Pandemic Prepping | Doomsday Preppers

2020: America’s ‘survivalists’ feel vindication as they lock down for coronavirus epidemic — with ‘beans, bullets and Band-Aids’



This is a key moment for “preppers” or “survivalists” like Rawles. While the coronavirus has spooked markets into massive sell-offs and sent shoppers to stores like Costco COST, +1.07% to stock up on supplies, survivalists, who have often been ridiculed as extremists and conspiracy theorists, have been prepping for something like this for years. Even decades.



“I was a ‘prepper’ long before that term even came into being,” says Jim Cobb, author of Preppers’ Long-Term Survival Guide and Urban Emergency Survival Plan. “Since I was 16 years old,” says Rawles, when asked when he first started readying himself for a possible apocalypse. “That was in 1976.”



Nobody knows for sure, but there may be many more preppers in the U.S. The term covers everything from “doomsday preppers” in the northern mountain states to people who just make sure to be stocked up at home in case of disaster.



https://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-americas-extreme-survivalists-are-preparing-for-a-worst-case-coronavirus-epidemic-beans-bullets-and-band-aids-2020-03-02



https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/03/23/magazine/apocalypse-preppers-survivalists-homesteaders-arent-that-worried-by-coronavirus/



https://247wallst.com/economy/2020/03/12/lessons-of-doomsday-preppers-for-the-covid-19-pandemic/



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2012: Pandemic Prepping | Doomsday Preppers



Donna Nash is readying herself and her family to survive a potential global pandemic.



https://youtu.be/7FTv06szcW0



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2020: Germany's low coronavirus mortality rate intrigues experts.



Some query data methodology while others say high testing rates are giving more accurate picture.



https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/22/germany-low-coronavirus-mortality-rate-puzzles-experts



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The Harris government cut funding of major urban infrastructure projects upon assuming office. ... Harris's government also cut health spending to counter the $30 billion cut in transfer payments from the Liberal federal government.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Harris



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2019: Workers at risk of losing jobs can be retrained for health care, RBC says.



OTTAWA -- A new report says some of the more than one million Canadian workers who could lose their jobs could fill growing gaps in the nation's health-care system with the right training now.



The issue is time and money for a sector that previous research suggests doesn't invest as much as other industries do in skills training.



Health-services jobs account for 13 per cent of the country's workforce and federal projections estimate the rapid pace of growth seen over the last decade will continue over the next.



https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/workers-at-risk-of-losing-jobs-to-ai-can-be-retrained-for-health-care-rbc-says-1.4685009



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2018: $22 billion in cuts to funding for public services planned by Mr. Ford, worse than Harris, we are “extremely worried”



Many Ontarians are captured by the idea of getting the same or more services for less money. But few know what the numbers might actually mean. Since Doug Ford did not release a clear platform, Ontarians know more about how much a beer may cost if the Conservative leader is elected than they know about how much their hospitals may be funded. This is a serious problem because the numbers that Mr. Ford has revealed are disturbing.



On Wednesday in a radio interview, Mr. Ford said that he was going to eliminate the provincial deficit in 3-years. This is on top of major revenue cuts. Mr. Ford has also pledged to cut $6 billion in public service spending through “efficiencies” over 4-years. These are big figures and Mr. Ford has not provided any details of what he plans for hospital and other vital health service funding as a result. But economists have crunched the numbers and by every tally the planned cuts amount to tens of billions of dollars. We are extremely worried.



https://www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca/index.php/22-billion-in-cuts-to-funding-for-public-services-by-mr-ford-planned-worse-than-harris-we-are-extremely-worried/



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2019: Ford government "worse than Mike Harris": Durham Region shorted 40 hospital beds.



When it comes to hospital funding, Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative (PC) government is “worse than Mike Harris” new data reports released in Oshawa today by the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OHCU) show.



For Doug Ford’s government to keep its proposed budget plan for the next five years, “it is now apparent that the PCs will need to make larger cuts to hospitals (and health care generally) than previously estimated. Rather than ending hallway medicine in a year as the Premier recently stated, the PCs are creating a patient access crisis and hallway health care will get much worse,” said Michael Hurley, president of the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU).



