I understand that with the Canada assistance plan it's a lot easier to do this. I recognize how complicated it is when you get into federal-provincial jurisdictions, but there need to be standards for our income assistance program.
For example, in this province under certain circumstances the child tax benefit can be considered income by the ministry and taken outright, dollar for dollar, off a person's cheque. Federal money subsidizes the welfare program, but so does the welfare recipient. When they receive money on a monthly basis it's not considered income. If there's some kind of bureaucratic problem or there's another claim against it, the cheques are stopped and they get a lump sum payment once the matter is resolved. But the provincial government considers that lump sum to be income, and it's excess income that makes the person no longer qualified for benefits for a month or two.
That's not just the government subsidizing the welfare system; it's also the welfare recipient, who's been borrowing money during that time to make up for this lack of very necessary income.
On November 26, right before you arrived, this province passed Bill 14. This legislation now makes it illegal for anyone with an outstanding warrant to collect income assistance. If you think you might have an outstanding warrant, you have to present yourself to the police station and be arrested. Once that warrant has been executed you're eligible for income assistance. I want to know when our income assistance ministry became responsible for law enforcement.
I urge you to look at this legislation that just got royal assent on November 26. We need to have national standards. Quebec and Newfoundland have made wonderful strides in reducing poverty, while here in British Columbia people are fighting and clawing for money that's 50% or less than the poverty line.