Welfare / ODSP: Special Diet Supplement Wrestle Continues with City and Provincial Liberals

north america / mexico | community struggles | news report

Monday August 15, 2005 03:20

by Jeff Shantz - Punching Out (NEFAC)

punchingout at nefac dot net

PO box 79538, 1995 Weston Rd., Toronto, Ontario, M9N 3W9, Canada

An update on the struggle for a raise in the Ontario welfare and disability rates focusing on the 'special diet supplement’, which is under attack from Toronto bureaucrats.

TORONTO - As reported in the July issue of Strike! The Special Diet Campaign undertaken by OntarioCoalition Against Poverty (OCAP) and allies in the Ontario Common Front has been widely successful, helping hundreds of people access $250/per month for improved nutrition. On August 7th , in Belleville, the Tenant Action Group (TAG), together with the Marsh Drive and North Park communities, organized a highly successful “hunger clinic” which signed up 124 for the supplement.

In early July Toronto’s welfare administrators attempted to bring in mean-spirited changes to the special diet policy requiring all people receiving the supplement to re-apply for it on new municipal forms. In an overtly sexist move, nurse practitioners, dieticians and midwives would no longer be allowed to authorize the forms. Additionally, doctors would be asked to reveal specific underlying medical conditions for each applicant. As one CUPE worker in social services revealed to me, this was in violation of even the Provinces welfare regulations, as well as basic health protection law which is supposed to protect doctor-patient confidentiality. These policies would have excluded about 1/3 of people currently receiving the allowance.

On July 21st , a public strategy meeting was held in Etobicoke, conducted in different languages (Somali, Spanish, English), with over 150 spirited participants. They voted overwhelmingly to directly confront the Mayor and occupy city hall until their demands were won.

In the face of this large and angry mobilization of people receiving the supplement --combined with demands from medical practitioners, especially nurses -- the City was forced to retreat from these plans rather than face a publicly embarrassing occupation of City Hall and the prospect of legal action. While this obstacle was overcome, the City continues to arbitrarily deny many people for various dubious reasons. Forty-two families presented a united front on August 5th at the Mayor’s Office to demand the funds be released. As reports of denials, of new “consent forms”, and other b.s. from caseworkers come in from across the city, it’s clear the fight continues.

Even more, we must win the real basis of the campaign, which is getting the benefit to everyone who receives welfare or disability payments. The vast majority of people who need the special diet to get by are clearly not accessing it, if we consider that there are approximately 140 000 on social assistance or disability in Toronto, but only about 10,000 receiving the supplement (a 67% increase since the start of this campaign.) There are approximately 760 000 people in Ontario who rely on the Provinces inadequate welfare and disability payments.

That is why OCAP argues the emphasis must be placed on building community movements that are capable of forcing the Liberal government to automatically give the $250 special diet allowance to every person receiving social assistance in the province. This money must be made available without reference to medical examination since the links between the province’s paltry social assistance rates and ill health are already clearly established.

--------------------------
This article is from the August issue of Strike! - A newsletter of anarchist news and commentary published in Ontario, Canada.

To download a pdf file of the newsletter go to:

http://users.resist.ca/~gidget/nefac/strike/aug_strike1.PDF

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Comments (8 of 8)

Diet Suppliment for All

by Patricia Duck - ODSP recipent

Sat Sep 03, 2005 05:50

patduck at sprint dot ca

416-913-6430

Hi Everyone;
I totally agree with the fact that everyone should be given the $250 diet suppliment
from ODSP and OW.
I went to a Dr with my diet form and my Dr signed a form for me to have a salt free diet which entitles me to nothing extra.
I am on meds for life for high blood pressure.
If I had of gone to a street nurse I would
have been given the OK to have the special diet suppliment as the ODSP RECIPENTS HAVE LACKED A COST OF LIVING INCREASE FOR MANY YEARS!
To give to some and not all this extra money is unconsitutional as we all need extra food
on social assistance.

I agree

by lisa - none

Tue Nov 08, 2005 04:18

lisa_hayes at sympatico dot ca

70 compton st

6135316270

I agree with you too. I did get some of the special diet. My friends who are 2 single people on odsp got the full amount each. Because I had a bigger family i got about half. They feel that the smaller family needs more, but like you say everyone is entitled to eat. And to think these people lied to get everything filled out as he needs money for a very bad habit.

