Hi All,

I'm one of those disabled people...

Should I write a letter to the Alberta government?

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Web Links
 www.incomesupportsettlement.ca
 www.incomesupportsettlement.ca
 Alberta to repay millions in benefits



ALLYSON JEFFS CANWEST NEWS SERVICE
EDMONTON JOURNAL




EDMONTON
The Alberta government will pay millions of dollars to poor and disabled
people who didn’t receive benefits or were subjected to illegal debt
collections during decades of abusive treatment by the social welfare
bureaucracy.

The payments are part of a courtapproved settlement of a
class-action lawsuit that could affect as many as 30,000 people and cost up
to $100 million, lawyer Philip Tinkler said Saturday. But government
spokeswoman Mary Lou Reeleder estimates the costs will be closer to $24
million and will affect about 15,000 people. Neither estimate includes the
amount of debts which will have to be written off as part of the agreement.

Alberta Liberal Leader Kevin Taft called the government treatment of
settlement plaintiffs “a profound and enduring betrayal of widows, of the
severely handicapped, of the most vulnerable members of society.” He also
questioned whether the lawsuit was at the root of co ntrove rs ial comments


Premier Ralph Klein made during the 2004 provincial election when he
suggested that two women complaining about the low level of their
disability benefits didn’t appear disabled. “This suit was filed a
month before the election was called . . . it makes you wonder if he
wasn’t really lashing out at these people who were frankly, just trying
to get their legal due,” he said. At issue in the lawsuit were policies
affecting overpayments and underpayments to people receiving assured income
for the severely handicapped, social assistance and widows’ pension
benefits. Claimants alleged the government used policy to get around
legislation.

Taft called on Klein to apologize, and said the government
should investigate how the problems continued undetected for so long. Since
some of the funds paid to benefit recipients were federal monies
transferred to the province for income support programs, Taft also
suggested more accountability for transfer payments may be in order. A
claims administrator has been appointed to oversee and manage the
settlement process.

Information is available at
www.incomesupportsettlement.ca or by calling toll-free 1-877-507-7706.



        Gufus

... Sysop: (noun) One who reconfigures.
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