OCAP 'Welcomes' McGuinty Back To Office

Today (November 8) members of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty occupied the Office of Premier Dalton McGuinty.

After gaining entrance to the inner office of McGuinty’s “policy shop” on the top floor of a secure government building, the OCAP delegation announced that work at the office was finished for the day.

When security and police arrived a meeting was brokered with Tony Dean, the Cabinet Secretary and boss bureaucrat for Ontario. Mr. Dean said that the Liberal Government was well aware of the poverty that exists and was taking steps to correct a “complicated situation” . OCAP rejected this and instead told him to tell his boss that immediate action must be taken. If it wasn't the next four years were going to be marked by intense mobilization and fightback.

This occupation was a welcome-back to the Liberal Government and a reminder that they have failed to address the dramatic need for an immediate increase to welfare and ODSP payments in Ontario. The occupation was a part of OCAP's campaign to Raise the Rates- a campaign which calls for an immediate increase of 40% to social assistance rates, and has gathered support from all corners of the province.

McGuinty talks about an "Ontario for all" and his governments focus on poverty introducing 'poverty reduction' committees and benchmarks. But when your entire welfare cheque goes to paying your rent, when the only increase to your cheque in four years has been less than the cost of a bag of diapers, you know what you need. McGuinty was just elected for another mandate. We have one too. Let’s build a fight that can win real money from this government.