Based on the recent budget and economic review of Ontario’s Financial Accountability Office (FAO), the government’s spending plan needs billions of dollars more in extra, unidentified and unannounced cuts to public services in order to meet its savings targets. The unidentified and unannounced health cuts exist even for this fiscal year – but they become a much bigger issue as the years go along until they account for $5.2 billion out of $8 billion in total cuts required by the government’s fiscal plan in 2023-24.



https://cupe.ca/ford-government-worse-mike-harris-durham-region-shorted-40-hospital-beds



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2019: Ontario moves forward with plans to scrap OHIP program for travellers abroad.



TORONTO – Ontario is moving ahead with a plan to scrap a provincial program that offers basic out-of-country travel insurance.



Health Minister Christine Elliott says the Progressive Conservative government has decided to make the change after holding a six-day public consultation that ended Tuesday.



READ MORE: Ontario looks to cut OHIP program covering emergency medical costs abroad



https://globalnews.ca/news/5198684/ontario-to-cut-ohip-abroad-medical-costs/



https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/ford-government-considers-cutting-ohip-travel-coverage-cites-high-admin-costs-1.1248903



https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-ford-government-reveals-health-services-to-be-delisted-from-ohip/



https://globalnews.ca/news/5977953/ohip-changes/



https://settlement.org/ontario/health/ohip-and-health-insurance/ontario-health-insurance-plan-ohip/does-ohip-cover-me-when-i-am-outside-ontario/



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2019: List of the Ford government health care cuts to date.



Public Health cuts/restructuring (LESS BEDS, DOCTORS AND NURSES)



In the 2019 Provincial Budget it was revealed that the Ford government plans to cut provincial funding for Public Health by 27 per cent and cut the number of local Public Health Units from 35 to 10. ... The plans that have been revealed to date follow here.Nov 20, 2019.



https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/extremely-concerned-protesters-decry-ontario-health-care-cuts-changes-1.5354513



https://www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca/index.php/update-mounting-health-care-cuts/



https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-doug-ford-announces-that-cuts-to-municipal-public-health-and-childcare/



https://www.unifor.org/en/whats-new/news/hundreds-rally-against-doug-fords-health-care-cuts



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2020: Trudeau says Canada won't be able to get all Canadians home.



https://www.nationalobserver.com/2020/03/22/news/trudeau-says-canada-wont-be-able-get-all-canadians-home



Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says not all Canadians abroad will be able to come home.



More flights to other locations are in the works, but for those who cannot return, 'We're going to ask people to stay safe, make smart choices'.



https://www.guelphtoday.com/local-news/prime-minister-justin-trudeau-to-update-canadians-on-covid-19-situation-as-case-count-rises-to-1087-2186738



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2019: Ford government stops counting homeless people in Ontario.



Tories pause to look at ‘best practices,’ but critics say real-time data needed.



https://www.thespec.com/news-story/9685648-ford-government-stops-counting-homeless-people-in-ontario/



https://globalnews.ca/news/6151971/ontario-government-homelessness/



https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2019/11/10/ontario-pauses-homelessness-count-citing-gaps-and-limitations-in-data.html



https://www.pressreader.com/canada/toronto-star/20191111/281526522874713



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2020: 'No new eviction orders will be issued until further notice': Ontario suspends evictions during coronavirus outbreak.



Eviction orders in Ontario have been put on hold, and there could be a stop to new orders in light of COVID-19.



In an email to the Mercury Tribune Monday evening, Jesse Robichaud, spokesperson for the Office of the Attorney General, said the province’s “top priority is the health of well-being of Ontarians and we are actively looking at all tools and options to protect families and individuals as the public health situation evolves.



“For example, we understand that Tribunals Ontario is reviewing pending eviction matters in light of the rapidly evolving circumstances related to COVID-19 and that no new eviction orders will be issued until further notice,” he added.



https://www.insideottawavalley.com/news-story/9908552--no-new-eviction-orders-will-be-issued-until-further-notice-ontario-suspends-evictions-during-coronavirus-outbreak/



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2020: How do you self-isolate when you don’t have a home?



'We have 14 people who are in shelter. We can’t have them self-isolate when it’s communal living,' says local Lighthouse official



https://www.orilliamatters.com/local-news/how-do-you-self-isolate-when-you-dont-have-a-home-2170006



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2017: Youth homelessness linked to foster care system in new study.



