Social Assistance, or Social Enabling.
Tyaeda
Published
01/28/2013
The amount of people on Welfare in Canada, is on the rise. According to Statistics Canada, over 1,600,000 people were on social assistance in 2011, compared to the 1,450,000 in 2007. Without doing a rather costly, and extensive survey of my own, it's impossible to determine how many of those people actually NEED the assistance, and are not just turning to it as an alternative to employment.
It's not my job to determine who does and does not qualify for welfare, but as someone who pays for this assistance, and has never felt the need to use it, I'd like to know where my money is going. Also, I know for a fact that this system is abused, and happen to know a few people who have done so.
My former friend, let's call her Lisa, is such a person. Lisa has two children, which she popped out at an early age (18 and 19 years old). Her family's income consists solely of that she gets from the government. Lisa, an able bodied, 20 something year old, has only ever had one job, which ended many years before she had children. After high school, which she actually did well in, she went on to school to train for a career in the trades. If she hadn't dropped out, not only would she not be in debt for her entire tuition, she would have a way to pay for it, with her career. Instead, she chose to party her youth away, and continues to do so although she has 2 kids. She is by no means a single mother. In fact she's engaged to the father of her youngest (also on welfare), a wedding the government will pay for. The government also pays for her alcohol addiction, the baby sitters she needs in order to go out drinking whenever possible, and more recently her second attempt at a higher education. I have serious doubts on her completion of her cosmetology courses, and even if she does, she has two rounds of education she has yet to pay back, and from what I know, hair dressing isn't a high paying career. Oh! Did I mention she bought a house? Yeah... her and her soul mate have purchased a house. It's a shitty house, worth under 100k, but they were still able to purchase it. Some how she has manipulated the government and those around her into enabling a life where she does what she wants, when she wants, and not anything she doesn't.
Two questions. How the fuck does someone accomplish so much by doing so little? Second, why the fuck am I working 50 plus hours a week to achieve what she already has? Seriously, after looking at mine and my husbands combined incomes, it's not realistic to be biting off that much. Neither of us can go to school without abandoning our full-time employment, and we will still have to establish some more credit before we're able to get a mortgage for a house we can afford the monthly payments on. We have no children, which is good because with the work schedules we have, our poor kids would never see us. Like most employed people, our lives revolve around our jobs, and the income it brings in. Although I am more happy to be in my situation than Lisa's, I can't help but think about how we're doing things the hard way.
Now before you give Lisa the benefit of a doubt, keep in mind that I grew up with her, and I know exactly how she wound up where she is. There is absolutely no shame, and in fact her manipulating ways and a lack of shame is so deep, any psychologist would definitely say she's a psychopath, by definition. Growing up as an only child to parents who felt guilt towards her, she was spoiled beyond belief. Nobody tells her "no" without threat of physical violence. I'm serious when I say that I doubt any love she has for anyone, including her children, which would be in the custody of Family and Children's services, without the immense support of her large and closely knit extended family. She basically made my wedding reception a nightmare. Dressed in the sluttiest outfit she could find, she helped herself to my alcohol, and openly expressed her disagreement with mine and my husband's relationship. She also went on to tell all of my family and friends about how much of a loser I was in high school, and that she was solely responsible for any social interaction I had growing up. Then, with her children present, she snapped out on a patio stone that she tripped on. No it wasn't the alcohol's fault, or the fact that she was wearing heels outside, it was the patio stone's fault. She literally picked the thing up and blindly threw it into the dark, close to where people were sleeping in tents. She stayed outraged about it for over 2 hours. That's just the way she is. She's going to have her way, and anything standing in her way, inanimate or not, is going to feel her wrath. She doesn't deserve social assistance, she doesn't need it. If for whatever reason, she cannot hold a job, it's solely her fault. She may use her kids as an excuse to gain welfare now, but she's been a welfare case far longer than she's been a mother.
