A Message from Education Action: Toronto

Dear Friends,

If it is at all possible for you to attend one of the fiscal update meetings of the TDSB, we hope you can do so. They are billed as consultation meetings, but really they are nothing more than a time for the Board to lay out its fiscal dilemma. Seeing that layout in detail, however, is worth the effort. The coming cutbacks over the next three years are far worse than we could have imagined. The bottom line is as follows:

REVISED PRELIMINARY SHORTFALL: For 2009-10 $39.3m, for 2010-11 $37.1m, and for 2011-12 $44.7m.

It's Time to Fix E.I.
It's Time to Protect Pensions.
It's Time to Put People Before Banks

Saturday, June 13th
Rally starts at 1:00 p.m. March to follow.
Downtown Toronto at Metro Hall (King Street and John Street)

Toronto, May 6, 2009 – Ontario has taken a historic step forward on poverty reduction with the all-party approval of Bill 152, the Poverty Reduction Act, said the 25 in 5 Network for Poverty Reduction.

The legislation requires Ontario to set a new poverty reduction target and plan of action at least every five years, and to consult regularly on its progress with low income people, groups at heightened risk of poverty, and other key stakeholders. Poverty in Ontario can no longer be ignored.

Bill 139 was passed into law today giving new protections for temp agency workers.

Temp agency workers and the Workers’ Action Centre (WAC) have been pushing for years for legislative changes that will bring fairness for temp agency workers. WAC and community allies have sent a strong message that temp agency workers need the same rights as other workers and protection against abuses.

Their campaign for fairness for temp agency workers has had an impact! The new law is a good start in improving protection for temp agency workers. When it comes into effect in 6 months, the new legislation will:

An introduction to social media, web 2.0 and the innovative non-profit

June 8 & 9, 2009

MaRS Discovery District – 101 College Street, Toronto

If you’ve ever said any of the following:

• “What’s web 2.0 and what’s all the buzz about anyway?”
• “My donors aren’t on the web; I don’t need to do this.”
• “We’re on Facebook but we’re not seeing any results.”
• “Online fundraising is only a small portion of our revenue.”
• “I think we’ve got to invest in Web 2.0 but my Board/CEO doesn’t buy it.”

… then MyCharityConnects is for you.

A full day conference for Non-Profit Executive Directors, Chief Executive Officers, Senior Management Staff, Finance Directors, Operations Directors, HR specialists and Board Members. This conference is appropriate for non-profit organizations located in Ontario.

This conference will assist non-profit organizations to proactively manage and build capacity during these difficult economic times.

Date: Monday May 25, 2009
Time: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Location: Toronto, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Scotia Plaza, 40 King Street West, 44th Floor

The Toronto District School Board has decided to hold public budget consultations this year. There will be four meetings (one in each of the "quadrants") and specific dates and locations can be found below.

Please feel free to circulate the information widely in your community/organization/school and encourage people to attend the meetings.

Also below are dates for parents/school council members to attend "PIAC" - sponsored (Parent Involvement Advisory Committee) meetings re: "creating a vice-principal/principal profile and building successful partnerships". If you want more information about the PIAC meetings, the contact info. is at the end of the email.

CSPC-T Research and Policy Forum

Fixing Ontario’s Affordable Housing Crisis: Proposals for the Non-Profit, Co-op and Private Rental Markets

Please join us for our May forum with:

• Harvey Cooper, Co-operative Housing Federation, Ontario Region
• Sharad Kerur, Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association
• Mary Todorow, Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario

The Toronto District School Board’s budget process is here!

The TDSB is facing an $23.6 million budget shortfall for this year.

Trustees Chris Bolton, Maria Rodrigues, Cathy Dandy, and Irene Atkinson would like to hear from you!

Being held in Toronto City Hall’s Council Chambers on May 6th at 1:00 p.m., the event features Mayor David Miller and honours Dr. Ursula Franklin for her life-long dedication to social justice and peace. For more information write to [email protected] or  cal 416-260-3429.