From Welfare to Workfare

From Welfare to Workfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE ORIGINS OF WORKFARE 1

THE BASICS OF WORKFARE . 2

PC POLICY DIRECTION OF WORKFARE 2

WHY? A CONSERVATIVE POINT OF VIEW 4

WHY NOT? AN OPPOSITION'S POINT OF VIEW 6

CONCLUSION 8

WORKS CITED

THE 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. (a program designed to help recipients find their cheques) The workfare topic was a huge issue to voters, and will effect not only the thousands of Ontario welfare recipients but every Ontarioan in one way or another.

Conservative Party propaganda

English: Ontario's flower, the Trillium grandiflor...

Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario

When the election was close, Mike Harris often called workfare his 'hand up' on the other candidates, (Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Nov. 17, 1995, 846), arguing that the current welfare system is just 'hand outs'.

The decision on behalf of the conservative party to introduce Ontario Works in Ontario is an interesting one, with respect to traditional, and modern day Conservative party beliefs. This issue will be discussed in depth further into the essay, but much research and (case) study went into the prospects of workfare by the Tories.

To better understand workfare, one must understand the basics and reasoning of welfare. John Romanyshyn wrote 'Free men living in a community of free and equal men is the democratic ideal', (Armitage, 59) which describes the ideals of welfare. Welfare is a liberal and/or democratic program and policy and is intended to allow...