SAID CUTS
Rally opposes disability benefit changes
Suffering from PTSD, agoraphobia and a brain tumour, Karen Swan was already worried about the future before she found out her benefits might be cut back.
The 54-year-old Saskatoon resident learned earlier this month that her benefits from the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID) program may soon be reduced by $150 per month.
She was already running a tight budget. Swan said areas where she can reduce spending are limited.
“I’ll go to the food bank,” she said. “I’m going to have to go to things like lentils and beans instead of meat.”
Giving up her cellphone is not an option because she needs it when her health issues sometimes land her in an emergency situation, she said.
Swan’s benefits may be reduced as part of a slew of changes to the delivery of social services benefits that Donna Harpauer, then-minister of Social Services, said would increase “equity and fairness” among recipients and address the “problem of duplicate benefits.”
“It’s not that people are doubledipping. People are using essential money to not starve,” Swan said.
“It isn’t disabled people who caused this deficit. It isn’t disabled people who mismanaged money. It’s the government.”
A rally has been scheduled for noon Friday at Saskatoon City Hall to raise awareness and invite people to speak out against the government’s proposed changes.
Rally organizer and former NDP leadership candidate Ryan Meili said he was part of a poverty reduction advisory group that last year suggested the government “streamline” access to programs.
Meili said Harpauer “threw some shade” at the advisory group when she announced the changes.
“She said that this was in line with the suggestions we had made about streamlining access, which is, well, false. It’s exactly the opposite type of thing we were recommending,” he said.
“We, in fact, recommended increases in income and housing supports.”
After the changes were announced, Meili, who works in Saskatoon as a family doctor, said he began hearing some of his patients express fears about reductions to their benefits.
These concerns, coupled with his frustration over Harpauer’s comments, prompted him to become involved, he said.
Following the rally’s scheduled speakers, a petition will be passed around, which will later be taken to the cabinet office, he said.
“The message we’re trying to get across is that it’s a reflex for governments, when economic times are difficult, to cut programs and often cut programs to the most vulnerable.
“That’s, one, not very nice to those people, but it’s also not wise,” Meili said, noting he feels any savings from the changes will be outweighed by added hospital costs and other costs associated with poverty.
Harpauer indicated that people affected by the cuts would each have an opportunity to discuss their cases with Social Services.
Following Tuesday’s cabinet shuffle, Premier Brad Wall spoke briefly about the changes and newly appointed Social Services Minister Tina Beaudry-Mellor.
“I think she’s going to have another look at, directionally, where we’re going with respect to trying to streamline some of the funding and then the duplication,” Wall said.
The Ministry of Social Services did not provide an interview by press time.
“Everything is on pause to allow for an opportunity for me to review the changes,” Beaudry-Mellor said in an email.
“I want to assure our clients that I will take into account their individual needs and situations and am listening to their feedback.”