Latest news with #CanadaDisabilityBenefit
Edmonton Journal
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
Wednesday's letters: No apology needed for Jasper fire report
Article content I have lost my confidence with Premier Danielle Smith's office. Alberta is forcing all individuals on AISH to go through a lengthy process of applying for the disability tax credit. That may or may not be approved. This must be approved before application can be made for the Canada Disability Benefit. Article content This causes undue confusion, stress and difficulty for these individuals who do not have any idea how to go about it. Add the pressure of a deadline put on. Regardless of whichever way it goes, AISH is taking the benefit that would otherwise be for ever-increasing inflation. Harsh and cruel punishment for vulnerable, handicapped Albertans. Article content Pamela Holmerson, Red Deer Article content Tim Cartmell's apology is greatly appreciated and I commend Tim for being humble and transparent to the public he serves. Well done, Tim! Article content Article content I was also taken aback by the response from Mayor Sohi. Mayor Sohi felt Tim's priority should be with his constituents and Edmonton residents as a whole. I understand the mayor's thoughts but I vehemently disagree. Article content As important as this decision was regarding infill property development, Tim's priority should always be his life partner and family over work or the public. Yes, Tim was elected to do a job but Tim also vowed to love his wife and family. These are two vastly different responsibilities. Would Tim be praised by the public for putting their interests first or would he be praised for putting family first? Article content Public service is temporary; marriage and family is lifelong. Tim made the right and proper decision. Mayor Sohi should re-think his priorities in life. Article content Darryl Rachul, Fort Saskatchewan Article content Kudos to the Edmonton Police Service for their plan to increase surveillance on Edmonton's roadways. The number of speeders has increased dramatically to the point that there are more and more fatalities. Article content Article content With the longer days, speeders have turned main routes into speedways, without any regard for others on the roads. Too many drivers out there are just plain stupid when it comes to their actions on our roadways. They are strictly in it for the thrill. Remember when the premier said that the UCP were taking down most of the photo radar equipment, so that people could enjoy the capabilities of their vehicles on the roads? Article content No thanks to Smith and Devin Dreeshen for aiding and abetting the increased danger on our roads and more harm to people who follow the laws. Once again, the general population is left fending for themselves because of the UCP's extremist choices. Article content
Edmonton Journal
4 days ago
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
Opinion: AISH clawback underscores Alberta's fraying social contract
There's a dangerous myth woven into Alberta's treatment of its citizens with disabilities: the idea that they should simply be grateful. Grateful for surviving, grateful for scraps, grateful for a system that does not support their well-being, but barely keeps them breathing. But gratitude is not justice, and survival is not dignity. Former premier Peter Lougheed once understood that. When he created the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH), it was visionary, a bold commitment to lifting Albertans with disabilities out of poverty and away from the stigma of welfare. It was a moral promise, not just a budget line, to protect those who could not protect themselves — not out of pity, but out of principle. That promise has been broken. Today, AISH is framed as 'generous,' but only in the most cynical of comparisons. Alberta pays slightly more than other provinces, in a country where every disability program leaves people below the poverty line. Bragging about being the best of the worst is not a mark of excellence; it's a distraction. The current rate of $1,902 per month sounds decent until you try to live on it in Calgary or Edmonton. After rent, utilities and food, most recipients are left choosing between medication and bus fare. This isn't generosity, it's slow deprivation, dressed in news releases. And now, the Canada Disability Benefit, a long-awaited federal program meant to lift people out of poverty, is being clawed back by Alberta. AISH recipients are told to apply, only to have every federal dollar deducted from their provincial benefit. What should have been a turning point is instead a trap. Alberta isn't supplementing, it's siphoning. This is not how a just society behaves. Justice means supporting people with disabilities not just in survival, but in well-being. It means recognizing that many want to work, but face unpredictable health conditions, chronic pain, PTSD or fatigue, which make conventional employment impossible. True justice offers flexibility, accommodation and stability, not punishment for failing to meet able-bodied expectations. Yet, the myth persists that people with disabilities should be content with what they're given. That mere existence should be enough to inspire gratitude. It's a degrading expectation. No one tells millionaires to be grateful for tax breaks. No one asks oil companies to be thankful for subsidies. But people with disabilities? They're told to smile while the social safety net is exchanged for a trampoline with a hole in it. I've seen what happens when the system fails. When an adult with a disability loses the parent they relied on, they don't just lose a caregiver, they lose their home, their structure and their hope. They fall, and there's no net. And when they spiral into mental-health crises, the system shrugs. This isn't a fluke; it's the outcome of choices made by people in power. And yet, Albertans with disabilities remain resilient. They remain proud. They are grateful, not for crumbs, but for every person who treats them with respect, for every doctor who listens, every stranger who sees their worth, every advocate who still has the energy to fight. But make no mistake, they are owed more than gratitude. They are owed justice. For justice is the price of civilization. Lougheed understood this more than 40 years ago. The current government has forgotten. Instead of defending dignity, they chase surpluses and weaponize austerity. But we, persons with disabilities, understand.
