Incompetence or indifference?

Smart politicians avoid repeating past mistakes. It’s a wise policy if they are seeking re-election: Reduce or eliminate the missteps, solve those problems and move forward to better serve the citizens of the province.

It’s apparently something that has escaped the grasp of the P.E.I. Department of Family and Human Services.

Auditor general Jane MacAdam laid out some stark numbers last week in her annual report. It’s apparent that people on social assistance are being largely ignored. There are few yearly reviews and rates haven’t changed for essentials like housing and food for four, six and in some cases, even 10 years.

It’s caused added anxiety and hardship for Islanders who are scrambling to make ends meet. Needy clients may not even be getting a cost of living increase while others, who no longer qualify for help, may still be getting payments. Things inside the department are in quite a mess.

Just over three years ago, Islanders were scandalized to learn that the department of community services had under-spent its budget by over $5 million. Government called it prudent savings while everyone else correctly concluded that needy Islanders were being shortchanged.

The Opposition suggested it was government spin to hide the fact that millions were secretly cut from the budget. Budget cuts or ‘savings’ in various departments were designed to improve the financial situation of the province heading into the 2015 spring election.

There was a dramatic fallout. Social services minister Valerie Docherty was easily defeated by Green party Leader Peter Bevan-Baker. Perhaps the minister was unfairly blamed for callous government policies but she became the favourite target. Needy Islanders went without. It was also perhaps one of the reasons why Liberal support dropped by about 10.5 per cent from the previous election to 40.83 per cent in 2015.

Today, a similar problem is gripping the department of family and human services. For example, Ms. MacAdam said shelter allowances should be reviewed annually, as required by legislation, but it’s not happening. The department doesn’t provide executive council with annual information so it can review financial assistance rates because that information is provided only when requested. Each side is failing to act.

There are no measurements of the department’s progress in providing basic necessities for people on assistance. Performance indicators would be the logical first step in establishing such targets. Annual reviews of social assistance files to assess eligibility are supposed to be done within 12 months, but this has also lapsed.

Annual reports for the department are supposed to be made public within six months of the end of the fiscal year, but the last report for the department was for 2012-13. The system is obviously flawed. There is a serious lack of direction inside the department caused by indifference or incompetence.

The auditor general made 11 recommendations to improve matters. Perhaps the most obvious one is for the minister and her staff to do their jobs. It would solve a lot of problems. The current situation is unacceptable.