NDP Critic for Community and Social Services, Marie Renaud is our guest on the Trending 55 Hot Seat from the Official Opposition.
The MLA for St. Albert says she was troubled to learn that the government is doing a review of Alberta Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH).
Renaud’s belief is that recipients need more support, not less and will be documenting what it is like to live on a budget of $1,685, which is the maximum amount AISH recipients can receive.
Renaud also told us that people have to reach into their own pockets for things such as therapy, medications and maintenance of devices such as walkers and wheelchairs.
”There are a number of living on AISH that are managing pain so there are some therapies not covered by the medical services card AISH gives people every month. There are all these expenses related to a disability, whether that’s wheelchair repairs that are not covered, or walker repairs. I was chatting with a woman who twice a year has to have significant maintenance on her walker or she cannot get around. That means replacing wheels and that is around $200. It doesn’t take much to take a chuck out of a food budget, for example.”
The full discussion with Renaud is below:
