In the Throne Speech delivered by outgoing MLA Ron Liepert, Alberta Premier Alison Redford listened to the needs of disabled Albertans. The $400 AISH increase, once in danger of being cut back to $100, remains intact. As is her promise to raise our allowable income by $400, to a total of $800.
Thank you very much, Premier Redford. We appreeciate it.
I am thinking that there are things we can do as disabled Albertans, to show our appreciation in a wider way.
If paid work is a possibility, then we should pursue it, free of oh-no-not-$401 number-crunching.
But the fact is, not all of us can pursue paid work, for physical or other reasons. There is nothing wrong with pursuing volunteering opportunities. Don't listen to the stigma that it's "only" volunteer work. As someone who has been fortunate enough to hold both volunteer and paid positions, I can tell you that that the volunteer positions can be just as challenging. And often, they can be just as rewarding.
At the end of the day, we still live in a damn good province, this Alberta of ours. So however we can, let's get out there and make a difference!
Have a great day everyone!
Your Partner In Life
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I understand your gratitude towards the gesture but there is an underlying issue that will trump the increase in a lot of peoples cases. The electricity cost issue more so for single people will eat up a majority if not all of that increase. This has a very wide ripple effect that will cause the cost of every commodity in Alberta to rise in cost. This can't be avoided because businesses will pass those increased costs on to consumers. It's how the food chain works in economics.
ReplyDeleteThe other issue that will effect the net income of most Albertans will be the looming tax increases. Alison refuses to assure us that they will not raise taxes, in political lingo that means there is definitely taxes and plenty of them on the horizon. The budget released last week has many strings attached to it. The commodity prices will be the most telling tale. If they drop even in the slightest all bets are off and common sense says that they will drop moderately over the next 2 years. The money must come from a some place and that place is you and I.
The volunteer suggestion you have is a great one Mike, you couldn't be more right. There is a social benefit to volunteering is enormous and it should be pursued by everyone.
In conclusion it's my belief that they have merely put a band aid on a gushing wound and in the end it will do nothing but delay the inevitable.
Thank you for your kind and thoughtful words my friend. Of course costs and taxes going up are the bane of every Albertan. And while I remain grateful for the financial breathing room provided by the premier and the people of Alberta, like most assisted-living residents I can't help but wonder if a government-mandated rent increase waits a few monts down the road. Like you, I always have one eye open.
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