Sara Anderson ends hunger strike,
the struggle to raise social assistance rates continues!

April 19, 2006

Sara Anderson started her hunger strike two and a half weeks ago. She was demanding a significant raise in social assistance rates; the reinstatement of the previous Special Diet Policy; making it easier for people with disabilities to get onto the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP); and making sure that everyone on social assistance who moves is offered a Community Start-Up Fund.

Today Sara decided to end her hunger strike after the advice of a First Nations elder that it was not her time to die. Sara accomplished a great deal in her brave and determined struggle. She brought a great deal of awareness to the desperate circumstances tens of thousands of people on social assistance live every day in this province due to the Ontario government's social assistance policies, especially regarding the low level of social assistance rates and the slashing of the previous Special Diet policy.

People and organizations across the province came to Sara's support and she received many letters of support from across the province. She was invited by the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty to speak at their anti-poverty March into Rosedale on April 8th and spoke at a media support conference at Queen's Park on April 13th. She appeared in the legislature on April 13th when NPP MPP Micheal Prue asked a question on her behalf. Although Premier Dalton McGuinty refused to meet with her when he was in Sudbury eventually she did get a meeting with Liberal MPP and cabinet minister Rick Bartolucci.

Last week Sara got the first indication of how taking action can get results. When her Ontario Works (OW) worker and her supervisor came to visit where she lives she was handed a cheque for an extra $55. This was an interesting amount since it is exactly the difference between what she used to get on the Special Diet and what she is getting now. What took place is that with pressure placed on them because of Sara's struggle OW was able to restore her Special Diet to its previous level.

We were told this was only temporary, lasting only for a month or two. If it is possible for OW to do this in Sara's case they should do this for everyone who has had their Special Diet cut who has not yet reached the end of the time period for their old form. We already know that there are a number of people in Sudbury who have been cut back from $250 a month on their Special Diet to $10 or $20 a month, and a number of appeals have been launched. Being restored to this higher amount even for a few months would make an important difference in these people's lives.

In today's Northern Life (p. 6) we read about Raymond Boucher who has had his special diet slashed by $51 a month. We demand that Raymond Boucher's Special Diet be restored to its previous rate of $147 a month. Even more significantly, yesterday, Sara was informed of another instance of how struggle gets results. She was informed that despite the previous rejections of her ODSP application and the appeal hearing set for May 9th that she was now going to be granted ODSP. This will mean that she and her daughter will be able to enjoy a higher rate of support (unfortunately this will still not be enough to live on and meet human needs). All that had been submitted to ODSP since the hunger strike began was a small and not that substantial piece of medical information.

With the pressure provided by her hunger strike this technical detail was used to justify not following the usual bureaucratic regulations and to grant her ODSP status before the appeal hearing. If this can happen in Sara's case it should be happening in all the cases of people with disabilities who apply for ODSP who are routinely rejected from ODSP and often have to wait years to be transfered from OW to ODSP.

Sara's struggle has been an inspiration to anti-poverty activists across the province. It shows once again that taking action, speaking out, and putting pressure on the government can bring concrete results. Sara's hunger strike is now over but she has done a great service to the anti-poverty struggle more generally. The struggle to raise the social assistance rates by 40% * which is only back to where they were in 1994 * will continue as will the struggle for the reinstatement of the previous Special Diet policy.

Hunger Clinic Organizing Committee
Gary Kinsmen

Questions & Statement raised in the Ontario Legislature
on April 11th, 12th and 13th, 2006 concerning
the hunger strike by Sara Anderson
(from Hansard)

April 11, 2006
April 12, 2006
April 13, 2006

The following Questions were raised by Shelley Martel, MPP - Nickel Belt, in the Ontario Legislature on Tuesday, April 11, 2006

SOCIAL SERVICES

Ms. Shelley Martel (Nickel Belt): I have a question to the Minister of Community and Social Services. Sara Anderson of Sudbury is in the ninth day of a hunger strike to protest your government's broken promises to Ontario's poorest families. You promised to raise social assistance rates by 3% every year, and you've broken that promise. You promised to end the clawback of the family benefit, and you have broken that promise. At a time when your government had a $3-billion windfall, why is it that you haven't kept your promise to families like Sara Anderson's?

Hon. Madeleine Meilleur (Minister of Community and Social Services, minister responsible for francophone affairs): I thank the member of the third party for her question. Yes, I am very much aware of the media report, and the ministry staff is monitoring this situation very closely.

