Hi Cindy,

Tuesday January 17 2006, Cindy Haglund writes to Kevin Klement:

 > One concern I have about this is how the money is spent. I
 > would think a far better assurance of money well spent would
 > be to have it given in the form of what is needed:
 > food/shelter/job training? rather than simply as cash. MY
 > reasoning here is, it's all too easy to exploit such monuies
 > for uses which help nobody and hurt those the money
 > is actually coming from.

Here is what they said in Todays Herald.

quote:


Minister wont admit AISH wrongdoing

KELLY CRYDERMAN LEGISLATURE BUREAU

   EDMONTON
Human Resources Minister Mike Cardinal says the government has taken a noble
and less arduous route by quickly settling a class-action lawsuit launched by
poor and disabled Albertans.

I believe its the right thing to do, Cardinal said Monday. Lets face it,
these people are poor. Theyre not rich . . . . a lot of people might not be
around in 10 years, you know, and it wouldnt be fair.

But despite calls for the Klein government to apologize for what opposition
leaders say is the unfeeling treatment of the provinces most vulnerable,
Cardinal is not admitting any wrongdoing.

Yes, we could go to court and probably we could win in some areas and in some
areas not and it may cost a lot more to go through the court system than it
would cost by paying out, he said.

The class action suit, filled by Edmonton lawyer Philip Tinkler, was brought
forward by two AISH (Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped) recipients
who were either underpaid by the government program or were subject to what
they say was an illegal and abusive debt collection process.

The court-approved settlement, which came forward last month, means the two
men, and many others on AISH, social assisance for the poor and the Widows
Pension between 1979 and 2004, will receive payouts.
The government estimates it will cost about $24 million and will affect about
15,000 people. Lawyers for the AISH recipients think it will cost somewhere in
the area of $100 million and affect 30,000 people.
Monday it became clear that lawyers working on behalf of the AISH recipients
kept news of the class-action suit under wraps for fear that publicity would
scuttle any hope of a settlement.

The lawsuit was launched in September 2004. Premier Ralph Klein provided an
opportunity for it to be used against him politically the next month during the
provincial election, when he took aim at undeserving AISH recipients.


        Gufus

... If your sergeant can see you, so can the enemy.
--- Squish/386 v1.11