Message from the Executive Director

Over the past year OCASI and some of its members have been intimately engaged with the debate on the Canada Jobs Grant program and the implications for Ontario's newly arrived immigrant populations and other groups with little or no labour market attachment (which makes them EI ineligible); supported  the campaign to increase the minimum wage to $14/hour; took every opportunity to speak about the need to increase social assistance rates including ODSP (Disability support program) and the need for a boost to the Ontario Child Benefits program. Needless to say there was great anticipation about the 2014 provincial budget. Imagine then the response to the not unexpected decision of the opposition parties to withhold support for the budget, setting the stage for a provincial campaign and an election in mid-June.
 
The budget isn't the only casualty of this new development. With the writ dropped, all legislation before the House is now dead. This includes Ontario's first proposed legislation on immigration selection, settlement and integration. While mainly aspirational the Bill set out some clear commitments for the province on immigration issues. The Bill had all party support we believe, based on debate at first and second readings and meetings OCASI held with the opposition parties. In the community, there were many debates especially about obvious omissions like the absence of language about the importance of the immigrant and refugee sector in facilitating successful integration and settlement; and the lack of explicit commitments on protecting the rights of temporary foreign workers, and a more robust regime for the enforcement of employment standards. Some believed that the province missed the opportunity to emulate Manitoba which has much stronger language in its Worker Recruitment and Protection Act (WRAPA) legislation dealing with ‘temporary' labour and employers, specifically requiring employers to first register with the province, requiring employment agencies and foreign worker recruiters to be licensed and strengthening enforcement provisions to impose strong consequences for violating the Act. But the debates were necessary and in the end resulted in stronger position briefs for organizations like the Council.
 
Now that we're in election mode with municipal campaigns started around the province for the vote on October 27, 2014 and the earlier provincial election in 6 weeks from now, we have many opportunities to put our issues on the public agenda. We need to be focused and to be clear about expectations of government regardless of which party is elected on June 12. For community-based organizations – whether with a mandate of community development and planning or service delivery the individuals and communities on whose behalf we work are depending on us to ensure that their issues are being raised and debated not only by the leaders of the parties but by the over 400 candidates seeking a seat at the provincial political table.
 
Some of the issues are those I have mentioned in my opening paragraph but there are many others. Job creation has been the mantra of all three political parties in the legislature. And organized labour has refined the call by talking about Good Jobs. What is missing from this discussion is any recognition that Ontarians have differential opportunities to the labour market. We need to bring back mandatory employment equity to Ontario. We need to develop legislation and employment equity programs that build on the strengths of the federal legislation. We need to introduce in public discourse the role of race and racism; and increasingly the intersection of race and immigration status in what an individual's life opportunities will be.
 
A few months ago the Premier raised the issue of the absence of women at Corporate Board tables. She talked of bringing in regulations to ensure that Corporations were putting in place strategies to bring women into corporate leadership. What a missed opportunity to discuss how systemic discrimination based on gender, race (dis)ability, age, sexual orientation and socio-economic status limits opportunities for many within these groups and why it is necessary to level the playing ground for all groups that have been historically marginalized because of their identity.
 
A good first step was included in the budget of 2014 that is not to be. Provincially-funded infrastructure projects were to provide job opportunities to at-risk youth (I am increasingly uncomfortable with the language of ‘at risk youths, communities, etc), local communities and veterans. The proposal would have been made stronger by applying principles of Employment Equity, targeting opportunities to all equity-seeking groups since we know they tend to be under-represented in good jobs and over-represented among those who are under/unemployed and living in poverty.
 
Let's put this on the political agenda of all the parties. Let's ask them straight out where they stand on the issues. And for those naysayers who accuse folks like me who are concerned about growing inequality in Ontario as ‘having chips on our shoulders', there is a real reason, why young racialized women and men from certain neighbourhoods in Toronto hesitate to use their home addresses on job applications. They know from experience that their postal code is used to define who they are as individuals before they even have an opportunity to get their foot through the proverbial door.
 
Let's have some real conversations with each other over the next six weeks. And not only amongst ourselves where we know we'll have agreement. Let's talk to those who are not convinced that government's role is to ensure the well-being of all Ontarians wealth redistribution and other measures that ensure a safety net for all. Let's truly do public education on the issues so that come June 12, our neighbours, colleagues, families and the stranger in your and my community are going to polls and making well-informed decisions about who will govern our province.