An Open letter to Trudeau and Qualtrough
By Kendall Worth!
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| Pic of PM Trudeau and Carl Qualtrough taken 2018 following passage of C-81. From C Qultrough's twitter feed |
Dear Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister Carla Qualtrough;
I see that Bill C-22 has passed second reading. I am a poverty advocate/activist in Nova Scotia. I invite you to read this previous blog where I congratulate Minister Qualtrough on moving fast to get this Bill introduced, and proposed the CERB based $2000 /mo as the level of the provided allowance.
I want to congratulate you, Min. Qualtrough, on this tweet.
In the eyes of the community I advocate for, this tweet points out that you really are listening to the concerns of the disability community, and understand that they live in poverty.
I also want to congratulate Justin Trudeau for this tweet, and the speech in the video attached to the tweet.
To watch Video linked to the above tweet about a Disability Question being asked in the House see:
https://twitter.com/i/status/1582834554800594944
Prime Minister, for what you said in this video, I want to commend you for giving the answer you gave to that Green Party member’s question.
Your answer, to the question in the video, Prime Minister, gives the disability community hope.
In this BLOG post I pointed out an example of the quality of life of Nova Scotians with disabilities. Not being able to make a trip to Ottawa to to join a rally on Parliament Hill is an example. The community of people I advocate for, hopes that you will move fast on doing the large amount of work that still needs to be done to make this benefit available. Living on the $950.00 Standard House Hold Rate, as it is called, for Income Assistance recipients, in Nova Scotia, is just one example.
I am sure you understand that when a person with a disability in Nova Scotia receives only $950.00 a month to live on, that after rent, power and phone is paid, (assuming you have housing, as there is nothing available to rent that you can afford, if not) and after buying groceries, clearly they cannot afford to take that trip to Ottawa to join that rally. There is not just no money for travel but not enough money for the basics of life, as I point out here. .
Travelling is only one of the pleasures of life Persons with Disabilities miss out on. The Employment Support and Income Assistance Program (ESIA) is the only allowance we have available here In Nova Scotia that even comes close to a disability allowance. From my own experience, I once considered moving to Ontario as the rates seemed higher. I am pretty happy I did not make this move, because I have learned from contacts in Ontario that if I was living in Ontario and receiving ODSP I would not be much better off and my quality of life would not be any better. Person with Disabilities, just like the general population in Canada, should have the right to live where they want to live, and travel.
When it comes to the new disability benefit, the following should also be considered:
The existence of a disability benefit does not eliminate the fact that housing needs to remain affordable and safe for everyone.
Considering the Increasing in the homeless population, we need more affordable housing in Canada.
In addition to having the ability to pay rent, eat healthy, and pay Bills, people should have freedom to keep themselves out of social isolation, which should be included in a persons with disabilities living allowance. As this article points out, living without social isolation – having others to rely on , improves mental health and well being as well as improving quality of life.
in most, if not all provinces if you are collecting EI while you are receiving Income Assistance it will be clawed back from provincial Income Assistance at 100%. Sources from the disability community recently told me you are looking at these Claw-backs as part of your work at the Federal Level. So I think it is important for you to be aware of this.
In Nova Scotia for example, if you are on Income Assistance and you receive $640 a month from Employment Insurance, that is going to come off Income Assistance at 100%/. That will give you a $430.00 from Income Assistance.
There is so much to consider is and look at with this work. We are all hoping, that, at this point, this Bill can move fast. Persons with Disabilities are getting tried of so little to live on. I look forward to any further response – and the speedy passage and proclamation of the Bill.
Yours Truly;
Kendall Worth!
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