Jenny in the Community

COVID-19 Spousal and Child Support Payments

May 8, 2020

Sent to: 

Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Chair, Cabinet Committee on the federal response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

Hon. Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance

Hon. Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility

OPEN LETTER RE: COVID-19 SPOUSAL AND CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS

Dear Ministers Freeland, Qualtrough and Morneau,

We are writng in follow up to our April 16, 2020 letter expressing concern for single parents whose spousal and child support payments have been interrupted due to COVID-19.

The eligibility criteria for the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) continue to exclude single parents who have seen their income dramatically lowered because of decreases in their ex-partner’s income due to COIVD-19. Another few weeks have gone by since we first brought this issue to your attention and the situation is becoming more desperate for these families with each passing day.

It is a major source of anxiety not only for the Canadians, predominantly women, who depend upon these support payments to make ends meet, but to their ex-partners as well, who want to see their children and former partners supported financially through the crisis and who also do not want to default on their court orders.

Concerns about Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance for Small Businesses in COVID-19 Pandemic

May 1, 2020

Sent to: 

Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Chair, Cabinet Committee on the federal response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

 

OPEN LETTER RE: CONCERNS ABOUT EMERGENCY COMMERCIAL RENT ASSISTANCE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES IN COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Dear Deputy Prime Minister Freeland,

I write you today to alert you to concerns with the recently announced Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program to assist small businesses in paying rent.

The small business community has been hit very hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, and I have been hearing from many small businesses in my riding of Vancouver East who are very worried that they will not have the revenues or cash on hand to meet their commercial rent or lease payments.

Initial details about the program were announced by the Prime Minister on April 24, including that eligible small businesses with commercial rents of no more than $50,000 per month and who have temporarily ceased operations, or who have experienced at least a 70% drop in revenues, could have their commercial rents reduced by up to 75%. It was also announced that this would be delivered via loans to the qualifying commercial property owners to cover 50 per cent of three monthly rent payments that are payable by eligible small business tenants who are experiencing financial hardship during April, May, and June; and, that the loans will be forgiven if the mortgaged property owner agrees to reduce the eligible small business tenants’ rent by at least 75 per cent for the three corresponding months under a rent forgiveness agreement, which will include a term not to evict the tenant while the agreement is in place.

Even though full details on the program have not been released, I am already hearing from constituents who have been holding out hope that this program may offer much-needed commercial rent relief that the program will not benefit them.

Human Rights Based National Housing Strategy Needed to House All Canadians

April 30, 2020

Sent to: 

Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Chair, Cabinet Committee on the federal response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) 

Hon. Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

 

OPEN LETTER RE: HUMAN RIGHTS BASED NATIONAL HOUSING STRATEGY NEEDED TO HOUSE ALL CANADIANS

Dear Deputy Prime Minister Freeland and Minister Hussen,

Canada is gripped by an unprecedented pandemic. Every single person across the country is affected by it and those who live in the margins of society are particularly vulnerable and face heightened risks. For the homeless population, the risks are glaringly apparent as they have no ability to engage in any of the safe practices recommended by medical officers.

Notwithstanding the fact that in 2019, Canada recognized that the right to adequate housing is a fundamental human right as affirmed in international human rights laws, it remains that Canada has a wide spread housing and homelessness crisis. The current COVID-19 pandemic brings to light in no uncertain terms the importance of housing for not only an individual's health, but for the overall health and safety of our communities.

The homelessness crisis is not only an affront to human rights, but also poses an enormous national public health risk. The lack of a coordinated, national strategy means that people will inevitably fall through the cracks of the patchwork efforts. This puts the individuals and the communities they live in at risk.

Supporting COVID-19 Migrant and Undocumented Workers

April 25, 2020

Sent to:

The Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Chair Cabinet Commitee on the federal response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

The Hon. Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance

The Hon. Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion

The Hon. Marco Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship

 

OPEN LETTER RE: COVID-19 MIGRANT AND UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS

Dear Ministers,

The Covid 19 pandemic has impacted everyone across Canada. I am writing to you today with my concerns about the desperate need for support for migrant workers and temporary residents during this COVID-19 pandemic. While it is welcomed that the government has put in place the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) as income support for eligible individuals including migrant workers; unfortunately, the reality for many in this country is that they still cannot access it. In particular, I would like to flag to your attention the countless migrant workers and temporary residents across the country who are in dire need.

With the current CERB requirements, those applying must have a valid Social Insurance Number (SIN). This is a problem as many migrants do not have a valid SIN for a variety of reasons. It has come to my attention that the study permit for Alina Przybly, an international student from Toronto expired in January. Notwithstanding the fact that her employer closed the restaurant that she was working at because of the pandemic, due to processing delays at IRCC, she is unable to have her study permit extended. This has caused her SIN to expire. Without a valid SIN number, she is ineligible for CERB. Ms. Przybly is now in a dire situation through no fault of her own.

