Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my Member’s statement is on income support cheque payments. I mentioned it twice the last sitting. I’ve been receiving a lot of phone calls and e-mails regarding the new income support evaluation and how it’s being administered.
When government changed the way income support was given, against the recommendations of most community governments and organizations, furthermore the previous government offered no support, notice or plans to help the communities and residents deal with the changes. But many people have been noticing since the way the department changed the way cheques are delivered, that the amounts are going down. What makes this situation worse is that the amount has been going down more than once. People are concerned with this uncertainty and they wonder what if their next cheque will be reduced as well.
When they call an income support officer, the answers are just as confusing. Mr. Speaker, some people who live off of Income Support are struggling day to day. We have to do something to help these people try to feed their kids. Not only that, but kids are going to bed hungry. There are no support organizations in some communities that can try to help feed their children. Reductions of their cheques from $20 to $40 makes a huge impact on the family. That makes a difference of children getting milk the last week of the month and getting adequate winter clothing. When people in our regional centres discuss these issues with our residents they must always remember these conditions in our small and remote communities. We need a true one-stop-shop for our people to deal with all of these issues, Mr. Speaker, where payments and expenses are resolved before the recipient receives the cheque; etting the run-around or the blame game when dealing with government departments is unacceptable. Our residents deserve more. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment at the appropriate time. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
