death of Kimberly Rogers

Public Interest Groups with Standing at the Kimberly Rogers Inquest

Judicial Review Decision in CAEFS v. Dr. David Eden, Coroner (HTML) dd Nov. 28. 2002
View the decision in PDF Format (requires Acrobat Reader)

Coroner's Ruling re Application for Standing at the Kimberly Rogers Inquest
Rogers Inquest Standing Application (RTF) Ontario Social Safetyy NetWork (OSSN); Ontario Legal Clinics' Steering Committee on Social Assistance (SCSA)
Ontario Works Statistical Fact Sheet - related to the Kimberly Rogers Inquest
Background on Ontario's Zero Tolerance Policy - FAQs on Lifetime Welfare Ban

Advocacy group can’t get legal aid Northern Life, Oct. 11, 2002

Inquest into Kimberly Roger's Death Starts Tuesday - dd Oct. 11, 2002
Press Release - Ontario Social Safetyy NetWork (OSSN); Ontario Legal Clinics' Steering Committee on Social Assistance (SCSA); Income Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC)

Inquest Information #1 - source National Anti-Poverty Organization dd Oct. 9, 2002

Rogers Inquest Jury To Hear from Welfare Advocacy Groups - dd Sept. 26, 2002
Press Release - Ontario Social Safetyy NetWork (OSSN); Ontario Legal Clinics' Steering Committee on Social Assistance (SCSA); Income Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC)

Sample Letters to the Editor

Visitors submitted these links:

• Academic Community
  Policing The Welfare and Work of Canadian Girls, by Marge Reitsma-Street - May 10, 2002
  Invited Paper Presented to Girls and Aggression Conference: Contributing Factors and Intervention Principles: Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, B.C. PDF document (requires Acrobat Reader)
• Musician
  Lizzie's Got the Doe Rae Me - Lizzie Grubman Meet Kimberly Rogers
  by Charlie Angus, HighGrader Magazine, September / October 2001
• Students
  Analysis Women in Poverty: The New Criminals? by Niiti Simmonds & Jess Lyons

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Last Updated March 1, 2005 at 8:20 am