Public Sector & TCHC Supporters to Make Noise at Council Vote

Monday, March 7, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Coalition, Public Sector and TCHC Supporters To Make Noise at Council Vote: Create Toronto's "Wisconsin Moment"

The Coalition To Protect Toronto Community Housing will be present at City Council on Tuesday 9:30 am, to denounce a motion that calls for the resignation of the two tenant Directors of the Toronto Community Housing Corporation board. The Coalition invites Public Sector and TCHC workers, supporters, and tenants to save Toronto's public sector - and make noise at Tuesday's vote inside City Hall.

"Forcing the two tenant Directors to resign will create a 'domino effect'. This precedent will lead to the destruction of Toronto's public sector as we know it," says Danish Ahmed. Danish is disabled, blind with albinism, and is a former TCHC tenant leading the Party for People With Special Needs. "Wiping the TCHC Board clean will allow Ford to decimate its management, losing years of valuable experience. His proposal to privatize TCHC will lead to problems across the public sector."

With the recent musings by Ford to privatize TCHC, Ahmed calls on public workers to save the public sector by coming out to support the Coalition's fight. "Let's stop Ford now and ensure the public sector is saved."

The Coalition calls for rational decision-making at TCHC. Instead of wiping the board clean, TCHC should retain the tenant Directors and implement Baltimore's proven CitiStat program and create a high level of accountability in the public sector. In fact, the tenant Directors had called for CitiStat's implementation in 2010, and their proposal was eventually ignored by Mayor Ford. "The CitiStat program as proposed by the Directors would have stopped the TCHC misspending in it's tracks. It is ironic that the Mayor, who did nothing on that matter, even when given the opportunity, is calling for their resignation," Ahmed says. "Let's save community housing, keep Toronto's public sector thriving, and send a message that rational decisions can be made with systematic improvements in accountability."

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For media information, contact Danish Ahmed at 647-439-5011, or email coalition@ppsn.on.ca

The Party for People With Special Needs
Where all people are part of our community.
ppsn.on.ca

Protest Mayor's Call for TCHC Tenant Directors to Step Down

Sunday, March 6, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Coalition to Protest Against Mayor's Call for TCHC Tenant Directors To Step Down

The Coalition to Protect Toronto Community Housing Corp. (TCHC) will hold a protest and press conference on Monday, March 7th at 1pm at 931 Yonge St. to rebuff calls from Mayor Rob Ford that TCHC's elected Tenant Directors resign.

The Coalition believes that it is imperative that these two directors remain on the board in order to ensure continuity of tenant representation at the Toronto Community Housing Corporation. If they are in fact removed from the board, the Coalition contends that tenant representation will soon become non-existent.

The two have been elected by tenants to serve a full term up to December 31, 2011. Even though the City has ultimate control over who serves on the Board, none of the tenants who voted had an expectation that their elected directors would be terminated early without cause or without fault found.

"In fact," says Danish Ahmed, leader of the Party for People with Special Needs and former TCHC tenant, "We call on the two of them to serve as interim co-chairs on the board of TCHC."

In November 8, 2010 and January 1, 2011, the two directors made a pair of requests to Doug and Rob Ford that an equivalent of Baltimore's CitiStat accountability program be established in Toronto, starting with TCHC. The program would save hundreds of millions of dollars and would ensure accountability at TCHC on a bi-weekly basis. Mayor Ford ignored this request and called on the tenant directors to resign.

The Party for People with Special Needs is a leading voice in the Coalition, and its leader points to the CitiStat proposal as an example of the tenant directors' dedication to accountability at Toronto Community Housing Corporation.
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2007/04/pdf/citistat_report.pdf

"The removal of the two elected directors would spark discontinuity at TCHC. The pair have shown that they are committed to serving their tenants and the City competently," Ahmed says. "Our proposal is that they be appointed interim co-chairs to bring the innovations they have recommended for accountable government to Toronto."

Further information on the Coalition and its protest can be found at:
http://specialneedsparty.blogspot.com/

For media requests regarding the coalition, contact Danish Ahmed
at 647-439-5011 or cell 416-500-0216 or coalition@ppsn.on.ca

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LIVE Events

Press Box

NOW Magazine mentions Danish Ahmed, for Ward 3 Councillor
http://www.nowtoronto.com/news/story.cfm?content=194660

Ontario By-Elections

Considered two of the most impressive candidates.
http://theagenda.tvo.org/blog/agenda-blogs/disappointing-day-scarborough-guildwood

Quoted: "When we help people with disabilities, we are actually helping everybody."
http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/3905764-scarborough-guildwood-candidates-talk-subways-physiotherapy-during-debate/

Ottawa Citizen
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/touch/story.html?id=8673573


Ontario Labour Strife Hurting Special Needs Kids: Mom
http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/politics/archives/2013/01/20130103-210719.html

