#PandemicPreparedness Planning for #Coronavirus: How to Enhance Your Individual, Family & Neighbourhood Response

Coronavirus Pandemic Preparedness Planning

The “window of opportunity” to contain and prevent the spread of #Coronavirus has closed in many places. Sustained, community person-to-person transmission has already been established. It is growing in many cities, regions, towns, and countries. This requires a shift in our thinking, and behaviour, to minimize the risks, harms, and poor outcomes for us, our loved ones, and our communities. This is the time to be practical, strategic, and focused on planning and getting prepared to take care of ourselves, our loved ones, and communities.

Preparing for a pandemic is essentially the same as preparing for any serious, or catastrophic emergency.  Because this concerns public and personal health we need to make some additional plans related to providing for our health care needs, or those we also care for, and trying to minimize, and decrease risks associated with viral transmission. 

At this point, my focus is on getting information and resources to people, as we may need to manage all manner of things on our own, in our local communities. It is important to not let fear and anxiety get in the way of solution-focused planning and enhancing our resilience for dealing with and managing the emergency situations, and increase survival rates. 

It is also crucial that people take personal responsibility for planning and readiness for themselves, and their loved ones. In crisis situations, people who haven't prepared will encounter more problems, and may not be able to have a successful and sustainable way of managing, or even surviving, what life is throwing at them. 

