I hope that you get better, man:-) No one implied that you are lazy, take care!
Merry Christmas. 
Bunch of wimps. I was ready to send this to the wasteland but you guys let me down. Bah Humbug!
I think that there is abuse in the system and that is probably the reason some government people meet at the Crest 
But really, I think that the few who scam make the majority who need it look bad. It’s easy to go on and say “Get a Job!” but for it to happen is another thing as you can tell by reading studly’s post. It’s hard to combine productivity for profit with giving a chance to someone who is inexperienced and may have some difficulties in life. Imagine someone on welfare who is looking for a job but is looked over and over again because of one reason or another and cannot get the necessary skill training and experience to successfully get a position. Many would fall into dispair and give up.
Now people will say that it depends on the case and that some people should not be allowed to collect. I agree but that also means that we need a bigger governement agency to monitor every thing. And this means more taxes which we generally don’t want. So most of us who like living in Canada have resigned to the fact that some abusers will be in the social net and that the people who work do their best to stopp them but we also accept that the overall benefit to our society outweighs the scammers.
Yes, the social net needs to be checked every now and then. However, if our country is considered one of the best place to live, how come the food banks line-ups are so long?
We all seem to be impressed by people with money. "Oooh, a rich guy just bought a Hummer! Oooh, a rich guy just sold his house in Vancouver for 1 million! Bill Gates this. Jimmy Patterson that"
But we don’t seem impressed by the people who help the disabled or try to train others to get necessary skills to get a good job. We don’t seem impressed by political candidates who foster a social agenda. We elect some of them but not enough to effect real change. We don’t seem impresse by people like studly who fight daily to stay healthy on a tight budget while seeing us enjoying excesses that abound in today’s life.
A little story for you guys:
I stopped at a local meat shop today to pick up Butch, the turkey we will have for Christmas ( ref: Vinyl Cafe) and as I was waiting, a stranger started talking to me. After saying a few things, he said, with a slight slur " I was in the Air Force and now I’m a drunk". I told him that it’s never too late to change his life and that he could seek help. I also told him I could see how it would be hard to do it. He took what he bought, shook my hand then left. Three other people were observing us. When he left they all looked at me as if I was weird for talking to this guy. I don’t blame them, it’s almost natural for a lot of us to react that way towards the less fortunate or the ones who are out of the mainstream. We try to be blind and we hope that the government can take care of them. But the paradox is that we also criticize the social net provided by the government because we pay the taxes that are needed to run it.
How do you expect someone to save when the money runs out before the end of the month? Try living on just over $13,000 a year. Before I got sick I was making just over $62,000 a year. So it was a huge drop going to $13,000. I guess it’s not to bad if you like Kraft dinner and hamburger alot.
Will the cheques show up soon? I hate to think that people will be without on Christmas.
I went to college, I had 11k to live on including tuition and books and was able to save money for a few small things by doing some side jobs.
If they you were smart you’d put part of the money away even 10 bucks a month into a make my life better fund that you dont touch. Im not saying itd be easy but you gotta do what you gotta do.
While I feel for you and all making 62k/yr you should damn well have had some savings and if you didnt no offence but you’re a moron.
I wonder how long it would take you Jesus to burn threw your savings if you lost your job due to an illness before you have to collect Gain.
Here is a fact. 90% of working people regardless of wage, creed or what ever are 2 pay checks away from being homeless.
That’s life, Jesus we have bills, rent or morgage, car payments, cable, cell phones and electric bills, kids braces, Groceries and clothing. a person who has 60 grand saved away will only be able to live of that for a year before going to collect gain, and on that note a person who lost his job and had a savings like that would have to use it all before he could get gain, if you are on gain and have more then 5 thousands dollars in your account you will loose you check until its less then that.
I have bills rent etc as well. I also have medical coverage that I pay for that will help me out in the event of an illness which prevents me from working. It costs me about 125 bucks a paycheck but I feel its worth it. If you are spending 60k/yr on shit and have less income (or no income) you really need to take a look at your spending habits. Im not saying disabled people dont deserve money at all. There are many people who do, but if you dont cut back and try to save at least 10 bucks a check for a rainy day you’re retarded.
For the poster above who is on disability, do you have cable? because you sure have an internet connection that you could get by without. If I had to live off 13k/yr i wouldnt have an internet connection, cable tv or anything but the necessities. every once in a while id treat myself to a movie but you cant spend like you could when you had 60k.
I saw in last night’s daily news that the welfare cheques did arrive. I’m happy about that:-)
Single person, 11k. Family of four, 13k. Big difference. I did have savings, that was 12 years ago, all gone now.
Yes, I have cable, not the full package though. Just because I have internet does not mean it’s the fastest one. I have school age children and I think they should have internet acsses for homework, etc. Don’t go to movies, and I certainly don’t spend like I have 60k, which you imply that I do. Oh, by the way, am I allowed to have a phone? I’m sorry for the way you feel about people with disabilities that have had to collect social assistance. If I had to live my life again I certainly would not want to go this route again.
And by the way, I did have that medical coverage you mentioned jesus. It doesn’t last for ever.
I feel for you, really I do. It is a sad state of affairs when someone who works and pays into a system doesnt get what they need to get by. I am not implying anything other than you could free up money to save for a rainy day by avoiding the internet or tv. Yea the internets great for kids in school but theres a library with internet access and lots of books 
This is not really an argument I care to have with you, it sucks that you arent getting what you need out of the system it really does.
Thanks for the kind words jesus. I wasn’t trying to argue, just show that not everyone wants to be on Social Assistance. Take care and a very Merry Christmas to you and your family. 
Thanks you too looks like the doctors finally found out whats wrong with my grandma and its curable so thats a good x-mas present 
Holy, the holiday spirit is real! I’m gonna print and frame this post!
Screw the print and frame… that needs to go on the front page!!! 
Good to hear the Doctors found out what’s wrong with your Grandma. I sincerely hope she gets better. Once again, have a Merry Christmas. 