WRONGFUL EVICTION/PENTICTON

January 29, 2012 It was a phone call between two strangers but as I dialed the phone number I was confident my call would be welcomed. I saw a news story on television the night before. A single mom living in BC Housing evicted over a neighbours smoking. The smoke filtering into her children’s rooms had a definite effect on them. Doctors’ letters acknowledged this fact. Her complaint to the other tenant first, then to the landlord. The landlord then served an eviction notice. She was thinking, and rightly so, that the Residential Tenancy Branch would not uphold the eviction. She was wrong! The eviction ordered as a result of what was termed harassment of the other tenant. Liz Bourassa maintains this is not true. I offered my support and promised that I would do whatever I could to help right this wrong. My strategy is simple, a letter writing campaign to the MLA for Penticton, Premier Clark, Penticton Newspaper the Herald, my facebook wall asking that others flood BC Housing with letters of support for Liz Bourassa. In addition to this send letters to MLA’s, the Premiers office and anyone else who will listen. After an hour and a half on the phone I was able to understand that her attempts to resolve the situation fell on many deaf ears! I wasn’t surprised. I’ve heard it many times over the years. The absurdity was plain and simple. At a time when the Provincial government has spent 3 million dollars on a stop smoking campaign funded through health care how could this happen? The goal of this campaign is to prevent our health care dollars from needlessly being wasted as a result of smoking. I am quite puzzled by the irony of the situation. I f the government wants to spend your tax dollars on this then why has a government agency been allowed to ignore the rights of a person to not be exposed to this harmful toxin and all the health implications that it may present? Please join me in helping to get the attention of the government to re-visit this eviction and stop what is not only morally wrong but ethically wrong. The MLA for Pentiction is Bill Barisoff email to www.bc.gov.ca and follow the links to the MLA listings or email premier@gov.bc.ca. Liz has nowhere to move to and February 1st is a few days away. If you’d like to send an email of support direct to Liz Bourassa you can send it to: lizbourassa@hotmail.com Make a difference in someone’s life…be there…you and I can make a difference! Teal Quin legislativepoverty@gmail.com

PAYDAY OR IS IT?

January 25, 2012 It’s payday, after five weeks of waiting for that disability cheque. I’ve made it…well almost. I get those monthly bills in advance and wonder where will the money come from? The bills in excess of $400.00 are for gas and electricity - a necessity. But I have one luxury I can’t afford – a phone, internet, and cable television. That basic package $83.00 per month. Why would I have this luxury – simple, I live in a basement suite of an otherwise unoccupied house. I have health issues that are chronic. Two calls this past month to the ambulance service account for part of that luxury. The ability to connect to the world through the internet stopped the isolation that came with the recent very cold weather. I can’t take the frigid weather physically. Walking is difficult without this factor, so for almost two weeks I was house bound. This is the reason for the cable television. Imagine yourself without contact except for my dog and cat. Stir crazy is not stirred it’s sedentary. It’s without compassion, understanding and empathy. And so too are the monthly creditors. My health issues have made it difficult to carve out a life that allows for independence financially. So I have to rely on the government, a fact that I would prefer to escape. But, this month I need to play catch up on the monthly bills and I can’t ask the government for help. I get much less than needed to survive. So I pick up the phone and call my Dad. I am fortunate I can call him, a fact not lost in translation. My father, a patient loving man has been there through the years of poor health and inability to just sustain the minimum comforts of life. By his side my mother an extremely supportive woman. I appreciate their support. They’ve helped to keep a roof over my head, utilities, food and health aids paid. As I pick up the phone I take a big breath I know that one more time I need their help. I need to pay my utilities and phone/cable/internet bill. “Dad can you help me out this month?” I hold my breath…I wait for the lecture but this time it doesn’t come. The answer isn’t no, but rather a reluctant okay. I start to cry and he tells me not to. Don’t cry, how can I not…even as I write this I am tearing up. My parents retired after providing for three children with a modest income that I continue to dwindle away every time I need help. I’ve needed lots of help. My circumstances encumbered with most of my adult life being chronically ill and unable to work fulltime. As for my personal life I have been married, divorced and remarried. The latter coming two years after the death of my first husband. I have one child from my first marriage, now grown and I’m unable to help him. Instead he has, when able helped me by coming back to my home, to help me out, with day to day living. Perhaps I should explain this very candid article. After monitoring the efforts of MLA Jagrup Brar living through the month of January on Social Assistance I am compelled to share my story. Jagrups’ month long odyssey demonstrates the challenges for those who don’t have the support of family. Family, which if you look beyond the legislation, for social assistance is a necessity. The legislation requires that to be entitled for assistance you must first demonstrate that your resources are absent. The application process is fraught with pitfalls. The first of which is the three week waiting period before you can see any help. Furthermore the process to apply is online. This can be a barrier for those who are unfamiliar with computers or lack the education. This process was remarkably absent from Jagrups’ odyssey. In addition there is a five day waiting period for any contact from the Ministry of Housing and Social Development. In order to facilitate this you need a phone contact number. If you’re homeless this is a big problem! How is one to live without resources that at the very least are intrusive and dependant on the generosity and ability of family and friends to help? I will point out that a crisis grant for food is considered and nets a whopping $20.00 for a single person. This may be enough for two of the twenty days required for the waiting period. Of course the argument from the government is that there are social agencies that will help out. Yes, this is true. However even this was a challenge for Jagrup as he spent two nights in homeless shelters. In his blog he describes the living circumstances faced by others he met at the shelters. He will not deny that this was uncomfortable at best. Sleeping in a room filled with strangers on a mat and I presume without the comfort of changing into sleeping attire. I don’t know about you but sleeping in my clothing is uncomfortable. Now back to my reality…it’s left me feeling very grateful that I can call on my parents for help. I will however be ever aware that my circumstances are favorable and I am very fortunate. Still I find myself needing to speak up and out for those who may not have a voice that is heard and understood. So as you go about your day remember to be thankful for those who love you, care about you and are able and willing to help because there are a lot of souls out there that don’t have this. Teal Quin January 26, 2012