Emergency Preparedness Planning: Stocking up on Water, Food and Other supplies

• Water – Ensure you have enough for every member of your household for an extended period of time. 72 hours is a good start, but think longer-term. 
• Fresh, canned, and packaged foods – Prioritize having proteins, vegetables, fruit, especially antioxidant-rich foods. 
• First aid kits – Fully stocked, prepared for any medical emergency with the resources you may need. Take a First Aid & CPR course as part of your planning. 
• Food and supplies for your pets, including medications, if required. 
• Medications – Ensure you have several months worth of medications for those who need them. 
• Over-the-counter cold/flu & cough medicines for adults and children – You may be on your own to manage the symptoms. Fortunately, the current research is that approximately 81% of cases are mild. 
• Sanitation management - Plan ways to manage garbage, food waste, and other sanitary and hygiene issues if regular pick ups stop for a time. Consider a way to burn paper items, and how to manage liquid and solid waste in emergency situations. 
• Heat - Depending on where we live, being able to have a source of heat may be a survival priority. Fireplaces, heaters, blankets, and other ways to keep warm may become very important. 
• Light sources – Flashlights, candles, matches, lanterns. Batteries of different kinds. 
• Ability to cook without electricity – Whether that is a BBQ, Coleman stove, or over an open fire, make sure you have a way to cook hot food. 
• Food Storage – Have a way to secure and store your food, and a way to keep it fresh and cold, and out of reach of animals, if that becomes necessary. 
• Cleaning, Toilet and Laundry Supplies – Ensure you have bleach, bleach wipes, paper towels, and any other cleaning, and laundry supplies you need. Toilet paper is essential. Face tissues to help manage symptoms. 
• Masks and plastic gloves – N95 masks may help decrease the transmission of COVID-19 for those who have it. There isn’t evidence-based research that says they help people not get it. Plastic gloves can help potentially decrease risk associated with touching surfaces that could be infected, or when caring for others who may be ill. 
• Create a File Folder with Your Important Documents – Ensure you have your passport, identification, copies of your Power of Attorney, Will, and any other personal and financial planning documents arranged for your loved ones. Tell trusted others where these can be found.  
• Planning for your children and vulnerable adults – If you have children, elderly, and/or vulnerable loved ones, ensure there is a safety plan for who will provide care and support for them in the event of something happening to you. Go over the plan with your loved ones, and extended family. 
• Ensure a trusted person can care for you/your children/vulnerable dependents financially – This can be done formally, through personal and financial planning documents. Informal plans should also be in place in the case of you not being able to take care of your children/vulnerable dependents financially. See Nidus for more information and templates for personal, health care, and financial planning. 
• Prepare for Special health needs – If you, or family members have any special health conditions, and needs, ensure you have a document that explains what the conditions and needs are in a simple, straightforward way, including instructions for medications, procedures, or any special needs. 
• General and Manual Supplies – Can openers; scissors, exacto knives/cutting instruments; have supplies for anything you might need that requires equipment, and consider what you would need if you had no electricity for a time. 
• Have cash on hand – If banks, or the banking system wasn’t working, ensure you have enough money on hand to buy supplies. 
• “Grab and Go” bag/tote – If you had to leave your home/location quickly, having a grab & go bag/tote ready with essential supplies is important. 
• Buy an Emergency Kit – It may be worth the money to invest in an emergency kit. 
• Things to Occupy & Entertain – Children, teens, and adults will need something to do with their time. Books, games, puzzles, toys, cards, or any other things that will help people have a focus, or be entertained is a good thing. 
• Substances – You may want to ensure you have a supply of your “substances of choice” on hand. If that means a few bottles of wine, cannabis, or other things. I don’t endorse using these as a way of coping, but an emergency isn’t the time to realize you really need caffeine to survive/its not a good time to detox from anything. 
• Supplies for Quality of Life – There are all things we don’t need in emergency situations, but things we use that improve or enhance our quality of life in some way. Ensure you have a supply of the things that do this for you. This could be as simple as personal hygiene products, such as toothpaste, deodorant, 
• Mental Health Care & Support – Anxiety, fear, panic, and trauma for children, youth, adults, vulnerable people, and pets are real. In times of emergency, being able to have/share connection, care, and support with others enables our resilience to flourish, and can help us tap into our internal strengths and resources, which we can then share with others. 
• Connect with others at a neighbourhood & community level – Individual, family, and community resilience are enhanced when we find/create ways to connect with
• Get Your Garden On! – Local food security/access to food is often one of the major impacts of emergencies. Even if you have never gardened before in your life, if you have any green space in your yard, have a patio, or anywhere that has good exposure to sunlight obtain gardening supplies (pots/containers; soil, seeds, or “starts” (young plants) and get planting. Also connect with other local community gardeners/farmers. Sharing of seeds, tips, and other resources are all things we can do to boost local food security and community resilience. 
• Build Local/Neighbourhood Capacity & Resources – Having access to tools, experienced and knowledgeable people all help boost local responses, and help shift things from what might be a negative situation, to a more hopeful, positive, and strengthening experience. 
• Volunteer & Connect – Assess the safety risks in your area and consider finding ways to volunteer and help others out, or your neighbourhood. Check on vulnerable neighbours. Share helpful, factual information through your interactions with others.  
  

Additional Resources

Preparing a Family Emergency Kit in Plain English video

How to Make a Dollar Store 72 Hour Emergency Kit

Emergency Supply List from FEMA: https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1390846764394-dc08e309debe561d866b05ac84daf1ee/checklist_2014.pdf 

Your Emergency Preparedness Guide – An excellent printable resource to get your important information and plan down on paper. Discuss and include all members of your family so they know what the plan is, and review it.
Link: https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/yprprdnssgd/index-en.aspx

Prepare for An Emergency from the Government of Canada: 

Link: https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/index-eng.aspx

Get Your Kit Together Videos: Emergency Kits for Home, Work, Older Adults & Kids; Grab & Go kit:

Link: crd.bc.ca/prepare-yourself

Videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/prepareyourselfca

Nidus Personal, Health, and Personal Planning in British Columbia (templates)

Link: https://www.nidus.ca/

How to Prepare for Death Needs – Catastrophic emergencies leave families struggling to cope with their grief, as well as the practical needs to make arrangements for the death, cremation, and/or funerals for loved ones. One of the most important things we can take responsibility for our proactive planning while we're still here to make these arrangements. This also reduces stress, strain, and struggle for our loved ones. 