 A first-of-its-kind study in Canada is drawing a link between youth homelessness levels and a foster care system that researchers say could be playing a more active role in keeping young people off the streets.



The study, to be released Wednesday, found nearly three out of every five homeless youth were part of the child welfare system at some point in their lives, a rate almost 200 times greater than that of the general population.



Of those with a history in the child welfare system, almost two of every five respondents eventually "aged out" of provincial or territorial care, losing access to the sort of support that could have kept them from becoming homeless, the study found.



https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/homeless-youth-foster-care-1.4240121



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2020: Ford hires U.S. firm to push Ontarians off welfare.



https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2020/02/24/ford-hires-us-firm-to-push-ontarians-off-welfare.html



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2013: Doug Ford accused of 'vote buying' after being filmed handing out $20 bills to public housing residents.



Toronto Councillor Doug Ford is once again under fire for vote buying after he was filmed handing out $20 bills to public housing residents.



https://youtu.be/2ckIcOiJyH4



https://nationalpost.com/news/toronto/doug-ford-hands-out-20-bills-to-public-housing-residents-accused-of-vote-buying



https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/doug-ford-defends-himself-after-handing-out-20-bills-to-constituents/article15920479/



https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/doug-ford-sorry-for-handing-out-cash-will-stick-to-gift-cards-1.2461797



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2020: American firm hired by Ford government to privatize welfare services was fined for stealing employee pay.



Fedcap was investigated and fined by the U.S. Department of Labour in 2018.



In 2018, Fedcap was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor.  The investigation found that Fedcap had been failing to pay and illegally deducting fees from 443 workers. Fedcap was forced to hand back nearly $3 million of withheld or deducted pay to its employees.



This same firm is now responsible for finding employment for welfare recipients in Ontario.



https://north99.org/2020/02/26/american-firm-hired-by-ford-government-to-privatize-welfare-services-was-fined-for-stealing-employee-pay/



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2020: Ontario Moving Ahead with the Reform of Employment Services



February 14, 2020 10:00 A.M.Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development



January 2020 - Service System Managers selected



The government evaluated all qualified proposals and selected a Service System Manager for each prototype region that is best positioned to manage the employment system and deliver results:



For Region of Peel: WCG, part of the APM Group.



WCG is a Canadian subsidiary of The International APM Group Pty Ltd (APM), a global human service organization based in Australia. In the last year, APM supported more than 350,000 people across 10 countries by designing and delivering employment, health and rehabilitation services.



For Hamilton-Niagara: A consortium led by Fedcap.



The consortium led by Fedcap includes two current Employment Ontario service providers (Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work, Operation Springboard) and two current providers of Ontario Disability Support Program Employment Supports (Corbrook, Community Living Toronto).



For the Muskoka-Kawarthas region: Fleming College.



Fleming College has more than 50 years of experience delivering education, skills training and employment services to students, job seekers and employers. Each year, 3,000 job seekers access Employment Ontario services via Fleming College.



https://news.ontario.ca/mol/en/2020/02/ontario-moving-ahead-with-the-reform-of-employment-services.html



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SELLING CANADIANS TO THE LOWEST BIDDER...



2020: For-profit welfare scheme draws concerns.



The idea of a welfare system in Ontario run by multinational, for-profit corporations strikes Dr. Gary Bloch as a bit odd.



“Where I get worried about it, is thinking around, really, what are the goals? What are the incentive structures put in place and who will be administering this?” asked the researcher and family physician with St. Michael’s Hospital’s City Health Associates. “We know there will be private companies bidding to help administer this system. That, to me, is extremely concerning.”



https://www.catholicregister.org/item/31137-for-profit-welfare-scheme-draws-concerns



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2019: 4 in 10 Insolvencies Driven by Payday Loans.



As everyday Canadians face multiple pressures like rising borrowing costs, increases to the costs of living, and a sharper tax bite, the last thing they need is to be stung by high-interest products. Unfortunately, that seems to have happened to an unsettling number of Ontarians.



New research from Licensed Insolvency Trustee firm Hoyes, Michalos & Associates has revealed that in 2018, nearly four in 10 (37%) Ontario insolvencies involved payday loans. That’s an increase from 32% that was tallied in 2017, marking the seventh consecutive rise since the firm’s initial study in 2011.



