Mr.Brewster

there was a question raised on http://www.mapleleafweb.com Do we need to raise the OW/ODSP rates? here was my answer to the question: Yes. The current rates are very demeaning and morally wrong for people living in what is supposed to be one of the highest quality of life countries in the world. Lets break this down. 1. Minimum wage is 10.25 and hr. times forty hrs weekly times 4 = 1,640 2. A single individual is supposed to be getting 1,064. 3. This work out to 6.60 and hr. this is just wrong. minimum wage has not been at 6.60 an hr since 1994. 4. Not everyone on ODSP gets the maximum amount of funds each month. it is based like on OW to your rent. So for example and individual who pays 140.00 a month, with the basic needs the amount the receive is 722.00 monthly. this is a far cry from the 1,064. Here is a chart from http://yourlegalrights.on.ca/sites/all/files/1percentincrease-NovDec2011.pdf The point I am making is that if one was not they they would be able to work and at least be getting an hrly wage. why should we who are disabled be penalized by the rest of the "abled" because we are not able to do the same job. It's a joke really, we see all over the t.v. lets get rid of discrimination. let treat disabled people fairly. lets give them a chance, they are people to, etc.. etc.. It's a sham because we are not being treated fairly, we are not being treated like humans at all to be honest, and we are being discriminated against, because at least an able bodied person can work and make the minimum wage + depending on the skill sets. make a living and raise a family etc, etc.. disabled people simply do not have the same luxuries that the rest of the populace do, it is that plain and simple, however we a constantly being mistreated even abused because we are disabled. Also we are not able to save money for our future unless you have a severe disability such as being in a wheel chair, meaning that the maximum amount that a disabled person can have in a bank occount is 6.000 dollars any more and the Ontario Government takes the money, this is plain theft. also saving for retirement is not possible as to qualify for the disability saving plan you need to basicly be in a wheel chair. The above rates are truly appalling, and I call it abuse because that is what it is, it is abusive to the disabled person because he/she can not eat properly, they can not some of the same health care products they may need. even clothing is sometimes difficult to get as we are forced to got to clothing banks or shelters to get our needs met. this is all abusive because it is emotionally upsetting and causes needless stress. it is abusive physically because as I said sometimes we can not eat more than one meal a day and with the cost of living at the check outline we are forced to go to food banks which in most cases the food given is impractical that you can not eat it, because the food they give you need to be a chef to know how to cook it. abusive because this is what is going on in the social sense as benefits are getting cut left right and center. So yes the rates need to change to reflect the cost of living of an abled body individual who has the grace to be able to work, the rest of us should not be trampled on by the policy makers who believe that the amount that we currently receive is sufficient when in reality it is not. Yes because the needs are to great that the current basic needs amount giving does not meet the basic needs of so many. Yes because if one is able to work then to do a complete job search requires additional funding for the individual because looking for work is a full time job. the idea that if we give these people more money they will loose the desire to work is just an excuse to keep us in poverty while the rest make a living above the poverty line. It takes money to make money and the amount giving to get a full time job simply is not feasible for such individuals as they hardly have enough to just survive, so looking for a job is simply out of the question for some. Yes because considering where and when we live the amount given to disabled people is truly abusive, OW honestly is even worse and those individuals are "abled bodied". Yes because there needs to be dignity giving back, at least by raising the rates to reflect current work wage rates than at least this can restore some of that dignity. So in closing Yes simply because disabled people are people to an should be treated as such living here is a country such as Canada. We are known for our generosity and help when those in third world countries are faced with emergencies, yet the disabled are treated with more or less contempt and pretend they simply do not exist and then expect those who suffer with "able bodied issues" to work and be a productive member of our proud Canadian society. will this pipe dream that politicians are living in is really sad, because those who are able bodied living in South Korea have it better off than the disabled living in a first world country such as Canada. as I said earlier the current rates are very demeaning and morally wrong and truly appalling and YES this needs to change. simply put, that is if we are really The True North strong and free!