Benefits Reform Action Group Archives - Page 2 of 3

When ends never meet – Tim Blades at the My Week on Welfare screening for Nova Scotia MLAs

September 21, 2018 1 Comment

On Wednesday evening several MLAs from all three parties attended a screening of My Week on Welfare at the auditorium of the Nova Scotia Art Gallery in downtown Halifax. My Week on Welfare is a wonderful documentary, produced by Jackie Torrens, that offers glimpses into the lives of income assistance recipients, families and individuals both, trying to make ends meet on a scandalously low food and shelter budget. The screening was organized by BRAG and CASAR members. What follows is what poverty advocate and Nova Scotia Advocate contributor Tim Blades told the MLAs.

Letter – Poverty activists to Community Services bureaucrats: Could we speak with your manager, please

August 23, 2018

The Benefits Reform Action Group sent a letter to the Community Services Standing Committee, explaining why it is no longer interested in meetings with bureaucrats that go nowhere.

Why talk when nobody listens? Benefit Reform Action Group halts discussions with Community Services

July 12, 2018 4 Comments

The annual review for people on social assistance is intrusive, stressful, and often unnecessary. But when BRAG complained to the Standing Committee it turned into a lengthy exchange of letters. Enough of that, says BRAG. Here is the story, as told by Kendall Worth.

Poverty activist Kendall Worth on May Day: All we can do is continue to fight and hope things get better

May 12, 2018 1 Comment

Poverty activist Kendall Worth reminds people attending the Halifax May Day celebration that the desire for dignity and a half decent life is as real and as urgent for people on social assistance as it is for all working people.

News brief: Efforts of Kendall Worth recognized at Province House

October 20, 2017

Our frequent contributor Kendall Worth was recognized at Province House earlier this week for his tireless anti-poverty activism. Way to go, Kendall!

Changing the definition of welfare cheats — My Week on Welfare screening in Dartmouth North.

September 29, 2017

A screening of My Week on Welfare, the no holds barred view into the lives of people caught up in Nova Scotia’s welfare system, will be held October 4 at the Dartmouth North Community Centre. We talk to Tim Blades, who helped organize the event, about why these kinds of meetings are so important and liberating for people on social assistance. Oh, and the screening is sponsored by the Nova Scotia Advocate.

News brief: Anti-poverty organizers get organized

September 13, 2017

Members of the Benefits Reform Action Group (BRAG), anti-poverty activists with a focus on Nova Scotia’s heartless welfare regime, spent an entire day talking about strategy and big pictures.

Kendall Worth: Why I spoke at the Halifax Labour Day event and what I learned

September 7, 2017

Poverty activist Kendall Worth spoke fearlessly at the Halifax Labour Day celebrations. Here he talks about what that was like, and why it makes perfect sense to talk about social assistance and poverty at a Labour event.

Labour and the very poor in Nova Scotia

June 28, 2017

First voice welfare activists in Nova Scotia are trying very hard to raise awareness about the incredibly difficult living conditions they have to deal with on a daily basis. At times it seems like nobody is listening. And nobody is helping them. Lately there have been modest signals that Nova Scotia’s labour movement at least is hearing them. There is a long way to go, but it’s something to build upon.

Kendall Worth: An open letter to Kelly Regan, the new minister of Community Services

June 21, 2017 1 Comment

After the defeat of Joanne Bernard we now have a new minister of Community Services in Kelly Regan. Kendall Worth, frequent contributor and chair of the Benefits Reform Action Group, wrote this open letter to tell her what’s wrong with the department in terms of income assistance, and how to fix it.