“Regulatory changes to lower the cost of payday loans and lengthen the period of repayment are not working for heavily indebted borrowers who feel they have no other option but to turn to a payday loan,” said co-founder Ted Michalos.



According to the firm, insolvent borrowers are just over three times more likely to have at least one payday loan outstanding when they file a bankruptcy or consumer proposal compared to 2011. This is despite legislation in Ontario that, aside from lowering costs, was designed to:



Cap loans at 50% of a borrower’s net pay beginning July 1, 2018;



Make lenders offer an extended repayment period to those who take out three loans within a 63-day period starting on July 1, 2018; and Limiting fees to $15 per $100 borrowed for two weeks effective January 1, 2018



It might take some time for the regulations to take full effect. But according to the firm, payday loan borrowers are finding ways to circumvent the very rules formulated to protect them. Some heavily indebted Ontarians, for example, visit more than one lender in order to get the total cash loan they feel they need — even if it’s actually beyond their financial wherewithal to pay back.



Exacerbating the problem, payday lenders are coming up with new products and tactics. According to the firm, payday lenders as well as new online lenders have started to offer larger-dollar, high-cost, fast-cash installment loans and lines of credit. While they might be promoted as monetary relief to prospective borrowers, they are more likely to create more burdens down the road.



“The problem is this type of easy access credit does not help someone who already carries a significant debt load,” the report said. “In fact, it makes their situation much worse.”



The average insolvent payday loan borrower, according to figures from the firm, owes $5,174 in payday loans spread over an average of 3.9 loans. In total, they owe twice their total monthly take-home pay on loans with interest rates that are generally between 29.99% and 59.99% for longer-term loans and 390% for traditional payday loans.



https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/personal-finance/video/40-of-ontario-insolvencies-driven-by-payday-loans-report-finds~1614966



https://www.wealthprofessional.ca/news/industry-news/payday-lenders-fingerprints-found-on-nearly-40-of-ontario-insolvencies/254715



https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/4-in-10-insolvencies-driven-by-payday-loans-809283141.html



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2020:  ‘My patients don’t die from old age’: Hamilton doctor calls for data on homeless deaths “I often say goodbye to a patient ... and I seriously wonder if I will ever see them again,’ says Jill Wiwcharuk.



Hamilton’s Dr. Jill Wiwcharuk, an inner city physician, suggests that her patients don’t typically die of old age.  They die of a myriad of illnesses related to homelessness.



https://ahandup.ca/2020/03/09/hamilton-on-struggles-with-homeless-database/



https://www.thespec.com/news-story/9878900--my-patients-don-t-die-from-old-age-hamilton-doctor-calls-for-data-on-homeless-deaths/



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2019: Ontario correctional workers get 4-year-contract, 7.5% wage increase.



TORONTO – An arbitrator has awarded a four-year contract to Ontario’s correctional workers.



The union for the workers calls the deal a win for its members and notes it features an average 7.5 per cent wage increase over the life of the deal.



READ MORE: Ontario government to fund new, comprehensive mental health program for provincial police officers



https://globalnews.ca/news/5110112/ontario-mental-health-provincial-police/



Chris Jackel, the chair for the corrections division of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, says the deal is retroactive to 2018.



He says the main bargaining issues included wages and psychological benefits.



READ MORE: Ontario government offers public servants contract extensions, 7.5% raises



https://globalnews.ca/news/3520556/ontario-government-offers-public-servants-contract-extensions-7-5-raises/



Jackel says a per session cap on psychologist visits has been eliminated, which will help the roughly 20 per cent of workers who are off due to operational stress injuries.



The province did not immediately respond to a request for comment.



https://globalnews.ca/news/5122393/ontario-correctional-workers-contract/



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2019: Ontario is using a new law to retroactively dismiss lawsuits it lost: lawyer. A class action lawyer suing the Ontario government over alleged mistreatment of several vulnerable groups says a new law the province is using retroactively to try to shut down those cases is unprecedented and unfair.



https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-monday-edition-1.5389171/ontario-is-using-a-new-law-to-retroactively-dismiss-lawsuits-it-lost-lawyer-1.5389627



https://www.theloop.ca/watch/canada/news/new-law-retroactively-ends-lawsuits-lost-by-ontario-government/6117786163001/1653715534829397999/



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2018: Half of Canadian jobs will be impacted by automation in next 10 years.