This BC website outlines how we can receive support for this planning. Check to see if your province/state/territory has anything similar by googling: 'memorial society planning [your area]'. 

People’s Memorial Society of BC & Vancouver Island Memorial Society

Link: http://www.peoplesmemorialsocietybc.com/

#Coronavirus: #COVID19 - Introduction, Facts, Timeline and Terminology

                 

Introduction

The emergence of a new virus, now being called, #novelcoronavirus, which manifests in the illness called #COVID19, is part of the coronavirus family. This new virus has led to a great deal of false information, misinformation, and disinformation on the parts of many. In an effort to counter this, what some might consider a 'disinformation war,' I decided to create a series of posts to provide information that is:

• Evidence-based; 
• Arises from credible research data, and peer-review studies in reputable publications and journals;
• Informative, timely and helpful; 
• Includes evolving and emergent information, data, and research on this new virus. 
  

Facts

 In early December, 2019, a new virus, called, novel coronavirus, first appeared in the Hubei province of China. Several patients in Wuhan, China, presented with severe symptoms of pneumonia.  

Early research on the first set of patients who presented with this new virus indicated that some who presented with the new virus did not have a connection to a local "wet market" in Wuhan where a wide variety of animals, including wild life, were slaughtered for food. At this point, it is unclear if the outbreak originated in, and/or was restricted to Wuhan. 

The World Health Organization (#WHO) identified this as: "A novel coronavirus (CoV) is a new strain of coronavirus that has not been previously identified in humans.  The new, or “novel” coronavirus, now called 2019-nCoV, had not previously detected before the outbreak was reported in Wuhan, China in December 2019."

On December 31^st, 2019, China reported an outbreak of the novel coronavirus to the WHO. 
On January 30th, 2020, the WHO declared the novel coronavirus a "public health emergency of international concern." 

On February 11th, 2020, the WHO renamed the virus #COVID-19, with the head of the WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stating, "the disease represented a "very grave threat" for the world." He also stated that there was still a "realistic chance" of stopping it. 

Timeline

CBC Timeline: https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/coronavirus-timeline-1.5438115

Wikipedia: Timeline of the 2019–20 Wuhan coronavirus outbreak in December 2019 – January 2020.

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_2019%E2%80%9320_Wuhan_coronavirus_outbreak_in_December_2019_%E2%80%93_January_2020

Terminology

The WHO will not call this a #pandemic, although this is the organization's definition:

                           "A pandemic is the worldwide spread of a new disease." 

WHO: “An influenza pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus emerges and spreads around the world, and most people do not have immunity. Viruses that have caused past pandemics typically originated from animal influenza viruses.”

Symptomatic: People who are experiencing symptoms that may be associated with a viral infection, such as COVID-19. The most identified symtoms in the research are: fever; 

Asymptomatic: People who have been exposed, but do not have symptoms associated with a virus. 

Incubation: The period of time between exposure to a virus, and when the individual develops symptoms.  

“Shedding” the virus: transmitting the virus in some manner. 

Transmission: how the virus spreads, or is transmitted to others.

“R Naught’: Reproduction rate related to the rate the virus spreads from one person to others. 

• Currently, credible research is indicating the R rate for COVID-19 is believed to be 2.6 (uncertainty range: 1.5-3.5), which means one person can transmit the virus to between 2-3 people. 

"Super-spreaders:" Individuals who are exposed to a virus who appear to transmit it to a higher number of individuals (increased 'R' rate), across

• Research from the SARS epidemic (2002-2003) identified that there were certain individuals who were identified as spreading/transmitting that form of coronavirus to a higher number of people, over a larger geographical distance, and may trigger a cluster, or outbreak in a particular setting, or area. 
• These individuals have come to be called, "super-spreaders" in the research on viral epidemics and outbreaks. 
• Super-spreaders are considered "outliers" as they are seen to have a different transmission rate, or R rate, than is the norm for a particular virus. 
• There is no scientically identified, or specific number of people associated with these individuals. 
• Some individuals may transmit a virus at a higher rate than others, but there has not been any evidence identified as to what characteristics these individuals may have that leads to this. 

