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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2004-01-29, Page 7Brussels Village Market hcwe the incytedienb, 887-9740 :1ves DOUG GOUGH, R.I.B. (ONT.) CAIB, Manager IVES INSURANCE BROKERS LTD. - BLYTH OFFICE 184 Dinsley St. W. Box 428 Blyth, ON NOM 1H0 Tel: (519) 523-9655 Fax: (519) 523-9793 All Classes of Insurance • WWW.IVESINSURANCE.COM THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2004. PAGE 7. Women to take research re port to province By Elyse DeBruyn Citizen staff On Jan. 29, two women will make a presentation of their action research project on abused women in rural areas to Laural Broten, MPP and parliamentary assistant to Dalton McGuinty. Broton will listen to the recommendations for changes regarding abused women in Ontario Works and relay them back to McGuinty and his party for a decision. After completing a study on abused women in Huron County and their experiences with Ontario Works, Women Today of Huron sponsored and participated in an action research project and submitted it to the provincial government recommending some changes in Ontario Works. Colleen Purdon, project co- ordinator and Pam Hanington, executive director of Women Today, held a presentation about the report, at the Women Today of Huron Resource Centre in Goderich on Jan. 21. The report defined Ontario Works as an employment-tied approach to social assistance that forces all welfare recipients except mothers with pre-school-aged children and people with disabilities to participate in work to "earn" their social. assistance cheques. It included interviews with 20 women from Huron County who had been on Ontario Works since 1995 and were dealing with abuse. In June 2003, nine of the women interviewed attended a workshop to discuss the themes from the interviews, how the system helped or hindered them from leaving their abusive relationships and recommended what changes could Country Fare By Patricia Ham, A Hoping you will enjoy and use some of the recipes I will be giving each month. They have -all been tested by me in my home, and will come from many sources. They are easy family food that teenagers and parents will enjoy. HASHED-BROWN POTATOES 2 cups cold cooked potato salt and pepper 1 tbsp. flour 3 tbsp. bacon fat Chop potatoes finely, sprinkle with flour, salt and pepper. Melt fat in frying pan, add potatoes and brown quickly, turning over several times with a fork. When well heated form into an oval-shaped mound, 1/2-inch thick and brown. Turn over with a spatula and brown the other side. Remove carefully to a small platter keeping oval shape. Serves 4. RED CABBAGE APPLE AND SAUSAGE 1 pound farmer sausage, well be made to improve the system. Some recommendations in the report include making changes to the way Ontario Works responds to victims of domestic violence, creating new program so women leaving abusive relationships can access Ontario Works funds prior to leaving and providing women with phone services, including initial hookup fees and monthly bill subsidies so they can feel safe in their home. The report also recommends creating a policy that places the onus on an outside agency to find the father for child support purposes, so the woman doesn't have to re- expose herself to the abusive partner. The women also asked for more support and benefits from Ontario Works like covering the cost of all prescription medications as well as dental and optical needs. It said the women who have left their abusers should not be immediately pushed to get into the workforce. One reason the emotional healing time needed and the second is that children who come from an abusive home need their mothers available to them. Another recommendation is being able to put money into savings so that they can eventually get out of the system and be self-sufficient and keep an education savings for their children. These recommendations came from problems started in 1995 when the Ontario government began an overhaul of the provincial welfare system, with a 21.6 per cent rate cut to all welfare recipients. Then in 1996, the federal government dismantled the Canada Assistance Plan (CAP) which required all provinces to meet federal standards for social assistance in order to receive uburn School House browned in skillet 1 medium red cabbage, shredded 3 apples, peeled, cored, sliced 1 tbsp. vinegar salt In a greased casserole, layer apple and red cabbage beginning and ending with apple. Rinse skillet with vinegar and pour over casserole contents. Top with browned sausage pieces. Cover and bake at 350°F approximately 45 minutes. Serves 6. BAKED LEMON SPONGE PIE 2 tbsp. butter 3 tbsp. lemon juice and grated rind 1 cup milk 2/3 cup sugar 2 eggs separated 2 tbsp. flour 1 - 9" uncooked pie shell Combine and beat well, butter, sugar, egg yolks, lemon juice, rind, flour and milk. Beat egg whites until very stiff, fold into batter and pour into pie shell. Bake 10 minutes at 400°F, reduce oven heat to 350°F. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean. This sponge pie is an old-fashioned dessert that anyone can cook up and enjoy. funding. The CAP was replaced with the Canada Health and Social Transfer program that made it possible for the Ontario government to proceed with the introduction of a new approach to social assistance called Ontario Works. The project arose from two primary concerns in the commun- ities of Huron. The first was that in rural communities, Ontario Works has undermined the safety of abused women, especially those who have left or want to leave their abusive relationships, making these women more vulnerable to violence and abuse. The second was the Ontario Works policy being a reflection of an urban bias and it assumes that there are jobs to get, affordable and safe places to live, available childcare and transportation. "There needs to be more focus on women's safety," said Purdon. Purdon said to get into the Ontario Works program, "all assets had to go," including retirement savings and a car worth more than $5,000. "Our key finding was that there is simply not enough money for people on welfare to live," said Purdon. A single woman will receive $521 a month, a single parent with one child receives $997 a month , two parents and two children receive $1,250 and a single parent with two children will receive $1,340. Hanington said that the system is chasing women and children out of rural areas with lack of support and limited available jobs. "We need to ask ourselves, how as a community can we support these women so they don't leave," said Hanington. Hanington went on to say that it is hard to get off the system because people can't save their money or financially plan for their future. She said some of these women are living in poverty because Ontario Works calculates every cent of income that a women brings home including money loaned from friends or family, child support from the father and baby bonuses, then it is deducted from her welfare cheque. In Huron County, Hanington said a lot of the women get off Ontario Works by leaving the area for better jobs in the city, get involved with another man and depend on him for financial support or go back to the abuser. Purdon consulted with Ontario Works staff to gather information regarding the changes in Ontario Works that they would like to see happen. Their recommendations were as follows; to implement province- wide training for Ontario Works staff on abuse issues and how to respond to them, continue building community partnerships between them and local organizations, consideration towards increasing base level of benefits for recipients and the consideration to review the "necessities of life" under the Ontario Works program. "The meeting went great and they were so helpful. They have difficult jobs by having to say no to needy people," said Purdon. Everyone's invited to See Re Central Huron Secondary School Opens its Doors To All Grade Eight Students and their Parents Wednesday, January 28th The excitement begins at 7:oo pm \ Information Session in Large Cym Band and Student Council Presentation Many Tours and Activities Refreshments Available E Wonderful Prizes to be Won Snow much fun It was a perfect day on Sunday for people to enjoy an afternoon of snowshoeing at the Wawanosh Nature Centre. (Vicky Bremner photo)