Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeWorldOttawa should clarify CERB repayment, AG says + shelters turning people away...

Ottawa should clarify CERB repayment, AG says + shelters turning people away as winter approaches


Good morning. This is the Wednesday, Dec. 7 edition of First Up, the Star’s daily morning digest. Sign up to get it earlier each day, in your inbox.

Doug Ford is defending his plan to shuffle the Greenbelt, saying the Liberals also made changes to the land. Here’s what we know about the past changes — and what makes Ford’s plans different.

Here’s the latest on the provincial NDP’s leadership, CERB repayment and a lack of shelter space ahead of winter.

DON’T MISS:

Marit Stiles has won an uncontested race to lead the Ontario New Democrats

The long-time NDP activist and second term MPP is set to be the leader of the provincial NDP — without having gone through so much as a candidates debate, Kristin Rushowy, Robert Benzie and Rob Ferguson report. The New Democrats had hoped there would be some competition in order to campaign and create buzz around the contest, but the entry deadline came and went with no other MPPs making their bid. Stiles succeeds Andrea Horwath, who led the party since 2009, resigned in June and is now mayor of Hamilton. Here’s how political leaders are reacting to the win.

  • More: “It shows that we are a united party; we’re not interested in being divided,” Stiles told reporters at Queen’s Park about the lack of competition.
  • Watch for: Party members were supposed to elect the new leader on March 4. It remains unclear how long interim NDP leader Peter Tabuns will stay on the job.

Ottawa should clarify whether it’s forgiving CERB overpayments or not, the AG says

The federal government sent $4.6 billion in emergency COVID-19 relief funds to Canadians who didn’t qualify for CERB, Auditor General Karen Hogan said in a report Tuesday. An additional $27.4 billion send to individuals and employers should be investigated further, she said. While it would be reasonable for Ottawa to forgive the overpayment, Hogan said, it should now clarify its plans to Canadians and let them know whether or not they have to worry about giving the money back. Christine Dobby reports on what Ottawa has done so far about repayment and how it plans to move forward.

  • More: Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough said the government has been reviewing every file and following up on each one. Despite some advocates and opposition MPs calling for forgiveness, Qualtrough said “Canadians are fair-minded,” and many people have already repaid the funds or negotiated repayment plans.

Threats to clear an encampment and a shelter closing are raising concerns about Toronto’s plans this winter

Alan Donaldson usually starts by calling shelter systems beyond the city. “Every area — York, Peel, Barrie, Toronto — all of them full,” he laments. In that case, he’ll head to a subway station or ride a streetcar back and forth — just to find a place to sleep for the night. As winter sets in, the search for a roof doesn’t get any easier. Approximately 180 callers were turned away from shelters each day throughout October, Victoria Gibson and Ben Mussett report. Now, an encampment site outside of a church is set to be cleared Thursday, just after a temporary shelter in an Esplanade hotel shut down this week. What’s next for the city — and those who are unhoused?

  • By the numbers: There were 8,992 people considered actively homeless in October 2021. A year later, that number had risen to 9,622. Although more people are being housed now compared to last year, the rate isn’t enough to relieve the pressure, and more and more people are being turned away from shelters.
  • More: The encampment removal notice has led some to accuse the city of relocating people rather than fixing the underlying issue. The church’s priest worries that people will be disconnected from the supports and services in the area.

WHAT ELSE:

Oleg V. Stepanov is the Russian ambassador to Canada.

ICYMI:

For many in Toronto, the Creed name was a symbol of wealth, status and immigrant success. But today, a new generation of immigrants allege the Creeds have ensnared them in a predatory business deal that's decimated their hard-won earnings.

They were an iconic Toronto family who built an empire off furs, fashion and dry cleaning. As business after business failed, others paid the price.

CLOSE-UP:

Cambria Harris, daughter of Morgan Harris, speaks during a news conference calling on the federal government to take action to end violence against Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people, in the Foyer of the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Tuesday.

PARLIAMENT HILL: Cambria Harris, daughter of Morgan Harris, calls on the federal government to take action to end violence against Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people during a news conference in the Foyer of the House of Commons on Tuesday. Police identified Morgan Harris as one of four women killed by an alleged serial killer in Winnipeg, but her body has not yet been found.

Thank you for reading First Up. You can reach me and the First Up team at firstup@thestar.ca

Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox.



Source link

RELATED ARTICLES

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

- Advertisment -

Most Popular

Recent Comments