Automation will likely affect over half of Canadian jobs in the next decade, but being human could be the very thing that helps Canadians stay employed, a new RBC report claims.



https://globalnews.ca/news/4105713/automation-workforce-canada-human/



2019: Workers at risk of losing jobs can be retrained for health care, RBC says.



https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/workers-at-risk-of-losing-jobs-to-ai-can-be-retrained-for-health-care-rbc-says-1.4685009



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2019: Doug Ford’s cancellation of green energy deals costs Ontario taxpayers $231 million.



The government cancelled the contracts last July, saying the move would save ratepayers $790 million — a figure industry officials have disputed.



https://business.financialpost.com/commodities/energy/doug-fords-cancellation-of-green-energy-deals-costs-ontario-taxpayers-231m



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2019: A robot in every factory: The $230-million bid to help automate Ontario’s manufacturing sector.



Innovation Nation: If the program works as intended, cookie factories and printing shops could soon be using robotic arms and self-driving vehicles.



The centrepiece of Canada’s innovation strategy is the $950-million “supercluster” initiative. The goal, according to the federal government, is for companies of all sizes, academia and the non-profit sector to collaborate on new technologies, to spur economic growth and create jobs. As part of the Innovation Nation series, the Financial Post is taking an in-depth look at each of the five regional projects, and provide continuing coverage of their progress. You can find all of our coverage here.



https://business.financialpost.com/technology/a-robot-in-every-factory-the-230-million-bid-to-help-automate-ontarios-manufacturing-sector



Automated for the Future (Ontario Grade 8)



Automated for the Future is an inquiry-based elementary school educational resource. Students delve into the complex world of coding, explore the impact of automated systems, and build their own innovative mechanical system. Circle relationships and GPS connections target real-world connections. This digital resource is designed to excite learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) with an emphasis on 21st century skills including creativity, collaboration, problem solving, and perseverance.



https://resources.perimeterinstitute.ca/products/automated-for-the-future



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2019: Fiscal restraint? Doug Ford's Ontario government spent billions more than Wynne had planned in 2018-19.



Opinion: At the current rate of spending, an additional $42 billion will be added to Ontario’s debt from now until a balanced budget in 2023.



https://business.financialpost.com/opinion/doug-fords-ontario-government-spent-billions-more-than-wynne-had-planned-in-2018-19



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Corporatism is a political ideology which advocates the organization of society by corporate groups, such as agricultural, labour, military, scientific, or guild associations on the basis of their common interests.



Fascism's theory of economic corporatism involved management of sectors of the economy by government or privately-controlled organizations (corporations).[Ontario's children's aid societies] Each trade union or employer corporation would theoretically represent its professional concerns, especially by negotiation of labour contracts and the like. It was theorized that this method could result in harmony amongst social classes. However, authors have noted that historically de facto economic corporatism was also used to reduce opposition and reward political loyalty.



In Italy from 1922 until 1943, corporatism became influential amongst Italian nationalists led by Benito Mussolini. The Charter of Carnaro gained much popularity as the prototype of a "corporative state", having displayed much within its tenets as a guild system combining the concepts of autonomy and authority in a special synthesis. Alfredo Rocco spoke of a corporative state and declared corporatist ideology in detail. Rocco would later become a member of the Italian fascist regime.



https://www.britannica.com/topic/corporatism



Corporatism: Fascism's theory of economic corporatism involved management of sectors of the economy by government or privately-controlled organizations (corporations). Each trade union or employer corporation would theoretically represent its professional concerns, especially by negotiation of labor contracts and the like.



Marketization of law making is a process that enables the elites to operate as market oriented firms by changing the legal environment in which they operate in, in the best interest of the child according to a bunch of sociopathic child poaching funding predators...



One of the 14 characteristics of fascism is -



Corporate Power is Protected.



The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.



The people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights and procedural protections can be ignored in certain cases because of special need.



When the people who have power in our society can have an influence in law making, the laws that get created will not maintain the appearance of equality and the elites in society can lobby and eventually criminalize the poor.