 

Guaranteed Income Supplement eligibility and continuance in COVID-19 Pandemic

April 23, 2020

Sent to: 

The Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister

Hon Deb Schulte, Minister of Seniors

Hon. Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion

Hon Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of National Revenue

 

OPEN LETTER RE: GUARANTEED INCOME SUPPLEMENT ELIGIBILITY AND CONTINUANCE IN COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Ministers:

I write today in order to raise an urgent concern about seniors’ income security that impacts many families in Vancouver East.

411 Seniors Centre is a seniors’ resource organization located in my constituency. One of the services that they offer our community is a yearly Tax Clinic, in which the Centre annually assists some 2,000 seniors with completing and filing their income tax return, and assists seniors in making their annual Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) application.

In speaking with the Centre this week, they have raised their urgent concern that they won't be able to conduct this year’s Tax Clinics, even with the extended June deadline for filing 2019 income tax returns. The Centre advises that they do not have the capacity to get an online or virtual Tax Clinic system going. As it stands right now, they have six volunteers who could help with this – whereas in previous years they had over 35 seniors helping.  

 

Expanding the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy to Include Non-Profits, Charities, Municipal and Local Governments and Municipal Entities, and Health Research Institutes

April 21, 2020

Sent to: The Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister

The Hon. Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance

The Hon. Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health

The Hon. Diane Lebouthilier, Minister of National Revenue

 

OPEN LETTER RE: EXPANDING THE CANADA EMERGENCY WAGE SUBSIDY TO INCLUDE NON-PROFITS, CHARITIES, MUNICIPAL AND LOCLA GOVERNMENTS AND MUNICIPAL ENTITIES, AND HEALTH RESEARCH INSTITUTES

Ministers,

As workers, businesses and organizations await the full rollout of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy Program (CEWS), I am hearing from organizations and entities who seeking assistance to retain employees, meet urgent funding shortfalls and prevent suspension or closure of operations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. These organizations and entities have been excluded from eligibility for the CEWS, and appeal for an expansion of the criteria in order to prevent negative fallout ranging from shutdown of projects to loss of staff to permanent closure, all of which will have cascading consequences for our community.

The eligibility criteria specifically exclude public bodies, including “municipalities and local governments, Crown corporations, wholly owned municipal corporations, public universities, colleges, schools and hospitals”.

However, these exclusionary criteria will have a serious impact on Vancouver East. For example, the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) is a not-for-profit organization owned by the City of Vancouver, but which operates at arms-length and is financially independent from the City of Vancouver. Governed by a City Council-appointed independent Board of Directors, the PNE does not receive government funding; it is funded by surplus revenues generated by activities on its home sits of Hastings Park that are then invested back into the Hastings Park site and community programs. The PNE is a historic, 110-year-old institution and is a sizeable employer in my constituency. I have been advised that, at present, the PNE has 1600 part time staff not working, and that approximately 125 full-time union and management staff have been laid off; and, their annual hiring of about 2500 seasonal and part time summer staff will likely not materialize given Playland and PNE fair will not proceed due to COVID-19. At its peak operating time, the PNE employs some 4300 people. However, in her April 18 2020 daily update, Dr. Bonnie Henry advised that summer festivals, weddings, large community gatherings and things “like the PNE are not likely to happen this year”; and that "…realistically we will not be having those big events where people gather together this summer” as “we do not have enough herd immunity or community immunity to protect everybody and allow that type of event to happen.”

U.S. Border Restrictions on Asylum Seekers

April 21, 2020

Sent to: Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Chair, Cabinet Committee on the Federal Response to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)

OPEN LETTER: U.S. BORDER RESTRICTIONS ON ASYLUM SEEKERS

Deputy Prime Minister Freeland,I am writing to further follow up on my letter to you regarding the government’s decision to temporarily restrict asylum seekers from crossing irregularly from the United States border to Canada by turning them into the custody of the United States. I remain deeply concerned with the implications of this decision and the state of vulnerable asylum seekers, who face potential harm if subjected to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention. With no reply to date, I would like to follow-up on the current situation.

 

Assistance for Single Parents for whose Spousal and Child Payments are Interrupted due to COVID-19

April 16, 2020

Sent to: Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Chair, Cabinet Committee on the federal response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

Hon. Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion

Hon. Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance

 

OPEN LETTER: ASSISTANCE FOR SINGLE PARENTS FOR WHOSE SPOUSAL AND CHILD PAYMENTS ARE INTERRUPTED DUE TO COVID-19

Ministers Freeland, Qualtrough and Morneau,

The implications of Covid-19 has been far-reaching. As people continue to struggle in the face of this unprecedented pandemic, the need for government assistance is more urgent than ever. We recognize that the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) provides some relief to individuals in need but, it remains that there are many who are left behind. We are glad to see some of the changes we advocated for to close the gaps were adopted over the past weekend, however, still many people do not qualify for assistance.

