Vancouver Election Special

Hastings and May: Guaranteed income.

"the plan would provide a base-level income to all Canadians based on regional differences"

I agree, dont we do this already? seems like common sense to me.

“You have to prove that you deserve your welfare cheque. You have to hide it if you make income somewhere else,” she said, referring to existing rules that place the onus on recipients to receive aid."

damn right the onus is on you to prove you need welfare, unless someone has a permanent disability or something to that effect.

Have you ever attempted to apply for welfare, Chris H? A few years ago, in the midst of a rather severe bout of chronic depression which involved semi-regular anxiety attacks, I lost my job and was risking losing my home because I couldn't pay rent without an income. Homelessness would NOT have positively impacted my mental health. I figured a month or two of welfare would provide the help I needed to deal with my depression and anxiety problems and get back on my feet so I went to the office to file an application. I even pre-emptively got a doctor's note, assuming it would help. They gave me the run around, set up so many hoops to jump through and made the whole process so humiliating that I gave up (which, of course, is exactly what they are trying to make you do.) It was less humiliating and a lot more straight forward to just steal some expensive camping equipment and sell it on ebay to cover rent so that's what I did.

Getting welfare in this province is rediculous. Many years ago, when I was in a situation beyond my control (company I worked for went bankrupt, didn't work there long enough to qualify for EI, roommate moved out over night and disconnected our phone line, etc), I realised I was going to need welfare.

At the time, I thought there was a program that provided emergency only funds, like one month of welfare cash without being on welfare. I figure one month to pay my rent, get a bus pass and a phone, would be all I would need.

Well that program had been killed and I had to jump through so many hoops: They gave me a form to take with me for 21 days worth of job hunting to prove I was searching for a job. But here is what I don't understand: WHO applies for welfare when they have 21 days of funds left? Before they have job hunted? I applied when I had less than 5 days of cash left. I couldn't support myself for 21 days and THEN get welfare, I had already been eating Mr Noodles once a day only at this point.

The only way to get around the 21 day job hunt was to jump thruogh several more even more humiliating and rediculous hoops - including lining up in the rain (it was Feb) at 4:30 AM in hopes of geting one of up to five 5 a day emergency intake appointments - got mine on my 3rd day of lining up, asking my landlord for an eviction notice, etc.

What really pissed me off is one day I was there and there was a homeless guy, young, had been sleeping in a tent. All he wanted was a bus pass so he could job hunt properly. They refused! They told him either he went on full welfare, or got nothing. So what he wanted cost about $60, but his only choice was to get $500. How the hell does that make sense?

Well it sounds like the welfare system needs an overhaul.

anon you had a doctors note stating that you had an ailment so thats good right there as far I'm concerned and you should have received help ( btw: you should check out MBCT ).

Im against making it too easy but right now it sounds like its too hard. I mean that kid should get a bus pass and you should have gotten help while you needed it no question. Maybe I was taking the green party leaders works too literally b/c I mean you do have to prove that you need it but I totally agree that at the same time you should not have to go through all the BS.

Chris, based on my experience and communication with others about their experiences I have come to believe that the rules around welfare in BC are intentionally designed to utterly humiliate potential recipients as much as possible so as to discourage them from completing their application process. Even with a doctor's note they withhold funding for a minimum of three weeks. Most people don't even think to apply until rent is coming up and they have nowhere else to turn.

This system contributes immensely to the internalized shame so many of the poor already deal with. We blame ourselves, we feel pathetic, we think it must be some personal failing of our own when in reality, poverty is the natural consequence of capitalism. Someone, somewhere has to suffer at the bottom so as to convince as many people as possible that it's in their best interest to compete.

May's advocacy of a system of guaranteed income is certainly appealing, but I am certain that business interests would lobby to quash it if it ever threatened to come into being. It would break down the motivational factors of shame and fear that are currently at the forefront of propelling people into low paying, degrading jobs.

anonymous:"It was less humiliating and a lot more straight forward to just steal some expensive camping equipment and sell it on ebay to cover rent so that's what I did."

You were sad so you stole someones gear instead of working or jumping through more hoops or applying for EI? What a shameless piece of shit you are.

I stole from a large, corporate chain store and I feel absolutely zero guilt for it. I'd do it again, only I don't really need to right now as I'm doing pretty well for myself these days. Corporations are not people, they profit from stealing the labour, time and dignity of decent people everday. You really can't make a convincing moral argument that it's wrong to steal from a multi-million or billion dollar company when it's a choice between that or a mid-winter eviction. Go ahead and try, we'll see who's really the shameless piece of shit.