The laws will start to benefit the big corporations (elites). This is well illustrated in Stan Cohen’s concept of the moral panic. A moral panic refers to the reaction of a group within society (elite) to the activities of a non elite group. The targeted group is seen as a threat to society also referred to as the folk devil.



Today we can see child welfare law is not applied equally to everyone. In this particular instance the child welfare law is benefiting the people with means.



Comack states; “While the pivotal point in the rule of law is ‘equality of all before the law’, the provision of formal equality in the legal sphere does not extend to the economic sphere. Thus, the law maintains only the appearance of equality because, it never calls into question the unequal and exploitative relationship between capital and labour.” This statement implies that the law is in place to be neutral. Therefore, the law would apply equally to everyone, including both the working and elite class. It can be said that in today’s society we have the marketization of law making.



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2020: Ford government going to court to keep ministers' mandate letters secret.



Province fighting order from commissioner to release letters after CBC News freedom of information request.



Ontario's information and privacy commissioner says the government is going to court to prevent the release of Premier Doug Ford's mandate letters to his cabinet ministers, which outline their key priorities.



Former premier Kathleen Wynne began making those documents public in 2014, but the current government is fighting an order from the commissioner to release them.



https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2020/02/24/ford-hires-us-firm-to-push-ontarians-off-welfare.html



The government denied a CBC News freedom of information request for the mandate letters, saying they are cabinet documents and therefore automatically exempt from disclosure.



https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ford-government-going-to-court-to-keep-ministers-mandate-letters-secret-1.5255495



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2019: Study finds more than half of university students feel they need better basic skills to succeed.



(MAYBE IF THE GOVERNMENT SPENT MORE ON EARLY, SECONDARY AND POST SECONDARY EDUCATION WOULDN'T BE AN ISSUE.)



TORONTO, April 25, 2019 – A survey of students at four Ontario universities has found that more than half feel they lack competence in basic academic skills that would enable them to succeed in university and beyond.



Researchers from York University, Western University, the University of Waterloo and the University of Toronto (Scarborough and Mississauga campuses) surveyed 2,230 students at their universities to learn how confident they were with their writing, test taking, analysis, time and group management, research, presentation and numeracy skills.



Based on the students’ responses, an advanced statistical classification algorithm allowed researchers to conclude in their study that only about 44 percent of students felt they had the generic skills needed to do well in their academic studies, 41 percent could be classified as at risk in academic settings because of limited levels of basic skills, and 16 percent lacked almost all of the skills needed for higher learning.



The study team, co-led by York University Department of Sociology Professor J. Paul Grayson and Western University Department of Sociology Professor James Côté, included professors Robert Kenedy of York University, Liang Hsuan Chen of the University of Toronto Scarborough and Sharon Roberts of the University of Waterloo.



Using the results of the student survey, the researchers concluded the skill deficiencies of students at each of the four universities were about the same. Family background had no noticeable influence on the skill level and neither did factors such as being a first-generation university student or an international student.



Not surprisingly, students with inadequate skill levels got relatively low grades, frequently thought of dropping out, and were generally dissatisfied with their university experience. In other words, skill levels as measured in the study were predictive of important university outcomes. Over two-thirds said they would welcome a first-year course in academic skills such as effective studying, critical thinking, writing and university standards.



The researchers point out that Ministry of Education policy documents show that most of the skills in which they are interested are objectives of the secondary school system in Ontario. Still, students can obtain good high school grades and still be deficient in these skills. In other words, high school grades do not reflect the development of many skills embodied in Ministry objectives. Arms length evaluations of students would be one way of ensuring that grades reflected the Ministry’s objectives.



"Students want help. They want to do well in school, future jobs, and in their roles as citizens,” said Grayson. “Students recognize they are lacking sufficient skills including literacy and numeracy, which are part of Ontario’s secondary school curriculum and key factors for academic and job success.”



The researchers surveyed students in humanities, social sciences and professional studies programs.



“The most shocking findings were that many of the students who were surveyed and said they have low levels of academic skills also reported being given very high grades in high school,” said Côté. “Some of the same students apparently can make their way through university without much trouble and without acquiring basic academic skills.”



Student participants with serious skills deficits earned high grades in secondary school, according to the survey. In high school, 63 percent of students classified as functional earned grades of A or A+; however, 56 percent of the at-risk students and 45 percent of the dysfunctional students also made those grades.