But let me tell the House what we have done for people in need in our community since we were elected. We are the first government for decades that has increased social service benefits by 5%, 2% in the first year we were elected and 2% again. Is it enough? No, it's not enough, but at least we're going in the right direction and we are helping those in need in our community.

Ms. Martel: Well, minister, I'm glad to know that you're aware of the situation. The issue is, what are you going to do about it? Sara Anderson used to receive $75 a month as a supplementary diet benefit. This was cut under your government to $20 a month. Her daughter qualifies for the national child benefit, but the $200 a month she receives from the federal government is clawed back by your government. After her rent is paid, Sara and her daughter live on a little more than $300 a month. I spoke with Sara today. She's very determined but she's very weak and I am very concerned about her health.

Minister, in the face of your government's $3-billion windfall, why have you utterly failed this family, and what are you going to do now to help them?

Hon. Mrs. Meilleur: Again, I thank the member from the third party for her question and her concern about one of her constituents. It's very unfortunate, but I am telling the House what this government has done and what we will continue to do in the next budget. Let me tell the member what we have also done: We have stopped the clawback of the additional increase that parents used to receive for the national child benefit. What it represents is that it will give families an additional $56 million in support this year and $75 million in 2007 and 2008. Instead of working to continue to support --

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Thank you, Minister. Sit down, Minister. New question.

The following Statement was made by Shelley Martel, MPP - Nickel Belt, in the Ontario Legislature on April 12, 2006

SOCIAL SERVICES

Ms. Shelley Martel (Nickel Belt): I again want to raise the case of Sara Anderson of Sudbury, who is now in day 10 of a hunger strike to protest the broken promises of this government with respect to some of Ontario's poorest families.

This government promised to increase social assistance rates annually by the cost of inflation, a promise not met last year when there was no increase in rates at all. This government promised to fully end the clawback of the national child benefit supplement, but has failed to do that. This government has severely restricted access to the supplementary diet benefit, which means people are going without nutritional needs to ensure good health.

The McGuinty Liberal government has failed Sara Anderson, her daughter, and other families like hers. She experienced a cut in her supplementary diet benefit under this government. Her daughter receives the national child benefit supplement from the federal government, and then the McGuinty Liberal government claws the overwhelming majority of that money back. After rent, Sara and her daughter have a little over $300 a month to live on. There is no one here who could possibly argue that that is enough.

At a time when the McGuinty Liberal government recently had a $3-billion windfall, there is no reason why promises like these have not been met. I call on this government to immediately help Sara Anderson and her family by living up to the promises you made to Ontario's poorest families.

The following Questions were raised by Michael Prue, MPP Beaches-East York and NDP Critic for Community and Social Services, in the Ontario Legislature on April 13, 2006

SOCIAL ASSISTANCE

Mr. Michael Prue (Beaches-East York): My question is to the Minister of Community and Social Services. Madam Minister, Sara Anderson is in the House today in the members' gallery. You might remember her; she is the woman who is today on her 11th day of a hunger strike to raise awareness of your failure to increase social insurance rates, and your failure to end the clawback. Can you explain to her -- more so than to me -- why, after so many promises, Ontarians on social assistance are receiving less money in real terms from your government today than the day you took office?

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Order. Minister.

Hon. Madeleine Meilleur (Minister of Community and Social Services, minister responsible for francophone affairs): I am aware of the situation through the media, but I'm not going to comment on a specific case today. But let me tell you what we have done. We are always concerned when someone goes on a hunger strike for a cause. We are not going to encourage her, and I hope that her MPP does not encourage her, to continue her hunger strike, because as a former nurse, I know the damage that this could create to this person. I will never encourage that.
Let me tell you what this government has done to support those who are the most vulnerable in our community. We have, since we came to government, increased social services by 5% --

The Speaker: Thank you. Supplementary.

Mr. Prue: Madam Minister, I think your last line said it all: by 5% over three years. That's less than inflation. That's the reality. Sara Anderson's health is deteriorating daily. Each and every day she goes without food and her medicine, her health is deteriorating. She needs to hear from you today what you will be doing. Will you be making good on your broken promises to end the clawback of our poorest children, included amongst them her daughter? Will you make good on your promise to increase social assistance rates that reflect the real cost of living in this province? When are you going to keep your promise to Sara Anderson?

