Raise the Hammer

I would like to make a comment on Mr Cooke's comment about the lost souls in relation to the social spending.

The current social services system is mockery of social justice, plain and simple, it is a poverty industry of its own. I find it sort of atrocious that we have the many bureaucrats and adminstrators who form policy, yet have no real life experience as to the system they have set up. One has to walk in another's shoes, to really understand the practically of the system they have set up which is layer upon layer of redundancy which does little to actually help the people to become self sufficient.

How does someone who earns in excess of $100,000, have any idea of trying to live on $540.00 per month, trying to find shelter, food, transportation costs even to find work. Never mind the fact that the policies of "Workfare" and "Elect to Work" have not been properly addressed by any political body.

The system is brutal, I know from personal experience and I have post secondary education, many years experience in my field but have had experience problems around the issue of lack of enforcement of some of the basics of employment rights. I was directed to a not for profit organization, in which I explained my issues. The so called "social worker" did not listen to me. In fact, I was told that a job interview had been set up for work that was entry level, which had nothing to do with my skill level, at a wage that was less then I was earning, I was told that I would have to work two to three weeks with no pay, as I had received an OW cheque of $530.00, which did not even cover shelter never mind all the other financial obligations I had. I was threatened to be cut off the meager funds from OW by this worker, as this person hissed at me, "this is workfare, this is the way it is", and in fact the worker from the not for profit did call the OW worker and was told that I cannot challenge the system.

In fact the same agency had a workshop on networking, which had nothing to do with netwroking, how does someone who was a receptionist have any skill or education in labour issues which affect many of those that are marginalized? The facilitator did not even understand the term "living wage" as set by the Living Wage and Fair Employment Coalition. Just another tyrannt who had no clue as the real issues faced by the people. But then if someone does challenge these incompetants, then they are banned.

So, if I was having a hard time coping, where does that leave others who do not have the education, who may have disabilities, illness or addictions or whatever issue they may have, when they no longer treated as people but only as numbers. I tell you where at the bottom of the heap, with no place to go.

As the economy slides and more of the middle class finally wakes up to the system that has been created, well then I say some of you had better open your eyes to the reality that you have created. But then that is what workfare does, it supercedes the basics of employment standards where the person has no rights, not even to earn a wage for work performed.