The research team also discovered that the skill gaps did not improve with more time spent in university. About the same percentages of students in all year-levels of university were considered deficient in their academic skills.



Additional quotes from researchers on the study:



"The data regarding student skills is disturbing, even though we suspected this was the case through our anecdotal experiences. We need to make sure student skills courses are available in order to ensure student success and resilience."



– Robert Kenedy, York University, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology



 “There is a troubling skills deficit - pervasive among domestic, first generation and international students. The need to provide more support to students across the board is clear and urgent.”



–  Liang Hsuan Chen, University of Toronto Scarborough, Associate Professor, Department of Management



“These preliminary findings confirm that a significant proportion of our undergraduate students face challenges related to fundamental academic competency skills at all levels of undergraduate study. Our findings suggest that many students need extensive supports in place before and after they enter university.”



–  Sharon Roberts, University of Waterloo, Associate Professor, Social Development Studies Department



York University champions new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-disciplinary programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. York students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. York U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 25 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, York is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 300,000 alumni.



York U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.



Media Contact:

Janice Walls, York University Media Relations, 416 455 4710, wallsj@yorku.ca



https://news.yorku.ca/2019/04/25/study-finds-more-than-half-of-university-students-feel-they-need-better-basic-skills-to-succeed/



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2010: University students can’t spell. Profs say high schools aren’t teaching grammar.



(maybe were there really enough teachers and schools were properly funded this wouldn't be an issue.)



Little or no grammar teaching, cellphone texting, social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, are all being blamed for an increasing number of post-secondary students who can’t write properly. For years there’s been a flood of anecdotal complaints from professors about what they say is the wretched state of English grammar coming from some of their students.



Now there seems to be some solid evidence.



The University of Waterloo  is one of the few post-secondary institutions in Canada to require students to pass an exam testing their English language skills. Almost a third of those students are failing. “Thirty per cent of students who are admitted are not able to pass at a minimum level,” says Ann Barrett, managing director of the English language proficiency exam at Waterloo. “We would certainly like it to be a lot lower.” Barrett says the failure rate has jumped five percentage points in the past few years, up to 30 per cent from 25 per cent. “What has happened in high school that they cannot pass our simple test of written English, at a minimum?” she asks.



https://www.macleans.ca/education/uniandcollege/university-students-cant-spell/



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2018: One in four Ontario postsecondary students lacks basic literacy, numeracy skills, studies say.



(maybe is there were enough teachers and the schools were properly funded this wouldn't be an issue)



About a quarter of graduating students in Ontario’s postsecondary programs lack adequate literacy and numeracy skills, according to new research from the government agency that monitors the system.



The Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) completed two large studies of more than 7,500 students at 20 Ontario postsecondary institutions and found that a large number of students achieved scores below the level it considered adequate to succeed in today’s job market. Less than a third of graduating students scored at a superior level.



Harvey Weingarten, president and chief executive of HEQCO, said the research is among the first of its kind to try to measure employment-related skills outcomes in the higher-education system. He said one of the main reasons students pursue postsecondary education is to get a good job. But while universities and colleges say they prepare students for the world of work, employers are frustrated, he said. Many employers say the students they encounter don’t have the communication, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills they’re seeking.



“It troubles us that, in our opinion, too many students are graduating with skills in those two areas that are not as highly developed as we would like,” Dr. Weingarten said. “We need to do better than we’re doing now.”



This work aims to measure student skills and provide a basis for understanding what is valued in the labour market, and how those attributes could be taught.



https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-one-in-four-ontario-university-students-lack-basic-literacy-numeracy/



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BACK TO THE SOUP KITCHEN LINE ...



Approximately 700,000 students attend more than 850 publicly funded secondary schools in Ontario. Every student is unique, and our high schools are changing to meet students' individual needs.



Innovative programs that help students customize their learning are helping more students graduate. The government's goal is to have 85 percent of students graduating.



85%... WTF IS THAT???



Might just as well just put 15% of them on welfare now...



http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/secondary.html



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Concerns have been raised that child welfare systems may inappropriately target poor families for intrusive interventions. The term “neglect” has been critiqued as a class-based label applied disproportionately to poor families WHITE, RED OR BLACK.