Based on the current eligibility rules for CERB, it would appear that single parents who are no longer receiving vital spousal or child support payments due to their ex-partners' income being affected by COVID-19 are not eligible.   

Understandably, changes in an individual’s financial circumstances have been magnified during this time. This extends to ex-partners no longer having the income to make their spousal and child support payments, and in effect many single parents are suddenly left scrambling as their income has been severely reduced. Currently, child and spousal support does not qualify as income for the purposes of Employment Insurance (EI), nor as revenue for the purpose of qualifying for CERB.

Government Assistance in the COVID-19 Pandemic as Related to Immigration Processes

April 8, 2020

Sent to: 

The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

The Honourable Marco Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion

 

OPEN LETTER RE: GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE IN THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AS RELATED TO IMMIGRATION PROCESSES

 

Ministers:

I am writing to inquire about the implications for those applying for and in receipt of the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), wage subsidy through the Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), and other government financial assistance programs during the COVID-19 pandemic as they related to immigration processes.  As you are aware, there are many immigration-related processes that are strictly tied to people’s ability to support themselves and/or that of their loved ones.  

At the moment, we have an unprecedented pandemic and it is impacting people all across the country.  Many businesses have had to substantially reduce their operation, some even had to close their doors due to COVID-19. Many workers had their hours of work substantially reduced if not outright reduced to zero. 

 

New Immigration Measures Needed During the COVID-19 Pandemic

April 7, 2020

Sent to: Hon. Marco Mendicino, P.C., M.P., Minister of Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship

Hon. Francois-Phillipe Champagne, P.C., M.P., Minister of Foreign Affairs

Hon. Bill Blair, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

OPEN LETTER: NEW IMMIGRATION MEASURES NEEDED DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Ministers Mendicino, Champagne and Blair,

I write to you today to address concerns I have on several immigration matters in the face of COVID-19. I recognize these are unprecedented times, and the government has been put in a position where they must revaluate past procedures in response to this pandemic. Matters of immigration are of no exception. 

First, I urge that an automatic 6-month extension/renewal of temporary work permits and study visas be given to those here on a temporary status. This would reduce the amount of strain not only on IRCC, but additionally provide these temporary residents with a sense a relief during this difficult time. This automatic extension/renewal would only need to be in place until the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided. After this period the regular extension/renewal application process could resume once again.

 

Seniors Need Support - Tax Filling Deadline for the Guaranteed Income Supplement

April 7, 2020

Sent to: Hon. Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister, Chair of Cabinet Committee on COVID-19

Hon. Deb Schulte, Minister of Seniors

Hon. Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance

 

OPEN LETTER - RE: TAX FILLING DEADLINE FOR THE GUARANTEED INCOME SUPPLEMENT

Minister Schulte and Minister Hussen,

I am writing with regard to concerns expressed by seniors who receive the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) and will not be able to file their taxes by the end of April due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As you know, seniors across Canada rely on the GIS to supplement their income. As GIS is assessed on income, seniors who receive their benefit must file income taxes on time to avoid having their benefit cut-off. The GIS cut-off generally takes place in July for seniors who have not filed their income taxes.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the deadline for filling taxes has been extended to June 1, 2020 for all Canadians. When the question of how this extension will pertain to seniors who receive GIS, I was informed that the ministry has committed to ensuring that no one’s GIS will be interrupted and that mechanisms to make that happen are being worked on.

Need for Expansion of Free WIFI Access in the Downtown Eastside

April 7, 2020

Sent to: Hon. Navdeep Bain, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

Hon. Shane Simpson, Minister of Social Development & Poverty Reduction

Vancouver Mayor and Council

Hon. Melanie Mark, Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills & Training

 

OPEN LETTER - RE: NEED FOR EXPANSION OF FREE WIFI ACCESS IN THE DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE

Minister Bain, Minister Simpson, Minister Mark, Mayor Kennedy and Council,

 

I am writing with regard to the need for expanded access to free WiFi in the Downtown Eastside community.

As communities across Canada shut down to “flatten the curve” through social distancing and self-isolation, much of our work and social lives have moved online. At the same time, daily news updates from the government and information for government programs and services to assist Canadians and help keep Canadians safe during the pandemic is also best accessed through the internet. For these reasons, internet access is more important to Canadians now than ever before.