“Permanently Temporary” - A Submission to the Standing Committee on the Legislative Assembly Bill-139, an Act to amend the Employment Standards Act, 2000 by the Community Social Planning Council of Toronto

March 25, 2009

The Community Social Planning Council of Toronto (CSPC-T) is a non-profit agency engaged in research, policy analysis, community development and capacity building work. As an organization committed to social and economic justice and the improvement in the quality of life for all people living in Toronto, and a member of the Good Jobs for All Coalition, we are encouraged to see the Ontario government taking action on protecting the rights of temporary agency workers. This Bill is both critical for temp agency workers and a vital step in the province’s movement on poverty reduction. Being that a disproportionate number of temporary workers are new immigrants, women, and people from racialized backgrounds, we believe this act will work in providing greater protection for Toronto’s working communities. For these reasons, we fully support the implementation of Bill 139 and endorse the amendments proposed by our allies at the Workers’ Action Centre.

Thursday, April 30, 2009
9:30 am to 12:00 noon
NEW LOCATION
School of Public Policy and Governance, University of Toronto
14 Queen’s Park Cres. West, Main Floor
The building is located on the west side of Queen's Park, opposite the legislature.

The context
Ontario is at a crossroads. Our population, our economy and our very environment are being transformed.

Events in the Rotunda

Monday, March 30 - Friday, April 3, 2009
Refugee Rights Art Exhibition
A diverse collection of art that speaks to issues of refugee rights or to other aspects of the refugee experience.
Curator: Michelle Clarke

Community Fair
Displays and information from community organizations working with refugees.

Are your clients affected by the 3-month wait for OHIP policy?
Are you interested in learning how Quebec 3-month policy has some exemptions for:
• Pregnant women
• Women victims of violence
• Long term follow-up of infectious diseases including HIV/AIDS and TB?

David McKeown will be speaking at the event, Foodshare will be serving soup, and everyone is encouraged to come and stand in solidarity with people who are most likely to be left out of the stimulus spending being promised by our governments.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009
12:00 p.m.
Front Lawn, Queen’s Park
For more information: (416) 392-1494 www.25in5.ca

Music, Food, Video Screenings, Open Mic. Art. and Launch of www.freedomyouth.ca

Saturday, March 21, 2009
1.00 - 4.00 pm
Anitafrika! Dub Theatre62 Fraser Ave. (South west of King and Dufferin)

For more information contact:
Urban Alliance on Race Relations (416) 703-6607 ext. 3 or email: [email protected]

Friday, March 20, 2009
9:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Dalla Lana School of Public Health
155 College St. - 6th floor auditorium
( west of Queen's Park Subway Stn - at College St. & University Ave.)

Opening Address
The Honourable Dr. Alvin Curling - Co-Chair - The Review of the Roots of Youth Violence

Speakers

Parkdale

Thursday, March 19     

• Registration -  6:00-7:00 p.m. 
• Townhall - 7:00-9:00 p.m. 

Parkdale Public Library, 1303 Queen St. West.      

Domestic abuse can take various forms and can be understood through a variety of medical, social, legal, and cultural lenses. For health care and service providers, asking the right question about domestic violence and following up with the right response is not easy, particularly in a city as culturally diverse as Toronto. This edition of Café Scientifique will explore how men and women from different cultural and economic backgrounds think about and talk about domestic violence, and how front line workers can engage Toronto's different "languages of violence" in order to provide better care.

Complimentary event

Tuesday, May 19, 2009 
Reception at 5:00 p.m. and the lecture at 6:00 PM.
Fairmont Royal York, Toronto, Ontario

Moderator
Allan Gregg is one of Canada’s leading social commentators. He has an intimate knowledge of the dynamics of policy making, as well as a deep understanding of cultural change and the communications processes necessary to forge a public consensus around government initiatives.