She is only one example. I know a few others, that aren't psychopaths, but are unnecessarily collecting a welfare check, and somehow, a tax return every year. They are often the ones who go after their ex's for child support, but spend that money on tanning salons, shoes, and cigarettes.
Welfare should be treated much like employment insurance. When I was on EI, I had to record and report all of my job applications, apply for work every day, and even attend seminars explaining my obligations to the government. Even if I dotted all of I's and crossed all of my T's, the benefits still ran out if I didn't find employment within a certain amount of time. I felt as though I was being treated like a low-life scam artist, even though I qualified by working more than the required amount of hours. I've never applied for social assistance, in the form of Welfare. Despite constantly worrying about whether or not I was going to be homeless, I never felt the need to take money from tax payers. It bothers me immensely to know that there are people like Lisa, who have been collecting for years, with no shame, and no guilt.
People on welfare should have to:- Prove that they have attempted to find work, or that they are unable to work.- People with children should be provided with day care services as a part of their assistance.- Show receipts for all that they buy, and should go in debt for non-essential goods like alcohol, cigarettes, and other leisure and cosmetic purchases. - Be re-evaluated for assistance every 3 months. - Should not be allowed to own real estate, but should have to rent instead, unless they purchased the home prior to applying for assistance.- Should have to endure drug testing and criminal background checks - something many have to do to gain and maintain employment.
Yes, I'm being harsh. But I'm tired of seeing people get through life without lifting a finger. Yes I realize that many of the people on assistance actually need that assistance, but there are many who obviously do not, and I don't feel like paying for their easy way out.
I bust my ass at work. It's a dangerous job, but it's the only job I was able to find. My job has been a huge factor in my decision not to have children. I don't party, in fact I haven't had a drink in months. I work very hard for everything I have, and although I'm proud of that, it hurts to know that I didn't have to. I could have lived like Lisa does, but I have too much of a conscience and because of that, I'm paying the price. I'm not jealous of her, but she doesn't envy me either. She doesn't want a difficult job. She doesn't want to have to get up early every morning. If she stays up all night, it's because she was having too much fun to go home, and not because she does shift work. Right now, she's probably in her PJ's, hung over, planning out her elaborate wedding. Her kids are probably at Grandma's still, being fed, and taken care of.
Me, I have to go to work now.
It's not my job to determine who does and does not qualify for welfare, but as someone who pays for this assistance, and has never felt the need to use it, I'd like to know where my money is going. Also, I know for a fact that this system is abused, and happen to know a few people who have done so.
My former friend, let's call her Lisa, is such a person. Lisa has two children, which she popped out at an early age (18 and 19 years old). Her family's income consists solely of that she gets from the government. Lisa, an able bodied, 20 something year old, has only ever had one job, which ended many years before she had children. After high school, which she actually did well in, she went on to school to train for a career in the trades. If she hadn't dropped out, not only would she not be in debt for her entire tuition, she would have a way to pay for it, with her career. Instead, she chose to party her youth away, and continues to do so although she has 2 kids. She is by no means a single mother. In fact she's engaged to the father of her youngest (also on welfare), a wedding the government will pay for. The government also pays for her alcohol addiction, the baby sitters she needs in order to go out drinking whenever possible, and more recently her second attempt at a higher education. I have serious doubts on her completion of her cosmetology courses, and even if she does, she has two rounds of education she has yet to pay back, and from what I know, hair dressing isn't a high paying career. Oh! Did I mention she bought a house? Yeah... her and her soul mate have purchased a house. It's a shitty house, worth under 100k, but they were still able to purchase it. Some how she has manipulated the government and those around her into enabling a life where she does what she wants, when she wants, and not anything she doesn't.
Two questions. How the fuck does someone accomplish so much by doing so little? Second, why the fuck am I working 50 plus hours a week to achieve what she already has? Seriously, after looking at mine and my husbands combined incomes, it's not realistic to be biting off that much. Neither of us can go to school without abandoning our full-time employment, and we will still have to establish some more credit before we're able to get a mortgage for a house we can afford the monthly payments on. We have no children, which is good because with the work schedules we have, our poor kids would never see us. Like most employed people, our lives revolve around our jobs, and the income it brings in. Although I am more happy to be in my situation than Lisa's, I can't help but think about how we're doing things the hard way.
