SOUND

I am a 54 year old male. I do not drink alcohol. I do not take drugs –not even Aspirin. I used to be a hard working, high-tax paying citizen.

Due to absolutely no willing participation of mine, I have become a disabled person. The nature of my disability is such that I am not going to get better. My sole source of income is the paltry disability benefit provided by the province. The actions of the Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance while I was trying to get assistance drove me nuts. I also came very close to starving and freezing to death.

I do not apply for any further benefits that may be due to me, because in the past they have been denied, ignored or arbitrarily reduced. I have won tribunal appeals, only to have the legally binding decision ignored. I have needed glasses for 7 years. The local optometrist charges more than the amount covered and I cannot afford to travel the 500kms round trip from my home to the One Hour Optical which charges within the rates allowed by MEIA.

I need surgery. Last year MEIA approved transit and motel room for myself and a required escort. Rather than mailing the cheque to me, as requested, they held it at the office. When I found out, it was too late for me to go. This messed up the transportation, the escort, the hotel, the doctor and the hospital. I still need the surgery. I will not go to the ministry again, because I cannot deal with the bureaucratic incompetance and stonewalling. I cannot handle the stress. As a result, the surgery will not happen.

My 16 year old diabetic son is now living with me. To get my abused son put into my file was a month of unmitigated hell. I will not apply for any diabetic supplement for him. I will not get my hopes up only to have them dashed by a mealy-mouthed, mean-spirited, obstructionist system that demands everything but a note from my dead mother. (Oops! Did I just give them another tool??)

The demands are not an upfront package of requirements, but a series of one-at-a-time hurdles or hoops. The hoops keep getting higher and smaller until you finally miss and fall to your death. It appears that MEIA will pay the salary (of $50,000 per year?) to screw a person out of $50. Denial seems to be their watchword. How much waste do they cause as a result? A forensic audit would be interesting. How much human suffering do they cause? Unmeasurable.

Now, to the present. The Budget. The Premier in the throne speech indicated “up to $94″ for support. Plus $50 for shelter. I will get $47 for support. The $50 I will have to fight for, in order to pay for the electricity for light or firewood for heat. The Premier then announced that he is going to go for a surcharge on utilities to pay for “Green Initiatives.” This, of course, must be approved by the Public Utilities Board. There goes the $47. At this point I insert an email from a friend:

Did you see [Claude Richmond] on the news he said he knew rents would go up across the board, and it would not help the poor. That’s what I told him last October!!!

The liberals wrote a law that states that rents can only go up 3% each year, but that they can raise it at a one time only rate to, let’s say, $50 per month effective April 1st, 2007. SURPRISE!!! So slum landlords get a $50 raise plus a 10% tax cut, JOY. And yes, Hydro gets to take your $47 ASAP.

I am so very tired of the government’s shuck and jive, their smoke and mirrors, their outright indifference and self-serving deceptions. What exactly will I receive from the government’s latest benevolence? Nothing but dashed hopes. I may be a disabled person, but I do perform a service for this society. For what greater task is there than to be a kind, caring, loving, guiding parent? The next time you see the Premier and his double chins, please remind him that he eats far too well.

An Advocate’s Notes: The writer has a son very ill with Juvenile Diabetes. Welfare knows this but wants a doctor’s note for a Diabetic Food Allowance, and it must be renewed every year. There is no cure for Diabetes so what a waste of tax dollars, paying a Doctor over and over, for how many Diabetics? (Cost in millions over years.) The man will not apply for anything, he has PTSD (Post Tramatic Stress Disorder). Welfare also know this.

Dogs get better care; the SPCA speaks for dogs.

Whenever advocates try to help the man, welfare goes around the advocate and makes direct contact with this man. I’ve seen the results.

The man can hardly walk, due to uncontrollable shaking.

Welfare saves millions on these type of people and our medical systems spends hundreds of millions picking up the pieces. What is the cost of a Hospital stay for a diabetic child who can’t eat a special diet, due to just plain dumb policy?

When the Liberals took power the where 22,000 Disabled on welfare in BC, there are now 59,000 plus.

After reading this you have may have new knowledge, what will you do now?

Action: To immediately connect local, marginalized people with economic and health resources, click here. To participate in the Raise the Rates campaign, click here.

The Voice of the Voiceless column supports marginalized people to “tell it like it is” without fear of repercussion. Anonymity is always permitted.