The material that's coming to us through the "Ontario Works" Watch list seems valuable in that it provides a look at workfare in action in Canada. If you want to reply to this post, please do so to the sender (comfy - see below). Sally >Date: Fri, 10 Jul 1998 13:34:32 -0400 >From: comfy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >This is the first post I have made so I hope it goes right. Regarding >discouraging people from getting welfare, the same is going on in >Toronto. Two years ago I had to apply. My bank is the Metro Credit >Union. To join the credit union costs $25 and then $25 each year >after. This is called "member shares". Every month when you get your >statement at the top it says BALANCE - member shares. At the time I >applied my balance of member shares was $50. It had not changed in >several months because you only have to pay $25 once a year. Directly >beneath the balance of member shares are all the transactions you have >made in the month. I had to bring in all my bank statements for the >past six months. I was refused because the caseworker said my bank >balance was $50 and had not changed in months, therefore this was not my >real bank statement. I asked her what she thought the many transactions >were on the page, such as withdrawals, deposits, transfers, etc. She >yelled at me "BALANCE" and pointed to the $50. I tried explaining again >to look at all the other transactions. I did not get any welfare money >for a month and a half. The only reason I did get it was because I >phoned her every day. She was just a stupid person, and truly could not >understand that the balance of member shares was not the cash balance, >but her whole attitude was to refuse me at any cost. She just looked at >me as if to dismiss me, as though I had tried to fool them and really >did not need the money and because she, the genius, had noticed that the >balance of member shares had not changed since the spring. She thought >I would walk out and disappear. >This has bothered me since that time. I tried to get a supervisor's >number and was refused. I spoke to another case worker, who listened to >me and kept saying, "give it time". He was perfect at listening and >doing nothing. Just to put my mind at ease, does anyone know what to do >in an emergency situation like this, when you are refused, can't get a >supervisor's number, and the other caseworker protects the first one? > >kn >