Now before you give Lisa the benefit of a doubt, keep in mind that I grew up with her, and I know exactly how she wound up where she is. There is absolutely no shame, and in fact her manipulating ways and a lack of shame is so deep, any psychologist would definitely say she's a psychopath, by definition. Growing up as an only child to parents who felt guilt towards her, she was spoiled beyond belief. Nobody tells her "no" without threat of physical violence. I'm serious when I say that I doubt any love she has for anyone, including her children, which would be in the custody of Family and Children's services, without the immense support of her large and closely knit extended family. She basically made my wedding reception a nightmare. Dressed in the sluttiest outfit she could find, she helped herself to my alcohol, and openly expressed her disagreement with mine and my husband's relationship. She also went on to tell all of my family and friends about how much of a loser I was in high school, and that she was solely responsible for any social interaction I had growing up. Then, with her children present, she snapped out on a patio stone that she tripped on. No it wasn't the alcohol's fault, or the fact that she was wearing heels outside, it was the patio stone's fault. She literally picked the thing up and blindly threw it into the dark, close to where people were sleeping in tents. She stayed outraged about it for over 2 hours. That's just the way she is. She's going to have her way, and anything standing in her way, inanimate or not, is going to feel her wrath. She doesn't deserve social assistance, she doesn't need it. If for whatever reason, she cannot hold a job, it's solely her fault. She may use her kids as an excuse to gain welfare now, but she's been a welfare case far longer than she's been a mother.
She is only one example. I know a few others, that aren't psychopaths, but are unnecessarily collecting a welfare check, and somehow, a tax return every year. They are often the ones who go after their ex's for child support, but spend that money on tanning salons, shoes, and cigarettes.
Welfare should be treated much like employment insurance. When I was on EI, I had to record and report all of my job applications, apply for work every day, and even attend seminars explaining my obligations to the government. Even if I dotted all of I's and crossed all of my T's, the benefits still ran out if I didn't find employment within a certain amount of time. I felt as though I was being treated like a low-life scam artist, even though I qualified by working more than the required amount of hours. I've never applied for social assistance, in the form of Welfare. Despite constantly worrying about whether or not I was going to be homeless, I never felt the need to take money from tax payers. It bothers me immensely to know that there are people like Lisa, who have been collecting for years, with no shame, and no guilt.
People on welfare should have to:- Prove that they have attempted to find work, or that they are unable to work.- People with children should be provided with day care services as a part of their assistance.- Show receipts for all that they buy, and should go in debt for non-essential goods like alcohol, cigarettes, and other leisure and cosmetic purchases. - Be re-evaluated for assistance every 3 months. - Should not be allowed to own real estate, but should have to rent instead, unless they purchased the home prior to applying for assistance.- Should have to endure drug testing and criminal background checks - something many have to do to gain and maintain employment.
Yes, I'm being harsh. But I'm tired of seeing people get through life without lifting a finger. Yes I realize that many of the people on assistance actually need that assistance, but there are many who obviously do not, and I don't feel like paying for their easy way out.
I bust my ass at work. It's a dangerous job, but it's the only job I was able to find. My job has been a huge factor in my decision not to have children. I don't party, in fact I haven't had a drink in months. I work very hard for everything I have, and although I'm proud of that, it hurts to know that I didn't have to. I could have lived like Lisa does, but I have too much of a conscience and because of that, I'm paying the price. I'm not jealous of her, but she doesn't envy me either. She doesn't want a difficult job. She doesn't want to have to get up early every morning. If she stays up all night, it's because she was having too much fun to go home, and not because she does shift work. Right now, she's probably in her PJ's, hung over, planning out her elaborate wedding. Her kids are probably at Grandma's still, being fed, and taken care of.
Me, I have to go to work now.
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