Letter to the Editor, Toronto Star
From:  Bob Olsen
--------------------------------------------------------
Date:  Oct 19, 2000

Finance Minister Paul Martin's October 18 economic statement
announced a $6.7 billion tax cut.

The Star stated that "the cuts favour wealthier Canadians and
there is nothing on the spending side to help the very neediest:
the homeless."  "If he had put a few billion into housing for the
homeless instead of $10 billion into debt reduction, this
mini-budget would have been more socially progressive and would
have given everyone something to cheer about."

Paul Martin said in his Task Force on Housing report, Ottawa,
May 14, 1990:  "A solution cannot be reached without first
examining the effects of inadequate income. There is strong
statistical and anecdotal evidence that an individuals' quality
of life is largely determined by ones' housing situation. The
Task Force has found direct and indirct linkages between the
adequacy and affordability of housing and factors such as poor
health, hunger, chronic unemployment and educational levels
of attainment."

"The (1990 Liberal Party) Task Force urges the Conservative
government to lift the CAP ceilings announced in the 1990 Budget.
Further, that negotiations be initiated with the provinces, in
the context of CAP, to increase the implicit shelter component of
provincial social assistance allowances."

"The Task Force recommends that the Conservative government
immediately convene a National Conference on the Homeless with
participation from all levels of government, the non-profit
sector and the private sector to set real objectives and policy
responses for the eradication of homelessness in Canada."

"The federal role in housing must not be a residual one. The
connection between housing and other aspects of both social and
economic policy means that the federal government must take a
lead role. Only the federal government has the power to equalize
access to housing."

"The Task Force heard condemnations of Conservative housing
budget cuts from coast to coast."

"The Task Force recommends that funding for the Federal
Co-operative Housing program and the Rent Supplement Program
be increased to allow for the construction of 5,000 new
co-operative housing units annually."

"The Task Force recommends that the Conservative government
amend Treasury Board regulations which require that Crown lands
be disposed of at market prices and that federal departments,
Crown corporations and agencies be required to identify land
parcels, buildings and facilities surplus to their needs.
Surplus Crown lands should be made available, on a priority
basis, to public and private non-profit and co-operative
housing companies, associations and groups."

I agree!  The complete 1990 Liberal Party) Task Force on Housing
report can be found at <http://www.tao.ca/~tdrc/solution.htm>

Bob Olsen

   .............................................
   Bob Olsen, Toronto      [log in to unmask]
   .............................................




Our Web Sites have information and reports from all of our
Quality of Life Projects!
http://www.utoronto.ca/qol     http://www.utoronto.ca/seniors

*************************************************************
In the early hours I read in the paper of epoch-making projects
On the part of pope and sovereigns, bankers and oil barons.
With my other eye I watch
The pot with the water for my tea
The way it clouds and starts to bubble and clears again
And overflowing the pot quenches the fire.

 -- Bertolt Brecht
**************************************************************

Dennis Raphael, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Public Health Sciences
Graduate Department of Community Health
University of Toronto
McMurrich Building, Room 308
Toronto, Ontario, CANADA M5S 1A8
voice: (416) 978-7567
fax: (416) 978-2087
e-mail:   [log in to unmask]