Social Services Aka. Walfare

[LisaLisaBoBisa]

I have seen a few of those around -- I guess what the govt is saying is.. *let's try to ensure that those children have what they need* but until there is a more effective way to ensure that by providing extra money it will actually benefit the children.. Seems pointless.. I know in the US they did the food stamp thing but them people just sold them ( can you imagine seeing canadian food stamps being sold on ebay along with the bodyshop coupon) lolol..

You should look in to the transfer of your individual amt to your spouse/partner -- if you aren't sure if you have been doing it already. I think it was the last time around that I had an unused portion, from being in school and was able to transfer that amount and school credits to my husband(at the time).. idk if everyone does that of knows about it or if I just lucked out with getting a tax guy who knew what he was doing.. It would reduce taxable income a lot, esp with a dependant as well..

well sorry powerade for being so off topic.. will stay on topic next time.. I promise

That's hardly what I was saying..... Not all marriages ARE built to last. I don't ever take for granted one day that I have my husband is in my life. Some people are more lucky than others. I'm talking about the single moms (UN-married and hardly knew their babies dads) out there who think it their right to get a higher child tax and tax refund because they CHOSE to lay down. It is unfortunate when a MARRIAGE breaks down and men refuse to pay - - that's a whole seperate topic, I don't fault those women, and I surely have sympathy for them. But for people who start off from the get go in a bad situation and then continue on with the thought process that the government will take care of them, are the ones that deserve no respect. I know a lot of women like that (Barrie and Orillia are the baby making capitals of Ontario LOL), and trust me, they aren't 15 year old highschool drop outs.

[jenna321]

Some people are honest and some are not honest! We all have a moral compass it's how we use it. If you don't like the fact of people you know abusing the system then tell them that! I have to 2 different people I stuck myself out there and after a huge fight and anger words, tears etc. I was thanked for speaking up and giving both these people the wake up call that no one else dared do! Guess what, both have now been working for about 9 years straight. And to this day they still thank me for giving them heck . I've worked ever since I was a teenager and so has my husband! We are by no means well off but I have a roof over my head, bills are paid, we are dressed, have benefits through our work, medications are a big expense, I have not treated myself to brand new clothes for quite some time I'd rather it go on my children! We have had no real vacation in a long time, we struggle @ month end sometimes I receive $49.60 in baby bonus- I have not received child support in many years I owed over 55,000 i hope that haunts my ex for the rest of his life. I'm teaching my children to be honest and work hard! does anyone really want to try and raise a family on Income Assistance? I couldn't imagine how difficult it would be, something would have to give!

[roseofblack25]

I think welfare is ok if you do need it and don't have an addiction of some sort, otherwise the government is basically paying to feed your addictions. It is abused by a lot of people that are just too lazy and/or just want to live it up instead of working for a living and thats not fair to people who may just hit a rough patch and need the assistance till they can get back on their feet.

[Beast Master]

It is sickening when we have a system that allows alcoholics and drug addicts to be declared "disabled" and collect disability benefits. Many of them are the ones you see on the streets panhandling every day, for more drug and booze money.

I talked to a person who worked for the government, handing out those electric scooters and she agreed with me, more than 1/2 should be walking, they would be healthier, using the scooters just makes their situation worse, BUT, the system says they are ENTITLED to them....don't love that word in this country...MY ENTITLEMENTS.

I could easily get going and going on a rant, but, will leave it at that.

[eri]

That comment bothered me.... So, basically, because someone out there chose to have 'relations' and make a baby with someone, and then didn't stay together with them they're entitled to more money???

It shouldn't be the governments fault that those people chose to make a baby with someone who doesn't pay child support (because that's the only way you could be a single mother with only 1 income).

it's never that 'simple' - i normally don't like to get personal but this bothered me. i chose to have 'relations' with my boyfriend of 5 years and things were good for 5 years then he (a nice, pretty, business man with a great career) became addicted to a hard (business friendly) drug when i was 5 months pregnant and it just got worse and worse to the point where he was hitting me (a few good times too). so i left with the baby (that's what a good mother would do right?)
and no he doesn't pay child support and would you want someone like that in your life anyway?
as lisa said once you're above a certain income bracket you get nothing and i will be there in a little over 18 months (guess what? i didn't go off and make another baby with another man, i'm doing my master's degree at a globally recognized university to provide the best life for this one) and I am okay with that. It isn't the 'two people vs. one' that bothers me, it is the black & white of your comment that does. If two people are working at a factory in Cambridge, Ontario making half of what I will be making as one person then they should be entitled to more child tax benefit than I am and I have no problem with paying the taxes for it. I think taxes are wonderful things, the problem doesn't lie with the people "using the system" it lies within the way in which they are administered and the inefficiency of the government to do so.

