[Yhjusticenet] FW: Federal money is there for housing! Help make it flow!

[Athabasca United Church]

Hi Terry;

	I was wondering if you could pass on this information to the
Interagency Group.  At our last meeting people were wanting to know more
about how we go about building low cost housing in our communities.  As
people were unable to attend the meeting of the Poverty and Food Security
group, this may be a stimulus to advance the idea farther, within the
Athabasca Community.   A community working together can achieve the vision
we have for our community. 


Bruce Jackson DM
Athabasca United Church
Ph 780 675 2341
e-mail: athabascaunitedchurch at telus.net
4817 - 48 St.
Athabasca, Ab.  T9S 1R3


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <tdrc at tdrc.net>
To: <tdrc-on at povnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, March 18, 2006 6:03 PM
Subject:Federal money is there for housing! Help make it flow!


> PLEASE COPY, POST AND CIRCULATE:
>
> In June of 2005, Parliament approved a budget bill that included, among
other items, $1.6 billion over two years for new affordable housing. The
money was supposed to be directed to Aboriginal housing, new supply and
redevelopment. Housing advocates were pleased with the bill because (1)
Canada's nation-wide affordable housing crisis and homelessness disaster
continues to be desperate; and (2) this represents the single biggest
commitment of new housing dollars in more than a decade.
>
> Although the money was authorized by Parliament (and the bill received
Royal Assent in July of 2005), the funding was never allocated to particular
programs or projects. As a result, there is a danger that the money could be
lost. The money is supposed to be allocated out of the current federal
surplus and we need to get a commitment as soon as possible - or else the
funding could be lost.
>
> The attached backgrounder and action tips give more details.
>
> Here's what you can do:
>
> Contact your local MP, contact the federal minister responsible for
housing (Diane Finley), contact the federal finance minister (Jim Flaherty),
and contact the Prime Minister as soon as possible.
>
> It's best to make the contact as best as possible - ideally within the
next few days!
>
> Some tips for particular politicians:
>
> IF YOU ARE SPEAKING TO A CONSERVATIVE: Remind them of the urgent housing
need in your community. Tell them that the funding was approved by
Parliament and will come out of the surplus - so no new revenue / taxes
required. Tell them that the Liberals failed to allocate the funding even
though they had six months after the legislation was approved by Parliament.
Tell them that the Conservatives now have the opportunity to move ahead in
this urgent policy area where the Liberals weren't able to proceed. Ask them
to take your concerns directly to Ministers Finley and Flaherty, and to
Prime Minister Harper.
>
>
> IF YOU ARE SPEAKING TO A LIBERAL: Remind them of the urgent housing need
in your community. Tell them that the funding was approved by Parliament and
will come out of the surplus - so no new revenue / taxes required. Remind
them that
> the Liberals voted for the Parliamentary housing fund. They need to work
hard to make sure that the money is actually allocated. Ask them to press
the Conservatives to commit the dollars for the housing fund.
>
>
> IF YOU ARE SPEAKING TO A NEW DEMOCRAT: Remind them of the urgent housing
need in your community. Tell them that the funding was approved by
Parliament and will come out of the surplus - so no new revenue / taxes
required. Remind them that the New Democrats originally proposed the
Parliamentary housing fund as part of their budget bill, Bill C-48. They
need to work hard to make sure that the money is actually allocated. Ask
them to press the Conservatives to commit the dollars for the housing fund.
>
> IF YOUR ARE SPEAKING TO A BLOC QUEBECOIS: Remind them of the urgent
housing need in your community. Tell them that the funding was approved by
Parliament and will come out of the surplus - so no new revenue / taxes
required. The Bloc did not vote in favour of the original legislation (this
wasn't because they opposed the housing funding, but because of the more
general politics of the minority Parliament), but they have consistently
supported new funding for housing. Ask them to press the Conservatives to
commit the dollars for the housing fund.
>
> Thanks - Cathy Crowe
> Toronto Disaster Relief Committe
> www.tdrc.net
> 416-599-8372
> tdrc at tdrc.net