Hon. Mrs. Meilleur: As I said, we have increased social assistance by 5%. What we have done also is we have committed to permanently flow through the July 2004, 2005, 2006, national care benefits, which, for a mother with two children, will represent $1,620 more a year. And I will say to anyone who is not happy with what they are receiving, who is concerned with what they are receiving, that there is a process that is already established: They have to ask for an internal review. Again, if they are not happy, they have to ask for a hearing before the social tribunal. So we know that it's not enough, that they're not receiving enough, but we will continue to work towards improving social service benefits.

I just wanted to talk about the legacy that party left behind. What they have done, the only legacy, is to double the welfare roll. That's your legacy, and you should be embarrassed by that.

Sara Anderson is a Sudbury woman on Ontario Works who has resorted to a hunger strike in a desperate attempt to get the attention of the provincial government.

No one should feel they have to put their life at risk to get the Liberal government to take the issue of poverty seriously in this province. And anti-poverty groups and community agencies shouldn't be put in the position of grappling with how to support someone who says she is willing to die if she can't live with dignity.

The Liberals say they have already taken action. People on Ontario Works (OW) and Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) see only dismally small increases to social assistance rates, broken promises around the National Child Benefit Supplement (NCBS) clawback, and a special diet allowance that has been so completely gutted that few are eligible for anywhere near the maximum $250 allowed.

The Liberals acknowledge that they need to do more. They need to do much more - NOW - not years down the road.

DAWN Ontario, along with the Income Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC) encourages people to contact Premier Dalton McGuinty and the new Minister of Community and Social Services Madeleine Meilleur, urging them to:

1. Increase social assistance rates to reflect the real cost of living,
   
   
2. Reinstate the special diet allowance and, in the process,
   
   
3. Ensure the health and safety of Sara Anderson.

Fax and phone numbers are below, as well as a more detailed press release.

TAKE NOTE: The Ontario Legislature's MPP contact page provides NO email address listing for either the Premier or the Minister of Community and Social Services.

OCAP Press Release

SUDBURY WOMAN ON SECOND WEEK OF HUNGER STRIKE:
Single mom takes desperate measures to demand immediate action on poverty!

Press Conference
Thursday, April 13, 2006
12:00 pm
Queen's Park Media Room

Speakers:

• Sara Anderson
• Kathy Hardill, Health Providers Against Poverty
• Eileen Morrow, Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses
• Representative of Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)
• Rachel Huot, Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP)

A single mother on Ontario Works (OW) is now well into the second week of a hunger strike aimed at drawing attention to the deficient social policies of the provincial Liberal government. Sara Anderson, 45 years old and a resident of Sudbury, is putting her life on the line in an effort to force Queen's Park to meet the needs of 760,000 people living on OW and Ontario Disability Support Payments (ODSP). Now at the end of a second week of no food or medication, Sara's health is severely compromised.

Anderson is demanding that the provincial government substantially increase social assistance rates by 40% and re-instate the Special Diet Supplement. Referring to the recent Ontario budget announcement she states that, "Welfare rates went up by two percent, but our rent went up by more than that." She also points out that "My life is not about living, it's about survival." She describes her life as "having become a prisoner of welfare." She is the mother of a 15-year old daughter, who supports her decision to go on hunger strike

The Liberal provincial government refuses to give any real raise to social assistance rates. As Anderson puts it "people on welfare no longer have any dignity and are forced to live like animals. That shouldn't happen in this country. That's why I'm going on this hunger strike." Anderson promises to "fight this struggle to the end."

At the press conference Thursday, April 13th at 12:00 noon, Sara will be explaining what has driven her to take this very serious step. She will deliver a message to poor people throughout the province and issue a call to Dalton McGuinty and his government on her demands. She will be joined by supporters from a range of organizations, including Health Providers Against Poverty, Ontario Association of Interval and Transitional Housing, the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, Metropolitan Action Committee on Violence Against Women and Children, and the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

For More Information call the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty at: 416-925-6939

For background information on Sara Anderson's Hunger Strike visit: http://scap.revolt.org

Take Action

Call and/or Fax the Minister and Premier in support of Sara Anderson's demand to Raise the Rates by 40% and reinstate the Special Diet Supplement:

Premier Dalton McGuinty:
Tel: 416-325-1941
Fax: 416-325-3745
Ontario Legislature website does NOT list an email address for the Premier but we will: Dalton.McGuinty@premier.gov.on.ca

Minister of Community and Social Services: Madeleine Meilleur:
Tel: 416-325-5225
Fax: 416-325-5191
Ontario Legislature website does NOT list an email address for the Minister of Community & Social Services

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