Real Authority
In Kenya I thought we had met the ultimate of power and authority when we were constantly checked at each security point. There were Police checking cars on the road for no apparent reason – flexing muscles and showing great authoritarian ritual. Then there were the constant checks at the airport.
While flying British Airways we were checked and rechecked often. While checking in at the terminal at Nairobi we were checked two times before we got to the ticket counter to get our boarding passes and check in our suitcases. Then we were checked two more times before we got to the aircraft. In one of the checks we were physically frisked – a real pat down – men doing men and women doing women – providing a while new meaning to SECURE. You would hide nothing anywhere when these people worked on you!
It wasn’t until I got home until I realized that ‘authority’ is everywhere – so is stupidity! No, this is not a Re-entry Stress moment either. It is a real stupid Canadian Moment – well not all of Canada – just one real dumb official that needs power and takes power over others – just because she can.
The Account…
Mike is an adult that has been trying hard to complete his high school. He has worked for over two years on his subjects and is about to write his GED – which when it is done he will get his High School equivalency. Then he will be able to get a better job. His GED exam is scheduled for this Friday evening – May 4, 2007.
On Monday his Ontario Works case worker (a fancy name for a welfare - case worker) called to tell him that he is scheduled for a ‘work placement’ for the next 7 weeks. It will begin on Friday evening for 4 hours. This will continue for 7 weeks.
Mike explained that the GED exam was on Friday night and asked if he could put it off and begin of the ‘work placement’ until Monday…? She exercised her ‘authority’ and said if he didn’t show up for the ‘work placement’ on Friday evening for the four hours his Ontario Works funding would stop and he would be off the list – no matter what reason he would give her! There was no way that she would budge on this. There was no reasoning. There was just her way! My Oh My, what a powerful little person she is – heavy on the ‘little person’.
Pause here… you need to know that the ‘work placement’ is a ‘volunteer job’ – because Mike is on welfare in Ontario – he has to volunteer to prove that he is really who he says he is… and to prove that he is not a slacker. Places around our city know that they can get volunteer labour from guys like Mike and do so with the help of ‘little people’. He also has to attend seminars – “Rah Rah” sessions with his case worker whenever she feels he should. Oh – and he has to spend time each week preparing resumes and time to deliver resumes to as many places as he can – and also to write reports to his case worker to show what he has done for her.
If people that attend the place that Mike will be cleaning after hours knew of this kind of soft slave labour – I am sure that they would not sign up for more business from this place. I know I will not ever take part in this place. I just won’t.
Am I the only one – or is this authority driven ‘little person’ a real case – or what? I am so glad that I haven’t yet had to go on un-employment and then have to line up at the Ontario Works offices and meet one of these blessed authoritarian little people.
But I am really sad for Mike and hope that he holds on just a while longer. I do hope that the GED goes well and that maybe even he could get into college or maybe – UNIVERSITY. Then maybe he could get a job at the Ontario Works office some day and find himself as boss over little people. His story may be a good short film content.
Why do ‘little people’ try so hard to make themselves big – at other’s expense? I saw it in Kenya and other parts of the world. Now I see it is Ontario – right under my own nose. And the government says that is okay to allow ‘little people’ to force other people to do whatever they feel other people should do.
Hey Mike – I hope you hang in there for these 7 weeks. Some of us normal people are doing all we can to help you get through. Not all of us out here are ‘little people’. Hang on buddy – you can make it.
And Mike – I wanted to go down there and do some nose to nose with the ‘little people’ but my friend that told me about you thought it might not help. The thought was there buddy – but I couldn’t do it.
Your friend,
~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~
While flying British Airways we were checked and rechecked often. While checking in at the terminal at Nairobi we were checked two times before we got to the ticket counter to get our boarding passes and check in our suitcases. Then we were checked two more times before we got to the aircraft. In one of the checks we were physically frisked – a real pat down – men doing men and women doing women – providing a while new meaning to SECURE. You would hide nothing anywhere when these people worked on you!
It wasn’t until I got home until I realized that ‘authority’ is everywhere – so is stupidity! No, this is not a Re-entry Stress moment either. It is a real stupid Canadian Moment – well not all of Canada – just one real dumb official that needs power and takes power over others – just because she can.
The Account…
Mike is an adult that has been trying hard to complete his high school. He has worked for over two years on his subjects and is about to write his GED – which when it is done he will get his High School equivalency. Then he will be able to get a better job. His GED exam is scheduled for this Friday evening – May 4, 2007.
On Monday his Ontario Works case worker (a fancy name for a welfare - case worker) called to tell him that he is scheduled for a ‘work placement’ for the next 7 weeks. It will begin on Friday evening for 4 hours. This will continue for 7 weeks.
Mike explained that the GED exam was on Friday night and asked if he could put it off and begin of the ‘work placement’ until Monday…? She exercised her ‘authority’ and said if he didn’t show up for the ‘work placement’ on Friday evening for the four hours his Ontario Works funding would stop and he would be off the list – no matter what reason he would give her! There was no way that she would budge on this. There was no reasoning. There was just her way! My Oh My, what a powerful little person she is – heavy on the ‘little person’.
Pause here… you need to know that the ‘work placement’ is a ‘volunteer job’ – because Mike is on welfare in Ontario – he has to volunteer to prove that he is really who he says he is… and to prove that he is not a slacker. Places around our city know that they can get volunteer labour from guys like Mike and do so with the help of ‘little people’. He also has to attend seminars – “Rah Rah” sessions with his case worker whenever she feels he should. Oh – and he has to spend time each week preparing resumes and time to deliver resumes to as many places as he can – and also to write reports to his case worker to show what he has done for her.
