By – Kendall Worth!
Bill C-22 hit the milestone this community has been waiting for! Passed and received Royal Assent!
Bill C22 is suppose to create the Canada Disability Benefit. I have written extensively on this Bill.
Once implemented, this benefit will be available to Persons with Disabilities all over Canada, but my reporting om the bill is now and has always been on behalf of Persons with Disabilities, here in Nova Scotia, where I live. once it is Created, My reporting on this Bill has always been on behalf of Persons with Disabilities here in Nova Scotia, where I live. I have often included reports from contacts in other provinces. Three specific examples:
First – In this BLOG post https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/2022/11/an-invitation-to-minister-carla.html I introduced the May-tree Report.
“As I pointed out above – I have contacts in other provinces and everyone I talk to agrees that Income Assistance, “welfare” as the May-tree report calls it, is not enough to live on, no matter where you live in Canada. Furthermore, I hear that in Ontario, Alberta, and possibility in other provinces, you do have to declare your assets in-order to qualify for income assistance. As I wrote about in a previous post, sadly there is no right in Canada, that protects Persons with Disabilities from having to declare their assets to provincial Income Assistance systems.”
Second – in this BLOG post https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/2023/02/emergency-funds-needed-for-persons-with.html I advocate for the implementation of emergency funds until C-22 can be implemented.
“In Nova Scotia, the Standard Household Rate for people on Income Assistance is $950.00 a month and next to no money (or NO money!) is left once rent and bills are paid. The May-tree Report provides the data that indicates welfare incomes are essentially no different, in other provinces across Canada. In most of these provinces, -- Ontario has got the ODSP for Persons with Disabilities – for most people (there is also the CPP disability program, but most people require a provincial top up) these allowances are the only thing available that even comes close to a disability living allowance, and it is NOT ENOUGH to live on.
Third – In this BLOG post https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/2022/11/persons-with-disabilities-can-relate.html I included a video of a women speaking at a rally in BC. About something that all Nova Scotian’s with a disability can relate to.
The point, I have been consistently making is that Nova Scotia is no stranger to needing a disability benefit.
The community here in Nova Scotia believe that this benefit is years overdue. Now that the Bill is passed, there are many concerns about the implementation. As this BLOG post talks about a human rights investigation and why it is needed – instead we need to call for a public inquiry or investigation… An inquiry is needed because both provincial; and federal governmnets expect people to live on so little money. Some people have suggested to me that maybe the passing and Royal assent of Bill C22 could be the impetus to call for an investigation while we are waiting for implementation. Some, I am in contact with, have suggested that Bill C22 can start of the work toward the implementation of a basic liveable income as I wrote about here.
Thankyou to NDP MP Bonita Zarrillo. who is owed a lot of praise and thanks for advocating so passionately, and pushing to get C-22 completed.
So Whats next Moving forward? It is a wait and see thing!
To play video go to: https://twitter.com/i/status/1672027034845949952
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