Latest news with #CanadaDisabilityBenefit
Edmonton Journal
6 days ago
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
Thursday's letters: Scrooge-like UCP should be ashamed
Article content Most right-minded thinkers would agree that individuals receiving Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) benefits constitute one of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, worthy of assistance beyond the current meagre monthly benefits offered by that program. Except, that is, our UCP government. Article content According to Jason Nixon, minister of Assisted Living and Social Services, these people are already overpaid. So back in March, when the federal government announced a new Canada Disability Benefit (which will add an additional $200 to top up provincial funding), the province quickly announced that any AISH beneficiary claiming that benefit would see their monthly AISH payment clawed back an equivalent amount. Article content Article content Article content In other words, the province was indirectly grabbing these federal monies intended to help those most in need. As if that wasn't bad enough, the ministry is forcing AISH recipients to become its collection agency by mandating that any AISH recipient who fails to apply for this new federal benefit by Sept. 5 will still have their benefits reduced by $200. Article content Article content So in spite of the fact that they can't 'receive' the federal benefit, it will still be deducted from their provincial benefit resulting in a greater cash saving for our province. The only thing missing from this picture is an image of the minister seated behind his miserly desk on Christmas Eve, quill pen in hand, asking: 'Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?' Article content Article content Frankly, this minister and this government should be ashamed of themselves. Article content Jon Rossall, Edmonton Article content Don't let losers run in byelections Article content Pierre Poilievre's calling for a law to block long-ballot protests. There should also be a law stopping a politician from being able to run in another constituency after they lose in their own. Article content As reported by Rob Breakenridge, Premier Smith said that 'creating our own Alberta version of supply management, maybe as a pathway to a market system and maybe just because it would stick our finger in the eye of Quebec … might be (something) we want to do a little consultation on.' Article content Coming on top of her demanding an apology from Jasper for stating the truth, one has to wonder how petty can she and her government get? I can well imagine her outraged response if Quebec announced the potential adoption of a new policy simply to stick a finger in the eye of Alberta. How embarrassing.
Edmonton Journal
23-07-2025
- 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
19-07-2025
- 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
19-07-2025
- 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.