The objectives of the study are to identify the nature and frequency of clinical and poverty-related concerns in child neglect investigations and to assess the service referral response to these needs; to examine the contribution of poverty-related need to case decision-making; and to explore whether substantiated cases of neglect can be divided into subtypes based on different constellations of clinical and poverty-related needs.



This study is a secondary analysis of data collected through the 2008 Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS‑2008), a nationally representative dataset. A selected subsample of neglect investigations from the CIS‑2008 (N = 4,489) is examined through descriptive analyses, logistic regression, and two-step cluster analysis in order to explore each research objective.



Children and caregivers investigated for neglect presented with a range of clinical and poverty related difficulties. Contrary to some previous research, the existence of poverty-related needs did not influence case dispositions after controlling for other relevant risk factors. However, some variables that should be, in theory, extraneous to case decision-making emerged as significant in the multivariate models, most notably Aboriginal status, with Aboriginal children having increased odds of substantiation, ongoing service provision and placement. Cluster analyses revealed that cases of neglect could be partitioned into three clusters, with no cluster emerging characterized by poverty alone.



The majority of children investigated for neglect live in families experiencing poverty-related needs, and with caregivers struggling with clinical difficulties. While poverty-related need on its own does not explain the high proportion of poor families reported to the child welfare system, nor does it account for significant variance in case decision making, cluster analysis suggests that there exists a subgroup of “neglected” children living in families perhaps best characterized by the broader notion of social disadvantage. These families may be better served through an orientation of family support/family welfare rather than through the current residual child protection paradigm.



PUBLICATION DATE: 2012



https://www.homelesshub.ca/resource/exploration-relationship-between-poverty-and-child-neglect-canadian-child-welfare



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Is the high cost of clean water and hydro putting your family at risk of CAS involvement?



The effect of provincial policies on struggling families was especially apparent in the late 1990s, when the Conservative government slashed welfare payments and social service funding while at the same time, it introduced in child protection the notion of maltreatment by “omission,” including not having enough food in the home and this after giving the society what amounted to an unlimited funding scheme. The number of children taken into care spiked as did their funding.



“The ministry has been pretty clear with us that advocacy is not part of our mandate,” Goodman said speaking for the society. “It’s not like they’re asking for the (poverty) data. They’re not.” Goodman then when on to suggest the silence suited the government more than the silence suited the society's funding goals.



https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2016/08/15/report-shines-light-on-povertys-role-on-kids-in-cas-system.html



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2019: Fiscal restraint? Doug Ford's Ontario government spent billions more than Wynne had planned in 2018-19.



Opinion: At the current rate of spending, an additional $42 billion will be added to Ontario’s debt from now until a balanced budget in 2023.



https://business.financialpost.com/opinion/doug-fords-ontario-government-spent-billions-more-than-wynne-had-planned-in-2018-19



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Are Ford's alleged net gains greater than the net losses?



2019: Canada’s jobs market suffered its single-worst month since 2009, shedding 71,200 jobs in November, according to Statistics Canada. The Financial Post dug into the numbers and asked some of the country’s top economists whether this is a blip, or a sign of something more ominous.



By Victor Ferreira, Financial Post.



THE DEEPEST JOB LOSSES — 27,500 — CAME IN MANUFACTURING



ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD/RETAIL LOST A COMBINED 14,300 JOBS



Stephen Brown, senior Canada economist at Capital Economics: “It’s pretty clear the slowdown in GDP growth, both at home and globally is weighing on the labour market and you can see that in the manufacturing figure.



https://business.financialpost.com/news/economy/canada-just-had-its-worst-month-for-job-losses-in-a-decade-so-just-how-bad-was-it



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2018: 'Wacky' Canadian economy lost 51,600 jobs, led by Ontario plunge. By Theophilos Argitis, Bloomberg News.



Canada’s economy unexpectedly lost 51,600 jobs, with wage gains slowing and Ontario recording its biggest employment drop in nearly a decade, removing any urgency for the central bank to accelerate rate hikes.



The nation’s largest province lost 80,100 jobs in August, all part-time, the biggest decline for Ontario since 2009. Nationally, the economy lost 92,000 part-time workers, though a 40,400 gain in full-time employment is one sign the labour market is firmer than the headline number suggests.



https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/canada-s-economy-lost-51-600-jobs-in-august-1.1134558



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