[eri]

It is sickening when we have a system that allows alcoholics and drug addicts to be declared "disabled" and collect disability benefits. Many of them are the ones you see on the streets panhandling every day, for more drug and booze money.

I talked to a person who worked for the government, handing out those electric scooters and she agreed with me, more than 1/2 should be walking, they would be healthier, using the scooters just makes their situation worse, BUT, the system says they are ENTITLED to them....don't love that word in this country...MY ENTITLEMENTS.

I could easily get going and going on a rant, but, will leave it at that.

the thing is alcoholism and drug addiction are disabling...but instead of feeding the addiction they should be seeking help when utilizing the social security net...

[rachel1496]

I can only speak for the Ontario Works system but if they want people off of the program they have to stop making it an all or nothing deal. When you're on OW you are given health insurance to cover prescriptions and other services as well as daycare subsidy if you have children who need care while you work. In return for that OW takes a part of your wages. So people who want to save up some money to get off the system have a hard time doing it because the more you work, the more OW takes until you hit a maximum and no longer qualify for OW at all. The system is designed to make sure you only ever have just enough money to live on. The other problem is that once you no longer qualify for cash benefits you lose ALL of your benefits. I've interviewed women on OW who wanted to start work full time and they accepted my job offer and then had to call me back and tell me they couldn't take it because they wouldn't be able to afford the health insurance plan we offered and they couldn't afford childcare. In my city, the wait list for daycare subsidy is 18 months, people who are on OW are usually not going to be qualified for jobs that will pay them enough to afford full time daycare at market rates so they stay on OW for the extra 18 months. It's the same thing with benefits, if your employer doesn't offer benefits or you can't afford them you have the choice to stay on OW and know that you're covered or go to work full time and hope that no one in your family needs a prescription filled that costs more than what you have in the bank.

[caitfoster]

I am on it right now. I am currently waiting for my disability to come through and this is the only way to support myself. I can't work becasue of my mental illness and the current condition I have been in and out of the hospital for. I get 700$ a month. If it weren't for the fact that I am covered under the guide dog act I would be missing 136 of that per month. I get 349$ a month for rent, and god knows that there is nowhere that rents an apartment for that little. I manage to make ends meet, but I rely on the foodbank a lot. There just isn't enough money to live on for the entire month.

I don't believe in abusing the system. That is the reason why I get so little money. I am sure that if less people abused it there would be more money for those who really need it. And I don't know how people get away with it. I have to go in once a month for meetings and must get delecrations from my doctor to stay on it. People are tricky I guess.

[Milton4doe]

I feel that there are a few situations where welfare or social assistance is needed as the only option.

What really bothers me is when someone that has 1 child already on assistance and then goes out and has another one. That really irks me. I know a few on it and they are in school getting a degree to improve their situation, the childcare is subsidized, they have their own place and their children are involved in community recreation programs all at the expense of the system. But poor "johnny" really needs a brother or sister. This may be true but it can and should wait until you are off welfare. I don't begrudge mothers that are on it temporarly with the intention of getting off it ASAP. My husband and I waited until we could afford to have children and we still struggle to put them in extra curricular activities so I am resentful to the system ABUSERS

[Beast Master]

I think the thing that bothers me the most is that welfare came in after the great depression, as a means of people to have some money to get them through a "temporary" hard stretch, NOW, for way too many it is just a way of life.
When you hear a person who has lived on welfare all their adult life refer to it as their "pay cheque", it is too much for me.

[eri]

I think in many cases it is regional as well...some regions of the country are very economically depressed compared to those of us living in more prosperous areas.

