By Kendall Worth!
Starting off with a bit of general background about the tittle of this BLOG post. Just like this BLOG post from January 30th talks about https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/2023/01/while-inflation-continues-to-behave-out.html it is still relevant today - 6 months later - because these days I still hear (As the above linked BLOG post points out) of people not being able to afford groceries. Also, I am still hearing about people on income assistance who have no choice but to put stuff back, when they pay for their purchases, because their bill comes to more than what they are prepared to pay. Also, as this BLOG post here https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/2023/04/this-sitting-of-province-house-just.html points out, no increase in the Nova Scotia Income Assistance rates, adds fuel to the fire. People who have no choice in life, but to depend on Income Assistance, are suffering.
And, Federal Minister Carla Qualtrough if you see this, you recently told the Globe and Mail it is going to take up to 16 months for the Disability Benefit to take effect, for those who qualify to start receiving payments. The disability community, here in Nova Scotia where I live, is calling this unacceptable. The Senate passed an amendment saying that payments should start in 12 month from Royal Assent. Royal Assent happened at the end June 2023 and that makes June 2024 12 months later. Also this move to take 16 months for those who will qualify to start receiving payments means persons with disabilities have to suffer that much longer.
And another thing, is that the homeless population continues to increase at rapid speed. We have almost 1000 people, here in Halifax Nova Scotia where I live, homeless now. Another roughly 200 to 300 living rough. As the Federal NDP are fighting for, we need Emergency Funds for persons with disabilities.
However, with inflation on the rise, and the homeless population increase, there is an everlasting need for those Emergency Funds.
However, these days it is not only people on government incomes who are effected by the ongoing inflation. Lately, I had been seeing in the news that even working people are becoming homeless. It is because of lack of affordable housing and they cannot afford to pay rent on their earned incomes. Our provincial Government continues to behave like they want to do nothing to help. And yes with the Federal Government one time Grocery Store rebate of $235.00; it has got issues. However that rebate was spent as fast as it was received by those who needed that rebate. The GST Rebate is only once every 3 months and a drop in the bucket. The last time I ever saw our Provincial Government here in Nova Scotia do anything to help was this past Christmas - December 2023 – when they gave that one time payment of $250.00 to Income Assistance recipients.
The nightmare of everyone and anyone suffering has got to stop!
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