Calgary Herald
4 days ago
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Opinion: AISH clawback underscores Alberta's fraying social contract
There's a dangerous myth woven into Alberta's treatment of its citizens with disabilities: the idea that they should simply be grateful. Grateful for surviving, grateful for scraps, grateful for a system that does not support their well-being, but barely keeps them breathing. But gratitude is not justice, and survival is not dignity. Former premier Peter Lougheed once understood that. When he created the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH), it was visionary, a bold commitment to lifting Albertans with disabilities out of poverty and away from the stigma of welfare. It was a moral promise, not just a budget line, to protect those who could not protect themselves — not out of pity, but out of principle. That promise has been broken. Today, AISH is framed as 'generous,' but only in the most cynical of comparisons. Alberta pays slightly more than other provinces, in a country where every disability program leaves people below the poverty line. Bragging about being the best of the worst is not a mark of excellence; it's a distraction. The current rate of $1,902 per month sounds decent until you try to live on it in Calgary or Edmonton. After rent, utilities and food, most recipients are left choosing between medication and bus fare. This isn't generosity, it's slow deprivation, dressed in news releases. And now, the Canada Disability Benefit, a long-awaited federal program meant to lift people out of poverty, is being clawed back by Alberta. AISH recipients are told to apply, only to have every federal dollar deducted from their provincial benefit. What should have been a turning point is instead a trap. Alberta isn't supplementing, it's siphoning. This is not how a just society behaves. Justice means supporting people with disabilities not just in survival, but in well-being. It means recognizing that many want to work, but face unpredictable health conditions, chronic pain, PTSD or fatigue, which make conventional employment impossible. True justice offers flexibility, accommodation and stability, not punishment for failing to meet able-bodied expectations. Yet, the myth persists that people with disabilities should be content with what they're given. That mere existence should be enough to inspire gratitude. It's a degrading expectation. No one tells millionaires to be grateful for tax breaks. No one asks oil companies to be thankful for subsidies. But people with disabilities? They're told to smile while the social safety net is exchanged for a trampoline with a hole in it. I've seen what happens when the system fails. When an adult with a disability loses the parent they relied on, they don't just lose a caregiver, they lose their home, their structure and their hope. They fall, and there's no net. And when they spiral into mental-health crises, the system shrugs. This isn't a fluke; it's the outcome of choices made by people in power. And yet, Albertans with disabilities remain resilient. They remain proud. They are grateful, not for crumbs, but for every person who treats them with respect, for every doctor who listens, every stranger who sees their worth, every advocate who still has the energy to fight. But make no mistake, they are owed more than gratitude. They are owed justice. For justice is the price of civilization. Lougheed understood this more than 40 years ago. The current government has forgotten. Instead of defending dignity, they chase surpluses and weaponize austerity. But we, persons with disabilities, understand.
Global News
11-07-2025
- Health
- Global News
Alberta government sets deadline for AISH recipients to apply for CDB
In June, the federal government launched a $200-a-month Canada Disability Benefit (CDB). On Wednesday, Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) recipients received a letter from the Alberta government explaining, starting in October, an equivalent $200 will be deducted from their AISH benefit. 'We've been sort of waiting to hear what the next steps are, and it sounds like the steps outlined in the letter are the proverbial shoe dropping,' said Zachary Weeks, disability advocate. Amie Detwiler has relied on monthly AISH income for the past seven years, after suffering a stroke that paralyzed the left side of her body. 'It feels like the federal government said, 'We're going to help you,' and the provincial government is saying, no, we're not, actually,' Detwiler said after receiving the letter. Story continues below advertisement AISH is intended to guarantee a minimum level of support for people needing it. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'Danielle Smith and the UCP are the only government in Canada that are essentially stealing this money away from working-age, really low-income, severely disabled people,' said Marie Renaud, NDP critic for the ministry of Assisted Living and Social Services. 1:57 AISH advocates question new ADAP program The province says the monthly AISH minimums will remain at $1,901 per month, plus personal and medical benefits — claiming that's more than any other province. The federal CDB would now make up a portion of those payments. 'We are pleased that the federal government is finally starting to pay their fair share to help support Albertans with disabilities,' the province said in a statement. But Detweiler said this feels to her like she's balancing the provincial budget. Story continues below advertisement 'I would like to advocate for people with disabilities to understand that it's not our responsibility to make our government whole financially,' said Detweiler.