[rachel1496]

I think the thing that bothers me the most is that welfare came in after the great depression, as a means of people to have some money to get them through a "temporary" hard stretch, NOW, for way too many it is just a way of life.
When you hear a person who has lived on welfare all their adult life refer to it as their "pay cheque", it is too much for me.

I agree with this but at the same time, the system has some serious flaws in it that create dependency where there wasn't any. People who go on it intending it to be temporary often have a harder time getting off than they did getting on. The whole thing needs a serious overhaul so that those who really need it are getting enough to live on and those who are abusing it get nothing. It drives me nuts to hear politicians say that they're "fixing" welfare by throwing more money at a system that isn't working.

[vibrantflame]

I too find the system has a lot of flaws. And more often then not, it seems that those who abuse the system end up better off then those who are honest. It makes it very tough. I don't know why anyone would want to stay on welfare forever though...it pays barely enough to scrape by and having appointments with them every 3 months and then a yearly review is annoying. Plus if you start working then they take a certain percent...which really makes no sense since they're new stance is that welfare is meant to be a supplement and not your only income....if it is a supplement then why would they take a percentage off when you start working?

My husband and I have been on welfare. We unfortunately moved to an area where work was scarce (long story, was trying to help out the in-laws although that's not how they tell it), DH has been laid off from two different jobs. He is right now working but the income is not enough for us to be dependent only on that. He is diligently looking for work that would allow us to get off of welfare because it is not something we want to have to rely on for the rest of our lives.

And yes, I am expecting my second child. This will be my last and I don't want them more then aprox. two years apart, so if I had to wait until we could get off of welfare completely, we would have only one child. However, I don't have my son in daycare, I don't let the government pay for extra curricular activities etc. I don't think welfare will pay us any more monthly for having two children (since they no longer pay for the child's needs because they now allow you to get your full NCIS benefit) then having just one so I personally don't feel that I am abusing the system. The only extra money I will recieve is from my child benefits and that I would recieve regardless of whether my husband is working or not.

Anyways, I just wanted to say that I agree with everyone that it is not fair that people abuse the system and get away with it. One thing that really bothers me is on the few occasions we had to go to the food bank and seeing people on welfare in line to get food and smoking cigarettes. I know there is not much the government could do but I think it is appalling that they are spending their grocery money on cigarettes and then going to take food from the food bank for free because they blew their money on filthy habits.

I can't imagine anyone wanting to stay on welfare though. Welfare only pays us $1000 for my husband, myself and our 1 1/2 year old son. If it were not for the $500 in childs benefits and the extra money husband earns from work right now, we couldn't live. And what I find really awful is that, at least here, the welfare office does nothing to help you find a job! They say it is your responsibility and they won't even tell my husband when there is a job offer available or anything. Which is frustrating because you know that they often have access to more information then the ordinary person does.

Sorry, didn't mean to turn this into a book lol.

[anisa]

1) young men in their 20's that have drug problems, too lazy to work, and sleep in bed all day long, and get their rent/food/bills paid for, and getting one time payments of $2,500 +

Drug problems, AND drug dealers. My previous office happened to be in a part of town that the people at City hall would refer to as Crackton. We had cops there all the time, and it was just a mess. (unofficially of course) the hookers and dealers were just using welfare to supplement their 'lifestyle' Of course so many people on welfare have a the-world-owes-me-everything attitude, where they will be completely unreliable, but will be hell bent on being nitpicky and demanding.

Welfare needs to be available to single parents who have no other support. You can't make that parent be away from home 40 hours a week and expect the kids not to be messed up.

But of course everyone knows that there are more abusers of the system than deserving users. These days some lazy ass idiot who is used to 'free' money can make up a list of excuses and the gov't can make them do a damn thing to take ownership of their livlihood.

A lot of people need financial help at some time or another, and if you pay taxes and into EI, you are entitled to help, but when you look and see that some people are just abusing, there should be hard limits on timelines.

I don't want our valuable social systems to be ruined for my kids generation, and if the gov't lets the slackers keep abusing the systems, who knows what support the kids will have when they hit rough patches

[eri]

vibrantflame: I hope things look better for you soon