> >Manitoba Tightens the Screws on Social Assistance Recipients >The Conservative Government of Manitoba has passed Bill 40, the Employment >and Income Assistance Amendment Act, which allows social services to cut >people off welfare if they do not participate in mandatory training, >parenting, and drug rehabilitation programs. The new law builds on tough >measures introduced by the government in 1996, when welfare rates were cut >and a preliminary form of workfare was introduced. The Manitoba government >is also forcing young people on welfare to go back to school, despite >having cut successful voluntary programs a few years ago, including New >Careers, Student Social Allowance and Access. >The new regulations, which were rushed through in July, are seen by many as >a "get-tough" pre-election ploy by the Filmon government. In a brief to the >government, the Canadian Union of Public Employees states that "this >government appears to be stigmatizing social assistance recipients, rather >than providing much needed programming." The Manitoba government is >implying that "welfare recipients don't really want education or training >because they don't really want to work. This common sentiment is >unfortunately based on a combination of ignorance and meanness. It ignores >the fact that only 22% of welfare recipients are deemed employable." >Some of the problems with the law include: > >* mandatory job training without a plan for job creation, >* forced drug rehabilitation, with a funding level which would not >even cover the backlog of people waiting for programs at present, >* welfare workers will determine who has an addiction problem, >* inadequate child-care provisions for people in job training >placements and in drug rehabilitation. > >According to NAPO's Vice-President Pauline Riley, a Winnipeg anti-poverty >activist, "there is nothing in this bill that speaks of reform; there is no >program or adequate money in place to implement these measures. These >amendments will cost money, but will not produce jobs. This bill is a >piecemeal attempt at punitive reform." >"Office manager, tourism office. Person should have excellent communication >skills with ability to promote, supervise, maintain records, and liaise >with other organizations. Person should have understanding of the area's >tourism and be able to handle inquiries. Computer skills are an asset." >What would a reasonable wage for this type of job be? $30,000 a year? >$40,000? Forget it, if you live in Ontario. Welcome to the world of >workfare. The pay for this job is your welfare cheque (as low as $520 a >month). >The above ad was taken from the 'community placement order list' for the >week of May 18, 1999 in Cobourg, Ontario. It is only 1 of 31 workfare >"jobs" "posted" in the community. >Some of the other jobs are for receptionists, labourers, restoration >(cleaning, painting, scraping antique artefacts and buildings), yard >maintenance, museum attendants, library helpers, a residential counsellor, >janitorial maintenance, grounds keeper, carpentry, assistant youth >programmer, and park maintenance. >And, oh yes, in addition to your welfare cheque you get to "maintain your >current skills, obtain up-to-date references, gain new skills and >experience, make contacts for future employment, improve self-esteem and >confidence, and update your resume." But no paycheque. >The Ontario community placement list shows the real purpose of workfare: to >use people on welfare to take the place of other workers at zero wages, >just welfare. The list shows how the important question for all working >people to be asking about workfare is not, "why should I have to pay taxes >to support someone on welfare?" >The important question is: "Could I compete with someone on workfare? Could >I do the job for $520 a month (the Ontario welfare rate for a single >person) and still live decently? >So far these workfare jobs are only in non profit and government work. But >Ontario is in the processs of expanding it to the private sector too. That >means a lot more workers will have to compete with people forced to work >for their welfare cheque. >--Jean Swanson works at End Legislated Poverty, a coalition of BC groups >that wants governments to reduce and end poverty. >*********************************************