CTV News
10-07-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Canada Disability Benefit fails to meet needs, advocates say
Robin Nobleman, lawyer at the Income Security Advocacy Centre, attends Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) rally hosted by ODSP Action Coalition, Disability Without Poverty, Disability Justice Network of Ontario, and the Income Security Advocacy Centre at Matt Cohen Park in Toronto on July 4, 2024. (Photo courtesy: Trevor Manson, secretary co-chair of ODSP Action Coalition) Fifty-seven-year-old Toronto woman Leisa Muthra has sickle cell anemia, a blood disorder that prevents her from working. While the new Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) that's set to roll out soon will alleviate Muthra's financial burden, it doesn't go far enough, she said. The monthly benefit, which could be up to $200 for eligible Canadians with disabilities, will help but not completely lighten her load: she and her daughter live off $583 after paying rent every month. On top of that, it can take months for the application to be processed. Muthra is one of many Canadians with similar complaints, advocates say. 'I try to do everything right. I feel so sad sometimes,' she told 'It's been hard. They don't make it easy.' A six-year, $6.1-billion commitment under the federal government's Disability Inclusion Action Plan, the historic first-ever Canada disability benefit was first announced in the 2020 Speech from the Throne and became law in 2023. Set to roll out this month, advocates say the government did not implement what they recommended during the consultations the government held with advocacy groups during the benefit's development. To receive the new benefit, individuals must qualify for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC). However, advocates recommended against using the DTC as the basis for eligibility. Barriers with Disability Tax Credit National director of Disability Without Poverty, Rabia Khedr, one of the advocacy groups the government consulted, said qualifying for the DTC is a common barrier for many. The first barrier is finding a medical practitioner to complete the application, which can be particularly challenging for those without a family doctor familiar with their medical history. Some medical practitioners also charge a fee for completing the DTC application. The second barrier is meeting the 'stringent' medical criteria, which is not based on a person's diagnosis, but how severely their condition impacts them. According to the criteria, individuals must have a severe or prolonged impairment in walking, mental functions, dressing, feeding, speaking, hearing, vision, or eliminating bowel or bladder functions, significant limitations in two or more categories, or require therapy for a vital function. Khedr said many Canadians with disabilities don't meet the criteria. 'I know people who are cancer survivors, for example, and maybe have an ostomy bag and have had a stroke, so they have some limited mobility. Now, they cannot work the way they used to work prior to that, but they're not deemed eligible for the Disability Tax Credit,' she told Canada Disability Benefit Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) rally hosted by ODSP Action Coalition, Disability Without Poverty, Disability Justice Network of Ontario, and the Income Security Advocacy Centre at Matt Cohen Park in Toronto on July 4, 2024. (Photo courtesy: Trevor Manson, secretary co-chair of ODSP Action Coalition) Khedr and other advocates proposed streamlining provincial and federal disability support programs instead of qualifying for the DTC as a requirement to qualify for the new federal benefit. This would automatically enrol individuals already approved for a provincial disability program to receive the DTC, and subsequently, the CDB, reducing the burden of repeated screenings and additional applications. 'A common theme is people having to prove their disability time and time again,' said Trevor Manson, secretary co-chair of the advocacy group ODSP Action Coalition, who was also part of consultations in the development of the benefit. 'People that have mental illnesses have a tougher time qualifying, because disability tends to be viewed in functional limitations. People that have invisible disabilities are the ones that have the hardest time qualifying,' he told Minister of Jobs and Families Patty Hajdu's Press Secretary Jennifer Kozelj confirmed to in an email that the government did explore a variety of eligibility options for the CDB but concluded that using the DTC as the basis for eligibility was best. 'The DTC was determined to be the best option to deliver a national, portable benefit on time,' Kozelj wrote. The federal government will continue to review and reform the process to apply for the DTC, Kozelj confirmed. Federal benefit is insufficient: advocates Khedr says the other complaint among advocacy groups is that the benefit's amount is insufficient. According to a Disability Without Poverty report, the $200 monthly federal benefit combined with provincial disability programs won't be enough for everyone. For the average recipient to reach the poverty line at all, they would need 30 per cent more income per month, according to the report. The approximate poverty line is estimated to be $2,221 for a single person monthly in 2024 in Ontario, according to Statistics Canada. In Alberta, individuals who receive provincial disability support will not see an increase in their income from the new federal benefit. The provincial government plans to keep monthly payments the same but change the source of funds from provincial to federal government, treating the CDB as 'non-exempt income.' Ministry of Assisted Living and Social Services Press Secretary Amber Edgerton told in an email that this is because Alberta provides the highest provincial disability benefits in Canada. 'We are pleased that the federal government is finally starting to pay their fair share to help support Albertans with disabilities,' Edgerton wrote. For Muthra, she says she must wait another seven months for her DTC application to be processed — after applying in March — before she can apply for the new benefit. While Muthra says she's going to try to be strong through financial hardships and her medical condition, she says she misses her career. 'I come from a profession that is very specialty and that is high end. Now I'm sitting here and living on nothing and not very happy about this,' she said. 'My illness has taken that away from me.'
