Comment 87264

By greg_tedesco (registered) | Posted March 15, 2013 at 20:29:42 in reply to Comment 87260

Thanks for reading, as well as the reply! I encourage you to read the PDF in the article that breaks down these benefits to provide a larger context of how and why they are offered. Also, if you're interested in the broader context of why communities united and advocated against cuts to CSUMB and discretionary benefits, I also encourage you to follow the other links provided in the article. Hopefully it provides a more detailed idea of the purposes of these programs are further information on why they remain extremely important to those in our communities.

To briefly address a couple of your points: example of utility arrears; It's not always a case of 'not bothering to pay', especially if the alternative may mean not being able to afford food to eat, for example. It's more complex than simply individualized, personal choices, especially when considering any structural barriers that limit choice/opportunity in many ways. I'll also challenge the "welfare is enough to live off of" idea, especially with the amount of evidence that rates do not at all adequately reflect the cost of even basic standards of living.

In terms of the cost of the benefits, breakdowns are in the PDF as well. From my perspective, this isn't money that's being thrown away. These are social investments that if cut, will lead to further financial and social costs. Removing these supports further impacts and marginalizes some of the most vulnerable in our communities; in my opinion, necessitating program support/reform from the province to ensure that this is not the case.

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