Cluster: A group of individuals who are connected in some way who become symptomatic from a virus. For instance, a family, friends, or a work group, could end up being exposed, and then developing symptoms of the virus.
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#novelcoronavirus #coronavirus #2019nCoV #COVID19 #COVID-19 #pandemic #CoronavirusCanada #publichealth #publichhealthcanada 

#WorkSafeBC: Letter to the Editor: Call for WorkSafeBC rebates is premature.

Call for WorkSafeBC rebates is premature

Young, T. (June 6, 2016). Call for WorkSafeBC rebates is premature. Vancouver Sun. Retrieved from: http://vancouversun.com/opinion/letters/june-6-lng-right-to-die-poverty-worksafe. 

Re: WorkSafeBC rebate for business owners is overdue, Opinion, May 30

Laura Jones’ argument that WorkSafeBC should rebate business owners due to “overfunding” falls flat. A likely source of the “overfunding” is the numbers of injury claims WorkSafeBC denied workers over 2014 and 2015.

WorkSafeBC revealed 146,814 injuries were reported by workers in 2013. WorkSafeBC disallowed 8.6 per cent of claims. There is no data about claims accepted or disallowed for 2014 or 2015, a serious oversight in terms of  transparency and accountability. 

Another concern is that one per cent of WorkSafeBC decisions on denied worker injury claims were overturned at the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Tribunal (WCAT) “due to perceived error in the application of legislation or policy.” This is an increase over 2014 numbers. 

As a registered social worker and counsellor I have assisted people injured or disabled in the workplace and many have been failed by the system, often leaving these workers and their families in crisis. 

The B.C. Supreme Court recently ordered WorkSafeBC to reopen and investigate a claim they denied where a man was bullied, demeaned and harassed by a supervisor. How many other such claims has WorkSafeBC denied? Until they report this, it is premature to talk about rebates for employers.

Tracey Young, Catalyst Enterprises BC: Counselling, Consulting, Coaching

#WorkSafeBC #workplacesafety #occupationalsafety #OHS #bcworkplaces

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day - June 15th

June 15th had been declared World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 

This is a day to get the word out about an important and growing issue and concern in the lives of many older adults, seniors and their families.

What is Elder Abuse?

Elder abuse is any kind of maltreatment of an older person and includes the following:

• Emotional, verbal and/or psychological abuse and intimidation - Name calling, yelling, manipulation, or any type of verbal behaviour or treatment which attacks, degrades, or diminishes the emotional, or psychological health, safety, integrity and well being of another person. This can include the use of words to intimidate, or instill fear in the targeted person. This form of abuse also includes alienating and increasing the social isolation and dependence of the target on their abuser. 
• Financial abuse and/or exploitation - This occurs when someone abuses, improperly uses, or exploits the financial resources, or assets of a senior for their own personal gain. This can include an individual preying upon the kindness and vulnerability of a older person with the goal of gaining control of their financial resources and assets, or living off of, or exploiting a senior. 
• Physical abuse and intimidation - This includes physical actions such as hitting, pushing, punching, pulling, pinching, biting, shoving, or any other physical contact that is harmful and impacts the physical integrity of the person this is done to. These actions do not have to leave bruises, marks, or cause other physical injuries to be considered abuse. Some abusers may also use physical intimidation and presence to overpower and control their targets as well.
• Sexual abuse - This includes any unwanted sexual touching, contact with a seniors private body parts without consent, and sexual assault (rape). 
• Institutional abuse - This type of abuse occurs in institutional settings such as residential care facilities, hospitals, or other settings where seniors live, and are cared for by others. This can include neglect of necessities, such as food, personal care and hygiene, or other resources that the senior is reliant upon the institution and its staff to provide.

