From Welfare to WorkfareTABLE OF CONTENTSTHE ORIGINS OF WORKFARE 1THE BASICS OF WORKFARE . 2PC POLICY DIRECTION OF WORKFARE 2WHY? A CONSERVATIVE POINT OF VIEW 4WHY NOT? AN OPPOSITION'S POINT OF VIEW 6CONCLUSION 8WORKS CITEDTHE ORIGINS OF 'WORKFARE'There's an old joke that goes something like... Where do you hide a welfare recipient's cheque, where he'll never find it? Under his work boots. When Mike Harris was campaigning for the Progressive conservative party in 1994 he promised a 'common sense revolution'. This mixed with the huge unpopularity of Bob Ray's policies, made him a favourite for the upcoming election. With this new 'common sense revolution', came Ontario Works, or workfare. ...view middle of the document...
These are principles consistent with the liberal democracy point of view. Nowhere does welfare help the community or society. (Conservative beliefs) Welfare should help people in their time of need until they get back on their feet. This was becoming less and less the case in the late eighties and early nineties, when welfare abuse became such a major issue. According to the Progressive Conservatives, this gave way to workfare.'UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS OF WORKFARE'As earlier stated, the subject of workfare was first introduced in the 1994 campaign of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party. After the election of Mike Harris and the PC party a committee was set up by the Minister of Community and Social Services, the Honourable David Tsubouchi, comprised of MPP's to study how the promised of workfare should be executed. Communities and MPP's of all parties were encouraged to give their suggestions on how to better implicate workfare. (Legislative Assembly of Ontario, March 28, 1996, pg. 1966.)Ontario Works policy direction taken by the Ontario Progressive Conservative GovernmentWorkfare is intended to put 'able-bodied welfare recipients to work in exchange for their welfare benefits'. (Legislative Assembly of Ontario, March 29, 1996, pg. 1650) Here are some main points of Ontario Works program:* handicapped, elderly, injured, full time students, and single parents with young children will be excluded from mandatory workfare.* recipients will be required to work, or volunteer, seventeen hours per week, in order to receive assistance.* municipal social services will work directly with charity and community organizations for volunteer and employment services.The main intention of workfare is to help the welfare recipient become self-sufficient and ultimately get him/her employment. The full plans were introduced in the Ontario legislature on June 18, 1996 by the honourable David Tsubouchi, when he discussed the three major ways that Ontario Works will be a success.1) Contracting out job agencies: These agencies will be paid two hundred dollars up front to find the recipient a job. If employment for the recipient is not found, the two hundred dollars must be paid back. The agency can then receive two more payments; one after three months employed, and one after six months employed. The agency can only receive a maximum of twelve hundred dollars per recipient.2) Welfare recipient entrepreneurs: Many of the welfare recipients today have bright ideas of starting their own businesses. Ontario works will hook the recipients up with other agencies specializing in entrepreneurship. If the recipient's business is established, the agency will be paid accordingly.3) Ontario Works will provide recipients with access to tools necessary in getting a job in the nineties. ie. Computers, printers, fax machines, etc. This will also include basic education and training as necessary.(The above cited from the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, June 18, 1996.)Onta...
