ocap_1

The Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) along with the Bread and Bricks Davenport Social Justice Group Presents-

Know-Your-Rights with OW/ODSP
FREE WORKSHOP
Thursday, January 27
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
@ The Stop: 1884 Davenport Rd
 
–Useful Tips
–Community Start-Up, Extra Benefits (and how to get them)
–What’s happening with the Special Diet?
–Defend yourself

This workshop talks about the basics of Ontario Works (OW) and Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) — what are your rights, useful tips, what extra benefits exist and how to access them. This workshop gives people the tools to defend themselves against abuse at the hands of the social assistance system and talks about how we can come together to fight for the benefits and respect that we deserve.

For more information contact:

OCAP

http://www.ocap.ca / 416-925-6939

Bread and Bricks

[email protected] / 416-652-7867 ext. 235

**

The social assistance system does not exist to meet people’s needs. The welfare system exists because poor people fought decades ago for the government to provide them with the means to live when the greater economy couldn’t. This is the same reason we need welfare today and why OCAP fights for decent benefits and treatment for those on the rolls. This society doesn’t provide for everybody, and the fact that there are 840 000+ people on OW and ODSP in Ontario makes that clear.

OCAP is fighting for a 55% raise in assistance rates which would make assistance rates livable (reverse the Harris cut, and account for inflation). We are fighting to Raise The Rates! In the meantime, we believe that everyone should get full entitlement from assistance. This means that we fight for people to get every penny they can out of social assistance. Governments try to save money by denying and concealing benefits.

Based on a model of ‘full entitlement’, the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty works every day to get people access to the benefits and income supports that they deserve. We work from the understanding that the social assistance system does not exist to meet people’s needs, while at the same time dehumanizing poor people through accusations of fraud. ‘Know-Your-Rights’ is about knowing everything we can about how this system works, what we can access, and how we can come together to fight for real justice in income supports.

 #30#

Krystalline Kraus

krystalline kraus is an intrepid explorer and reporter from Toronto, Canada. A veteran activist and journalist for rabble.ca, she needs no aviator goggles, gas mask or red cape but proceeds fearlessly...