What is Elder Neglect?

Neglect is any kind of conduct which denies a person with the necessities of life, such as food, water, shelter, medical care, medications, or anything that is essential for their health, safety and well being.

Who Are the Most Common Types of People who Engage in Elder Abuse?

• Family members, including spouses, adult children, or others. 
• Caregivers, family members or professionals working with seniors in institutional care settings. 
• Relative strangers can also befriend and move forward quickly with an agenda to gain advantage to abuse and exploit seniors, particularly in the area of their financial resources and assets.

What are Some of the Signs and Symptoms that Someone might be Experiencing Elder Abuse

These can vary depending on the type of abuse, or neglect, a senior is experiencing. Some general signs to take note of include the following:

• Changes in the overall health, and well being of the senior. This includes changes to sleep, eating, or toileting behaviours, or the interest and openness of talking to others.
• Increased anxiety, changes in mood, or fears expressed/fearful behaviour about being around certain people, going to certain places, or being alone. 
• Increase in low, or sad mood, or expressions of this and feelings of hopelessness in the absence of any known changes, or losses. 
• The appearance of physical injuries and evasive replies when asked about how these injuries occurred.
• Broken personal equipment (such as eye glasses, or mobility aids), or property damage in the person's home. 
• Increasing symptoms from health conditions that used to be under control with medications. This could indicate that medications are not being provided, or not consistently being provided, or taken. 
• Self-reports from the senior about others' maltreatment, abuse, or neglect. 
• The sudden appearance of a stranger in the older adults life and the sense they are being "swept off their feet" in a whirlwind romance that moves very quickly, including the person moving into the home of the senior, or that the older adult is financially providing for another person.
• Changes in a senior's personality, demeanor and how they engage with others. This could include increased conflict, evasiveness, confusion and secrecy with close relatives and friends, especially in the context of a new relationship with a stranger. 
• Notable decreases in the time the senior spends with, or communicates with family members and close friends alone. 
• Changes in their communication patterns, which can include monitoring, or the presence of their new partner during communications with others. 
• Increasing social isolation and alienation from family members and close friends. 
• Changes occurring in the financial life of the senior, such as making changes to Power of Attorney, Representation Agreements (in the absence of specific reasons for doing so), and/or increasing sums of money being used, or transferred out of bank accounts. 
• Family members and friends develop non-specific, vague feelings of concern and worry about the senior and how they are really doing, although they may report things are fine.

What are Some of the Factors that Increase the Risk and Vulnerability of Elder Abuse?

• A history of spousal and family violence. These dynamics and vulnerability to abuse often continue once a person is an older adult.
• Seniors who are socially isolated and dependent upon family members, caregivers or others to have their needs met. 
• Seniors who are lonely, have experienced significant losses and who strongly desire companionship are at increased vulnerability. 
• Older adults who have financial resources and assets. Some individuals are skillful at identifying seniors who have desirable assets and resources and who are vulnerable. These people will form a plan and agenda to court, ingratiate, and/or show interest in the senior with the intent of exploiting and gaining access to the targets assets.

How to Help a Family Member, or Individual Who You Are Concerned About

• Keep a close connection with, and an eye on, the seniors in your life. Spend time together, keep in contact by phone, email, or any other means to keep the lines of communication open. 
• Make sure the person knows you care about them and are there to help in any way they need you. A lot of seniors do not want to burden others if they are struggling. Victims of abuse also often feel shame, embarrassment, or humiliation, or have even been threatened if they speak out about what they've been going through.
• Monitor and keep an even closer eye on the situation if a new person has quickly entered the life of the older adult and the relationship appears to be progressing quite fast, or the senior indicates they have started providing financial, or material support for that new person.
• Ensure that the senior has completed Advance Care planning documents, including an Enduring Power of Attorney, and Representation Agreements to ensure that someone responsible and reliable is involved in their financial and health care decision-making. Make sure if you are in these official roles that you have access to the seniors passwords for online banking (only use this information if needed) and information about where their important documents and assets are located.
• Sensitively offer to assist and support your family member with financial management of their bills, assets, or other things, if this is a source of concern for them, or family members. 

