S yy Shis thsue: (¥ Federal government cuts English Language Training Program by $20-million And more! (Y Nun unaware of her own pregnancy gives birth to baby boy (Y Quebec seniors home fire reportedly caused by cigarette Have an idea for a story? Let us know! Contact: Patrick Vaillancourt, News Editor Mnews@theotherpress.ca www. theotherpress.ca CBC business and finance commentator under fire for praising poverty » Kevin O’Leary comments cross a threshold of common sense and decency 3 news ay @theotherpress.ca Ae finance nd business affairs commentator with a flair for controversy and sensationalist commentary has come under fire for comments made ina live broadcast which praised poverty. Kevin O'Leary, who is co- personal finance show The Lang and O'Leary Exchange, is now the subject of angry public feedback after a segment on the show January 20. Amanda Lang, who is the show’s co-host and CBC News’ senior business correspondent, opened by stating a troubling fact about the gap between the rich and poor. Lang was citing a report titled “Working for the Few,’ released by Oxfam, which : claims that the collective wealth : : of the world’s 85 richest people : is equal to that of 3.5-billion of : the world’s poorest. “This is fantastic news, and : of course I applaud it. What : could be wrong with this?” : O'Leary said. While the show’s producers : understand that O’Leary can : provide some very controversial : views, even Lang was stunned : by O’Leary’s comments on the : world’s poverty gap, simply : responding with “Really?” as she : host of the CBC News Network’s : appeared at a loss for words. O'Leary defended his : comments by saying that : the report should serve as : inspiration to poor people to : look up to the so-called “one : per cent” and feel motivated : to acquire their own financial : fortunes. “T celebrate capitalism... That’s the motivation everybody : needs. ... This is a celebratory : stat, I’m very excited about it,” : said O'Leary, while Lang argued : that individual motivation : is not the answer to abject : poverty. O'Leary is no stranger to : television controversy and is a : mainstay in business-themed : reality shows such as the CBC’s : Dragons’ Den and its American : spinoff Shark Tank. In both : shows, O'Leary is a tough : negotiator who is merciless in : his feedback to entrepreneurs : and, at times, belligerent with : some of his own colleagues on the show. While many Canadians : have expressed outrage over : O’Leary’s recent comments, : with some promising to : boycott his show, CBC has yet : to publicly release a statement : on the matter. However, Robert : Lack, executive producer of the : Lang and O'Leary Exchange, : responded to viewer complaints : McCurdy, a viewer who : protested the comments and : published the letter exchange : on his personal blog, Lack : wrote, “We expect Kevin related to a controversy in : October 2013 where O’Leary : characterized one of the show’s guests asa “left-wing nutbar”’: Kevin O'Leary and Amanda Lang // By www.rrj.ca : Lack said that the network : embraces O’Leary’s role on : the show and that the public : should understand from that : standpoint. In his letter to Patrick : O'Leary to be colourful, : outspoken, and controversial.” Outside of television, O'Leary is involved in a number : of startups through his work : on Dragons’ Den and is the : co-founder and chairman of : O'Leary Funds. O’Leary has a : personal net worth estimated at $300-million. Utah leads North American Jurisdictions In ending homelessness » Conservative US state develops radically progressive solution bebe fs Sanews Re i @theotherpress.ca Aoenatve jurisdiction in the American southwest has come up with a surprisingly progressive solution to put an end to homelessness in the next two years. In 2005, legislators in the state of Utah calculated all of the related costs of homelessness on the state, including expenses associated with health care, social workers, and the prison system. The total costs to the taxpayer in caring for one homeless person was estimated at $16,670. In contrast, it’s estimated that it would cost $11,000 to provide one homeless person with a home and a social : worker. Legislation was passed in : Utah that created the state’s : Housing First program, which : provides homeless people with : homes. Social workers are : assigned to program participants : to help in the development : of life skills, such as resumé- : writing, job search, budgeting, : and self-sufficiency. With the : program, Utah has been able to : reduce its homelessness rate by : 78 per cent, and administrators : believe they’re set to eliminate : homelessness in the state by : 2015. While the program focusses : on finding housing before : delving into other areas of : a participant's life, the Utah : model also ensures a fair level : of community involvement : and incentives for the business : community to participate as : employers in the program. In stark contrast to Utah’s : surprising implementation of a : radically progressive program, : some US cities and states are : regulating homelessness and : passing laws that effectively : make the act of homelessness : illegal. : Columbia, South Carolina : has passed a bylaw which leaves : homeless people with the : options of either leaving the : city or getting arrested. Tampa, : Florida has passed a bylaw that : allows police to arrest anyone : found sleeping in a public place : expanded its law to prohibit : panhandling and the storing of : personal property in a public : place, which includes arresting : those homeless persons who are : seen carting their possessions : around ina shopping cart. This : raises concerns, with claims that : such laws are tantamount to : profiling. Other cities, such as : Philadelphia and Raleigh, use : the method of not permitting : the feeding of homeless persons. : This has sparked protests from : religious groups and charitable : organizations. An official at the City : of Vancouver told the Other : Press that they were familiar : with the Utah program and : advised that the plan mirrored : conclusions from a 2009 report : from the National Law Center : on Homelessness & Poverty : and the National Coalition for : the Homeless titled “Homes : Not Handcuffs.” The City : of Vancouver official—who : is employed at the city’s 30 : service and indicated he was : not authorized to speak with : the media—said that the : City is committed to its long- : standing philosophy of ending : homelessness, including : tackling addiction issues and : providing those in need with : transitional housing units and : support. According to statistics : released by Charity Intelligence : Canada, the average life- : expectancy of a homeless person : is 39 years. In 2008, Canadian : taxpayers spent $1.3-billion : onservices utilized by the : estimated 157,000 homeless : persons across Canada. : Charity Intelligence estimates : that implementing a similar : program in Canada would cost : approximately $800-million, : with costs to the taxpayer being : further reduced over time as : homeless persons begin to : acquire skills and training to find : part- or full-time employment.