BY TAMARA BELKOV
Raymond Boucher just turned 54 but he didn’t celebrate with cake
and balloons. Instead he had a bowl of soup.
Barely able to keep any food down, the Sudbury man claims his
physical and mental condition has deteriorated since he began his
protest against the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) more
than a month ago.
A diabetic, Boucher is due to undergo dialysis. He receives a
disability pension and lives on $1,100 per month.
Upset that his food supplement was cut by $51 and how his case
has been handled by ODSP, Boucher stopped taking prescribed
medications in order to protest what he calls an unfair
system.
“This is crazy, a broken-down system that’s failing everyone on
disability,” Boucher says over the phone, his speech slightly
slurred.
“I can’t go to the food bank. I can’t eat that food. With all
this, I’m so upset I can’t eat anything at all. I can’t stop
throwing up.”
Gary Kinsman and the Hunger Clinic Organizing Committee have taken up Boucher’s cause.
“He’s been treated very badly by ODSP. They issued a letter that
made it look like he’d get more (money) when he was really going to
get less. It’s very deceiving,” says Kinsman.
He alleges in Boucher’s case, ODSP violated policies.
ODSP made an arbitrary change to Boucher’s special diet
supplement without a doctor’s consultation and they failed to send
a new special diet form to Boucher Feb. 17. After receiving the
form, he should have had 90 days to see his doctor and have the
form re-submitted to ODSP, during which time his supplement was to
remain unchanged, Kinsman says.
Instead, Boucher’s supplement was reduced immediately and no new
form was sent to him nor was he informed he could re-apply.
After weeks of repeated calls and visits to Sudbury’s ODSP
office—he has been accused of harassing staff—Boucher was told he
could re-apply. Boucher picked up the necessary form despite being
banned from the office.
The Hunger Clinic Organizing Committee has sent a letter to ODSP
on behalf of Boucher, demanding his special diet supplement be
reinstated to $147 for at least 90 days as required under existing
OSDP policy. Kinsman says Boucher intends to meet with a lawyer
from the Sudbury Community Legal Clinic to form an appeal.
According to Kinsman, Boucher’s case is not unique.
ODSP has sent similar letters to others who normally receive a
food supplement of up to $250 a month to cover special dietary
needs as described by a registered medical professional — doctor,
nurse practitioner, dietitian and/or midwife.
The provincial government uses the same system to allocate funds
for people on social assistance. Changes made to the system by the
government last November are starting to be felt by recipients of
both ODSP and Ontario Works.
Anti-poverty and social justice advocates say the policy is
designed to make it more difficult for those in need to access
help.
A Sudbury woman recently ended a hunger strike she undertook to
protest her treatment under Ontario Works. After the government
reviewed her case she was moved from Ontario Works to ODSP. The
monthly allotment for basic needs and shelter are more for those on
ODSP and they are not expected to return to work on a full-time
basis.
The dietary supplement is intended to provide extra funds for
those on social assistance with medical conditions to purchase
special foods. For example an adult diabetic with a milk allergy
and congestive heart failure is eligible for a food supplement of
$121 a month, while an infant with just a milk allergy is eligible
for $95.
Those in need must apply to ODSP or Ontario Works for the Special Diets form, have it filled out by a medical professional and returned to the government in the time allowed. Recipients are to be advised of the approved amount along with the renewal date.