Where to Get Help in Elder Abuse Situations

Designated Responders for Elder Abuse, Neglect and Self-neglect complaints
  
Home Health/Community Care 

• In BC, the Health Authorities have created designated responders who can be contacted within each region. In the community, these responders are generally part of the Home Health/Community Care team. Contact information for Home and Community Care offices can be found here: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/services-and-resources/find-services

Hospitalization 

• If a senior is in the hospital, the hospital social worker on their unit is the Designated Responder. The older adult, concerned family members, or others, can contact the Social Worker to make a report about possible Elder abuse, neglect, or self-neglect. 

Seniors Abuse & Information Line (SAIL)

• If you are an older adult who has been abused or mistreated call the Seniors Abuse & Information Line (SAIL) at 604-437-1940 or toll free at 1-866-437-1940, 7 days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., to get a referral to their legal advocate and other programs.

SeniorsFirstBC 

• This organization provides information, resources, training, and assistance to seniors and their families.  
• Visit their webpage here: http://seniorsfirstbc.ca/

VictimLink BC

• If you or someone you know are a victim of crime and need more information or support, call VictimLink BC at 1-800-563-0808 for toll-free, confidential, multilingual service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 
• For more information, visit the webpage: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/justice/criminal-justice/victims-of-crime/victimlinkbc

HealthLink BC: Elder Abuse page: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-topics/aa60933spec

Local Police Authorities

• In cases of serious Elder Abuse, you may want to contact your local police authority to make a report. Some large municipalities may have a special unit that handles Elder Abuse cases. This may be part of a Domestic Violence unit (DVU) and there might be a Victims Services Worker who can provide information, resources and/or support the senior and/or family member in elder abuse cases.   

______________________________________________________________
About the Author: 
 
Tracey Young, BA, MSW, RSW is a Registered Social Worker in B.C. who provides counselling, consulting, Advance Care and personal planning services to individuals and families around the province. Visit her website here for more information about the services she provides: http://catalystbc.ca
 

Know Your Rights: Working with Child Protection Services

This article is geared toward Ontario, but the advice is helpful for any families working with Child Protection authorities anywhere.

Know your rights – 6 things you need to know to protect yourself and your child
APTN National News  (November 3, 2016). Retrieved from: http://aptn.ca/news/2016/11/03/know-your-rights-6-things-you-need-to-know-to-protect-yourself-and-your-child/

Any engagement with the child welfare system is traumatic and apprehension is devastating. You’re stressed out, and so is your child.

While child care workers have a lot of power given to them by the province, and in their eye they’re doing right by the law and your child, they have to do things by the book.

Toronto area lawyer Katherine Hensel says there’s too much at stake to be overwhelmed by it. She says you have to keep your head and focus on what you need to do to get your child back.

Here are six points to keep in mind if you’re dealing with the system.

1. Get the documents from the society, they have to serve you, they have to provide you with an explanation in writing that’s also going to be filed with the court about why they are apprehending your child. Look at those documents. Consider them. And get a lawyer right away.

2. Make sure you find out when the court date is. You have to go to that court date. And if you don’t, it may be characterized as you don’t care enough or you’re not organized enough to make it to court.

3. Get on legal aid funding, a certificate or whatever province or territory you’re in. Make sure that you’re in a position to find and retain a lawyer, before the first court date. That is going to take a fair amount of work.

4. Look at the risks they say you pose. That your life and your home pose to your children. Be honest with yourself and sort out what you agree with and what you don’t agree with. Take immediate steps to address, or to begin to address the risks that you agree with and what you don’t agree with. Start to build evidence, to contradict what the society says.