Toronto Sun, Some TCHC board members refuse to quit
http://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2011/03/07/17528431.html
Video: http://www.torontosun.com/video/featured/toronto-and-gta/5745370001/some-tchc-board-members-refuse-to-quit/817579448001

CTV, Tenants say they're against privatizing TCHC
http://toronto.ctv.ca/story/th/20110307/tchc-press-conference-110307

NewsTalk 1010, Tenants On Community Housing Board Won't Resign
http://www.newstalk1010.com/News/localnews/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10212691

680 News, Group of tenants want community housing to remain public
http://www.680news.com/city%20hall/article/193835--group-of-tenants-want-community-housing-to-remain-public

John Dowson - Registered Disability Savings Plan
More info: www.life-trust.com

$2 million press release coming soon...

Contact Us

Dan King, Executive Director
505 - 341 Bloor Street West
Toronto, Ontario
M5S-1W8
E-Mail: info@ppsn.on.ca
Tel: (416) 595-1782
Fax: (416) 960-9460

Danish Ahmed, Leader of the Party, Toronto Trinity-Spadina
Tel: (647) 439-5011
Facebook: facebook.com/MrDistinct


Dan King, Whitby-Oshawa
Sujith Reddy, Eglinton-Lawrence
John Redins, Ottawa South
Julia Stellings, Kitchener-Waterloo

Policy Statement

Suspension of the 10-year Backfiling Limits for People with Disabilities:

On January 1st. 2010 the Tax Department will take away back-filing privileges for people with disabilities for the 1999 tax year.  Their tax credits will be lost forever!!

Government actions have resulted in an annual COUNTDOWN FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.  On December 15th families will have only 16 days left to file an application for the 1999 Disability Tax Credit or lose $1067!

After December 31st 2009 over 1 million Canadian families who care for a disabled relative will be denied their 1999 income tax refunds -- denied in an arbitrary "administrative" ruling.

The largest group of taxpayers in Canada with outstanding tax matters going back more than 10 years, is people with a disability.  Their legitimate tax refunds are their property.

PPSN demands a 5-year suspension of the 10-year tax deadline in order that our community can communicate with the vast majority of people with a disability to help them recover what is theirs.

If they wish, the federal government can reinstate the "administrative" regulation after we have eliminated all arbitrary confiscation of refunds, and ensure that all Canadians with a disability have recovered everything they are entitled to.

MORE COMING SOON...

Party Issues

See detailed recommendations to Justice Committee, Bill 140

Ontario Housing - $904 Capital maintenance budget.

Registered Disability Savings Plan - no clawback.

Time Bomb - Where to street people come from?

Qualifying street people for ODSP - outreach Welfare to ODSP - Let's speed up the slow path.

ODSP - A provincial responsibility

ODSP delays - Ontario Ombudsman's report ODSP Operations - Shelter Allowance and unqualified tax advice re. rental revenue

Audiology - where is a national standard?

Regional displacement of people with disabilities to Toronto.

Problems with diet supplements and OCAP.

DTC 1986 - $1B lost to PWD in 2004

CRA and DTC trick letters, trick questions DTC requalification Audits on DTC Clients re. other matters - the need for assistance ODSP allowance - liveability calculations Accessibility in Ontario

A single qualification standard for Canadians - DTC, ODSP, CPP

A National Disabilities Card

CRA Mischief - tax advice from your government Disability and Divorce - families at the breaking point Disability and Bankruptcy - a booming business

A Message from the Leader of The Party for People with Special Needs

My name is Danish Ahmed. You may not realize it, but I'm actually Pakistani. I'm an albino, which makes my hair and skin white. The albinism also causes me to be legally blind. And although I have these disabilities, I lead a very functional, rich, and fulfilling life.

The Party for People with Special Needs was created because we have a population of people who have disabilities and who deserve to lead functional, rich, and fulfilling lives. Why is this important to you? We have a growing elderly population, and your parents will likely end up with a disability. Most importantly, without knowing it, you are likely to have a friend or co-worker who does have a physical or emotional impairment. My disabilities may be obvious to some people, but most people’s disabilities are not so obvious.

Good government can be about long-term solutions to problems we can see today, and to challenges that are foreseeable in our future. Our population of people with special needs needs a solution that is long-term. People with disabilities aren’t going away, and that’s good news. By accommodating people, by being conscious of special needs, and by embracing diversity, we stimulate our economy for people to create more, for people to connect with more people, and for people to be more. This is the opportunity government has to make a difference for all people.

Our government has been a leader in equal rights and access for all people. I want to inspire all people, to know that no matter what the adversities are of their life, that we live in a culture today that allows us to pursue our individual dreams and visions.

The Party for People with Special Needs
-- Where all people are part of our community.