If people that attend the place that Mike will be cleaning after hours knew of this kind of soft slave labour – I am sure that they would not sign up for more business from this place. I know I will not ever take part in this place. I just won’t.
Am I the only one – or is this authority driven ‘little person’ a real case – or what? I am so glad that I haven’t yet had to go on un-employment and then have to line up at the Ontario Works offices and meet one of these blessed authoritarian little people.
But I am really sad for Mike and hope that he holds on just a while longer. I do hope that the GED goes well and that maybe even he could get into college or maybe – UNIVERSITY. Then maybe he could get a job at the Ontario Works office some day and find himself as boss over little people. His story may be a good short film content.
Why do ‘little people’ try so hard to make themselves big – at other’s expense? I saw it in Kenya and other parts of the world. Now I see it is Ontario – right under my own nose. And the government says that is okay to allow ‘little people’ to force other people to do whatever they feel other people should do.
Hey Mike – I hope you hang in there for these 7 weeks. Some of us normal people are doing all we can to help you get through. Not all of us out here are ‘little people’. Hang on buddy – you can make it.
And Mike – I wanted to go down there and do some nose to nose with the ‘little people’ but my friend that told me about you thought it might not help. The thought was there buddy – but I couldn’t do it.
Your friend,
~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~
posted by Murray Lincoln at
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
2 Comments:
Sounds to me like the "little people" need prayer. It makes one wonder what has happened in their lives to cause them to be this way.
By
Anonymous, at 11:15 PM
The worker was an ass.
This was sent to the Premier of Ontario Dalton McGuinty, the Minister of Community and Social Services Madeleine Meilleur, Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger and Hamilton city councilor Bernie Morelli, via e-mail on Feb 24 08.
My question to you and to myself is how do they get away with the callous and unjust manner that workers approach their clients with, at Ontario Works, ODSP and even the Social Benefits Tribunal?
The answer is very simple. BECAUSE THEY CAN
For the record I would like to state, I have seen many improvements to the SBT since a change of it’s Chair and I expect to see many more. I can’t say the same for Ontario Works and ODSP.
The research shows when clients have contact with workers the response is not always the same. You could ask three different workers the same question and receive three different answers.
If the worker doesn't especially like you, they will simply ignore you. This means things like no return phone calls, ignoring verbal requests for benefits, requesting more than usual documents be brought in to prove eligibility and so on.
If the worker really doesn't like you, they will often do everything in their power to harass, intimidate and frustrate you into giving up and going away. This means things like ignoring written requests for benefits, telling you that the benefit doesn’t exist, denying benefits when you are entitled and no decision letters and so on.
If the worker does like you, they will give you any of the benefits that you ask for if you entitled. This is only if the worker is aware of the benefits requested. Here is an interesting problem. The vast majority of the workers are not aware of benefits that are available. This even includes some of the excellent workers. Another problem is that the fast majority of clients don’t even know what the benefits are.
****All clients must document, tape record and video record everything, every time when dealing with any OW or ODSP staff.****
The governments must, as a gesture of good will, give all Ontario Works and ODSP clients a written copy of the benefits that they say clients are entitled.
This would be a first concrete step taken to start the process in eliminating poverty.
Ontario Works Directive # 31.0 found at http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/mcss/english/pillars/social/ow-directives/ow_policy_directives.htm or the:
Ontario Disability Support Program Directives #s 9.1 to 9.19 Found at http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/mcss/english/pillars/social/odsp-is-directives/ODSP_incomesupport.htm
The only real remedy to this problem is for clients to sue their respective governments. For Ontario Works it would be their local municipal government and the Province of Ontario and for ODSP it would be the Province of Ontario.
In the Ontario Works Act it states No personal liability
77.(1)No action or other proceeding in damages shall be instituted against the Ministry, the Director, a delivery agent, an officer or employee of any of them or anyone acting under their authority for any act done in good faith in the execution or intended execution of a duty or authority under this Act or for any alleged neglect or default in the execution in good faith of any duty or authority under this Act.
In the Ontario Disability Support Program it states No personal liability
58. (1) No action or other proceeding in damages shall be instituted against the Ministry, the Director or a delivery agent, an officer, employee of any of them or anyone acting under their authority for any act done in good faith in the execution or intended execution of a duty or authority under this Act or for any alleged neglect or default in the execution in good faith of any duty or authority under this Act. 1997, c. 25, Sched. B, s. 58 (1).
This means that a client could sue for damages if bad faith could be proven.
It is called bad faith; a person who intentionally tries to deceive or mislead another in order to gain some advantage.
It is called willful blindness or willful deceit.
The government must get rid of the discretionary powers it allows workers in the OW and OSSP, Act, Regulations and Directives. You’re either entitled to benefits or your not. It is extremely simple but the government will not do it until it gets sued for Bad Faith.
It’s so simple; all the government has to do is to look at how the federal government implements its Employment Insurance application process, and they are saving millions.
To receive benefits you must go online to apply, with exceptions for some disabled clients. You fill out a simple template and the next thing you experience is a cheque in the mail. If the federal government trusts us why can’t you?
Ron Payne
Welfare Legal
Hamilton, Ontario.
E-mail welfarelegal2004@hotmail.com
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Unknown, at 12:19 PM
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