5. Don’t sign any agreements, unless you completely agree that you cannot safely care for your child in the present, because it may be difficult to go back from that. Don’t sign any voluntary agreements without the advice of lawyer.

6. Engage with your First Nation or community, for whatever resources and support and advocacy that they can provide to you.

news@aptn.ca

Letter to the Editor: Province to blame for homeless crisis

Province to blame for homeless crisis
Young, T. (June 23, 2016). Vancouver Courier, A11.

Re: Homelessness at all-time high but not the story it used to be (June 9, 2016)

 

The Marquis de Sade would no doubt be enamoured of the cruel, inhumane, and harmful behaviour of the BC Liberal government in driving the biggest homelessness crisis in British Columbia since the Great Depression. 

 

Make no mistake about it, the public policies of the BC government have set the stage for this human, and societal tragedy. 

 

Since 2007 the shelter rate for basic income assistance has been capped at $375, with $235 for support. If you are homeless, you may, or may not be provided with the support portion. This policy is totally random and inconsistent in how it is applied. 

 

As a social worker, I have worked with the most marginalized, vulnerable, and poor people in the province. Time and time again these high-risk/high-need people have been completely shut out of accessing basic income assistance due to the cicular hoops they have to jump through. 

 

Applications to income assistance through the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation are now only available online. If you struggle with literacy, ESL, mental health, or other issues, how can you be expected to complete something like this online? If you do not have an address, where does MSDSI send the stack of papers you have to complete to possibly qualify?  

 

Many people who are homeless have lost everything they own. If you have no birth certificate, you cannot obtain identification. With no ID, you have no ability to access bank records for the past 60 days, part of the application process. If you have no ID, or access to bank records, you cannot access income assistance, medical, or prescription coverage. If you are "lucky" maybe you will receive a short-term "hardship" allowance, which has to be re-applied for on a month-to-month basis. Again, its completely random whether individuals will be granted hardship. 

 

Another example of the injustice and inhumanity of the BC government's policies is the trumpeting in the increase of disability assistance, only to claw back this "increase" by forcing disabled people to sacrifice their access to affordable transportation in the form of a disability bus pass. I wonder how many of us would be able to survive on $906.42 per month, the cruel amount disabled people in B.C. are expected to shelter, feed, and care for themselves with? 

 

This government-sponsored, and institutionalized, impoverishment, when combined with the current real estate disease inflating house prices, and a dearth of affordable housing is spreading throughout the province this epidemic of homelessness is increasing. Its going to get much worse too as the B.C. government clearly has no intention of doing anything substantial to improve the situation. While the BC government plays its flute Rome is burning and increasing numbers of us face chronic situations of housing insecurity, where the rug can be pulled out from under us at any time.

Women and the NDP: Gender inequality institutionalized within the party

Women and the NDP

Re: Leadership Hopeful Learns NDP Doesn’t Stand For ‘No Deposit Please’, June 8.

Young, T. (June 10, 2016). National Post. Retrieved from: http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/letters/letters-trudeaus-hornets-nest

Cheri DiNovo, an Ontario NDP MPP, has raised an important issue about internal policies, processes and governance in the New Democratic Party. How did the NDP get so far from its roots of social democracy, it has created a party where only the most privileged can throw their hats into the ring for the leadership of the party?

Tommy Douglas would be disgusted to learn only those who can pay the required $30,000 fee can run to head the party that arose out of his populist movement — and think this is as shameful as progressive voters like me.

This kind of policy entrenches and institutionalizes structural inequality in a party that should be fighting against this for all. It is a well-known fact female candidates are at a financial disadvantage when compared to male candidates. It is also more difficult for them to raise the kind of election funds men do, which has led to a disappointing lack of gender equality in politics in Canada. This kind of unfair and inequitable policy doesn’t help as it embeds sexism and gender inequality and discrimination in the only socially democratic party in Canada.
Tracey Young, Vancouver.