BOOK REVIEW...TELLING TALES: LIVING THE EFFECTS OF PUBLIC POLICY

Telling Tales: Living the Effects of Public Policy

Book Report for The Record

15 September 2005

by Brice Balmer, secretary

Interfaith Social Assistance Reform Coalition

The Record is alerting Waterloo Regional residents to the significant poverty in our community, which has remained the same or increased, even in times of prosperity.  As readers, we are finding out the actual costs of the policy changes made by the Harris and Eves governments.  Toronto Dominion Bank has issued “From Welfare to Work in Ontario: Still the Road Less Travelled” on September 8^th, 2005, which documents the problems with Ontario Works as well as pending financial disaster for Toronto and other urban areas if the economy has a downturn.  Maintaining low minimum wages without benefits means individuals cannot leave Ontario Works.  Providing low social assistance rates without enough incentives and support to find a job is a problem not only for the working poor and those on Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program, but also for all residents who pay property taxes and want a healthy city.

Telling Tales is not an economic report but the stories of people from moderate and lower incomes as well as from different races, genders, family compositions, and ages.  These 40 family units have been selected to represent a wide spectrum of Ontario’s residents and have been interviewed in 1997, 1998, and 1999.  These families report the effects of “down-loading” to regional and municipal governments as well as “off-loading” when individuals and families need to provide the services or funding previously provided by governments. 

Many families and individuals were doing well before 1995, but then had significant financial and social struggle when they had personal difficulties, such as needing to take care of older parents, providing books for children in school, losing financial equity because of disability, or being laid off work.  Children were not able to participate in recreational activities.  Parents had difficulty accessing daycare so that they could work full time.  Fewer workers qualified for Employment Insurance.  Ontario and federal policies made life much more difficult and took away the safety net which previously provided temporary support for families and individuals.   

From Transitions, published in 1986 by the Peterson Liberal government, we know that individuals and families are only on social assistance for a short period of time.  One year or less is the average for individuals; three years for single parents with very young children; five to seven years for persons with disability; these are averages and there are obviously some exceptions.  These trends continue as statistics in Waterloo Region are compiled.  Myths and urban legends--which work against individuals and families needing support--talk about families being in poverty for several generations; this is rarely true.  Those of us working in social services find terrible isolation and loneliness among the poor; they do not have the family and social supports of the average Canadian. 

But Telling Tales is not just about the poor; it demonstrates the difficulties that government policies caused for middle and lower class families and individuals.  A mother needs to live with her daughter and son-in-law because none of them are able to find jobs that provided the money they need for food, shelter, and other essentials; they are not on and do not wish to obtain Ontario Works; they fear losing the house which the mother has purchased and is their only real capital.  A wife decides to go back to work, but can not because she needs to care for her parents; she must rely on her husband’s income.  Another woman wants to go back to work but has few opportunities for training and can not find jobs that pay $10/ hour or more.  New Canadians are hopeful of the future, but find their credentials are not honoured in Ontario, so they use all their savings while trying to find jobs; they want their children to have a North American education and opportunities.

Does government action have an impact on our households?  As an Ontario citizen, I have looked long and hard to see how policy changes affect my pay cheque; there has been very little change, but then I’m not among the economic top 10% in Ontario.  As a community worker and pastor, I have seen the terrible predicament of moderate and low income families and individuals because of cutbacks, downloading, and off-loading.  It has been helpful to read Telling Tales as I reflect on the past ten years as well as work for a better Canadian society in the years ahead. 

It’s time to regain our sense of caring for all Canadians as a community.  I don’t think we ever lost that concern.  Telling Tales can help people understand what happened and why everyone should be interested in government policy.  It does affect our lives and the lives of our neighbours.

Brice Balmer is a Mennonite pastor and secretary for Interfaith Social Assistance Reform Coalition, which addresses provincial issues of social and economic marginalization.