jennifer evans Profile picture
Mar 26 10 tweets 3 min read
i'd like you to think for a moment about what it must be like to be 100% financially dependent on a system that is attempting to cut every imaginable cost associated with your staying alive. First of all, you are expected to survive on $1169 a month in Ontario. Which
means every single person who has ever even thought about this is experiencing cognitive dissonance. Any rational person knows that is impossible. But we gloss over it - oh, there must be more somewhere. There isn't. And the benefits shrink continuously and without
warning. So there you are with your $1169, ($850 of which just went to an noisy, infested non accessible unit with faulty heating in the basement that no one shovels the steps to all winter, so now it's $319) and you have four prescriptions to pick up to get you through the
month, three are covered, one is not. Surprise! As of today, two are not and neither are your glucose testing sticks, so what used to be $100 is now $150 leaving you with $169 for thirty days. You haven't bought any groceries yet. BUT! This month, you get a letter! It says that
bc you haven't reported your earnings, of which you've had none bc you were born with a disabling condition, or a boom hit your head at work 5 yrs ago, or in '01 you slipped on a washer that should not have been there + broke your skull, so yeah, no earnings to report again! but
there's nothing in your account because you didn't file so you can't pay rent, can't get your prescriptions, can't pay for the bus, or your phone.

so you call. your case worker who hasn't been there in weeks is not there again.

THIS IS YOUR EXISTENCE because of how you were
born or an accident that happened to you. Through no fault of your own. And every day, the program shrinks a bit more because our governments are ... at times quite evil. This is one of them. Defunding care and outsourcing to the US a program upon which the MOST VULNERABLE PPL
in this country depend on, many of them for EVERY ASPECT OF THEIR EXISTENCE, knowing how deep and profound the struggle is, the provinces and @fordnation @jkenney in particular STILL try to cut costs further. While people live SUBSTANTIALLY below the poverty line. This is what
legislated poverty is, setting benefits at such a low rate that people who have no choice but to live on them are forced into abject poverty. Poverty line in Ontario for a single adult is $19,930 and that is before recent inflation. #odsp is $14,028. how do we think people
are going to survive on that? and then make FURTHER cuts? and outsource it? it's unbearable. it's inhuman. and it is reality for thousands. in June, DO NOT VOTE FOR DOUG FORD.

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More from @nejsnave

Mar 24
(still so stunned and mad!!)
ok any minute now i really am going to calm down but y'all. three of them stood at the bar for FORTY FIVE MINUTES in front of at least thirty people trying SO HARD to kick me out of the bar. threatening to call the police. like you would not BELIEVE the pressure. STOOD MY GROUND.
these big guys were like "leave NOW" and i was like - no. (my mom was not there at this point) I am not leaving. And they said - you need to leave. Said I am not leaving. They eventually said ok, then we are calling the police. And i said - fine. you are going to have to drag me
Read 4 tweets
Mar 24
Absolutely fucking livid. Tried to check my mom + i into the Royal York tonight. Not only could i not they threatened to call the police + have us ejected from the premises. Why? I have no idea. You owe my poor mother + i a huge apology @FairmontRYH. Will never forget this.
Things that were said to me tonight by employees of the Royal York, a place a patronize REGULARLY and had dinner + drinks at today: "well where is your mom?" "why isn't she here with you?" "how much have you had to drink tonight?" "we have to ask you to leave the premises now"
and fyi we had been there since 2 pm so they knew the answers to these questions already. just absolutely ridiculous and inexcusable and incomprehensible behaviour. sexist? i don't know. but utterly offensive.
Read 4 tweets
Mar 11
ask yourself: if life got harder, what could you handle?

if bombs were going off in your neighborhood, what would you do?

if the supply chain was interrupted and much of our food supply stopped for months could you cope?

if we were under attack would you stay and resist?
if life gets more chaotic not less over the next few years, and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it, what would you change? how would you adjust? because it feels like life might get a lot more chaotic and maybe we need to mentally prepare ourselves.
historically times post pandemics are full of social upheaval. as arundhati roy says, the pandemic is a portal. it separates past and future. we are not going back. we can only move forward into a different reality.
Read 13 tweets
Mar 9
BIG ASK : Hey all. We met Ray last night. He is going through a really tough time. He's been bullied + abused by his landlord. His unit +appliances have not been maintained; they obviously want him out. He sleeps on a thin dirty mattress. #onpoli

He is 77 years old. (1) Image
Ray has never been married + has no kids. He is a poet + was a rare book collector until his landlord made him sell his books, his most prized possession. 💔 He is terrified of eviction. @Halfpin70400132 is helping him out. You can see her TL for some pix. They are pretty awful.
This is no way for anyone to live, let alone a 77 year old man. His place will require a huge clean; @Brendapotterr got a quote and it is below along with their policy around 3rd party donations.

We are going to fundraise for this. Making an exception + need your help. 🙏 ImageImage
Read 5 tweets
Jan 16
if you read anything i have posted today PLEASE read this. we need ppl in cities across Canada helping coordinate outreach and response to folks outside. if you can help in your city - here's how you can make a huge difference. 🧵
If there is a hotel or motel in your city/town, find out how many rooms are available. if you do not have one or there is none go to a mosque, synagogue or church and ask if they will take people in.
(Motels and hotels will not really donate rooms, so in this case you will need to raise funds. We can help with this. Many will ask for a credit card guarantee too. This can be handled by donors - ask for a credit card authorization form)
Read 9 tweets

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