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Income Security Consultation |
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PRINCIPLES OF INCOME SECURITY To help inform the consultation, we will draw from the past within Ontario as well as from successful examples of stable and supportive income security systems in other countries. This information on principles is included to help participants to think of what sorts of principles and ideals can inform income security policy development. Review of income security principles for the ISAC consultation The Social Assistance Review/Transitions process: In the late eighties and early nineties the provincial government (first the Liberals and then the NDP) spent millions on an in-depth review of Social Assistance policy. It was a very progressive and inclusive process and a great deal of useful research and debate took place. In the end, cutbacks by the federal government and the recession of the early nineties prevented much of the new "blueprint" for social assistance from being put in place. But there is still much we can gain from that process. For this consultation, it is useful to see how the principles for review were set out to get an idea of how the Province viewed income security law reform. Below are the principles that were developed by the Social Assistance Review Committee after much discussion. These principles were used by policy development teams to guide the process of shaping recommendations. The principles were drawn from the committee's consultations, study of social policies in other places including the United States and Europe, as well as ministry policies over the years. The principle framework was applied to ensure that the final legislation consistently held to these principles and did not contradict itself or create conflicts between different elements of legislation (i.e. fraud control versus accessibility, or employment supports versus eligibility requirements).
Human Rights and Income Security Income security principles can be related to human rights concepts which emphasize dignity, freedom from fear, non-discrimination, substantive equality (which includes measures to assist disadvantaged people and compensate for their disadvantage such as through accommodations for disabled people), due process to ensure people are not treated as guilty until proven innocent, and the right to self determination (that groups and individuals must have say in decisions that affect them and control of their own lives and resources). Most of these principles are included in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the constitution, others are found in international commitments Canada has made. Canada has ratified the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Human Rights. The provinces had to agree to these rights. Though there is no way to enforce these rights, Canada and the provinces are reviewed by a UN committee of experts every 5 years or so to see how well our country complies. Related economic and social human rights include:
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