Lisa

Special Diet/ Raise the Rates?

by Angela Browne

Tue Nov 08, 2005 10:41

browne2002ca at yahoo dot com

I think that as long as this provincial government is so set on crying poor to the people of this province, while quietly sneaking out billions out the back door to support corporations like General Motors, Toyota, IBM, Casino Rama, and so on, I am dumbfounded as to how people can otherwise access additional funds if they rely on ODSP due to disability or OW due to temporary misfortune. I think the people making decisions on this special diet policy should speak to George Smitherman, who has done nothing but whine about how his Ministry's costs are increasing geometically on an annual basis due to the influx of diabetes, cancer, heart problems, obesity and so forth, while there is plenty of published evidence that is peer-reviewed that shows poverty is inextricably linked to these conditions, particularly when one must choose to have a roof over one's head or eat.

Outside legislation

by Chuck Giles - Disabled Senior

Tue Aug 22, 2006 10:32

cnm793 at rogers dot com

It is disapointing that some ODSP offices have made cuts to supplementary diets without even the courtesy of letting clients know in advance what they are doing. Seniors and the disabled have received their cheques short $94.00 with no notice at all. This of course leads one to call the local office to find out what has happened. Some jurisdictions have just halved the amount by making local policy decisions outside legislation. I would be interested in hearing from a provincial level how many people this has happened to.

Just Received Notice to Review My Special Diet Too!

by Carolee

Sat Feb 03, 2007 04:46

beetbee at gmail dot com

Just today, I was told that my special diet is up for review and I was 'warned' that it probably will decrease. When I asked why, I was told that there is 'new legislation that removes food-related allowances and that only medical conditions will apply' ' ....I asked how significant of a reduction will I be faced with and I was told 'significant'...!!! I asked how much exactly, and the lady told me it will depend on my form being filled out by the doctor...and that was how I found out and I feel like nothing has changed about my conditions, so why must I have to re-apply for my special diet? Does anyone have suggestions as to how I can keep my same amount and do I really have to "re-apply" or can I fight that? I have found that you are never told the whole story when discussing matters, so you are not capable of preparing a position to defend properly or make your case. It sometimes feels like entrapment conditions. Also, is there more access to policy documents that guides the ODSP that we are entitled to - so that we are clearly more in the know?

Special Diet Allowance

by Just a Parent - None

Thu May 20, 2010 05:52

Hi,

I am someone that knows people that qualify for the special diet because of the medical conditions that are listed. The special diet has been lowered and clawed back because so many ODSP recipients were abusing the allowance. People that legitimately require the special diet specifically for their disability now struggle with coping with their diets.

People should be lobbying for an increase in ODSP itself. ODSP itself is way to low.
Stop lobbying for the special diet allowance to supplement ODSP. Start lobbying for a significant increase to ODSP. Everyone on ODSP deserves to live above the poverty level. The special diet belongs to those with the specific dietary requirements.

Everyone should petition the government to raise ODSP basic shelter and cost of living to acceptable levels. Please consider the people who really need the special diet, because they DO HAVE the medical conditions.....

Cut the Government excessive spending

by Peter

Wed Jun 09, 2010 14:44

no fixed address

don't have one

If the the Government needs lots of money fast than:

1) Cut out the massive amounts of freebies given to government MPPs, MPs and the rest.
2) Charge a flat tax to EVERYBODY

But they will never do that so long as they can raise the taxes of the average working Joe
(who never complains) and take away what little the give to people on assistance.

Leave the Special Diet for those who really need it.

by True Dietary needs

Tue Mar 08, 2011 08:39

ODSP benefits should be raised across the board. By going after the Special Diet allowance to increase your benefits has resulted in ODSP taking the necessary actions to prevent fraudulent claims for the allowance. This diet allowance has been so restricted that my family (children will be deprived of the allowance in many aspects.) The have celiacs disease. Which means that they cannot have any grain products. That means no wheat, rye, barley, and oats. I have to read all food labels carefully. They have severe allergies to soy, dairy (milk, cheese etc...) , citrus, nuts and peanuts. They are also severely allergic to beef, pork and chicken. They are underweight . They have severe chemical and environmental sensitivities. Severe trees, grasses, dust, mold, pollen and animal allergies. They are asthmatic. The special diet already didn't come close to helping our dietary needs. Now it is even worse. We have been grateful that the special diet exists.

Because of all of the hoopla over the special diet, and people that truly do not qualify, the special diet allowance for us has been cut back. The extra costs to meet the actual needs will be much harder to manage because of our LEGITIMATE NEEDS.

Has anyone actually thought about how everyone else' demands for the Special Diet allowance really affects the disabled that really need it?

Has anyone actually looked up the diseases to see how that impacts the different people dietary requirements?

ODSP benefits are grossly too low. ODSP recipients should canvass to go after increasing ODSP across the board. ODSP should be raised to above the poverty line. The disabled shouldn't be punished for being disabled they should be able to live without having to struggle. Everyone should get their act together and go for better benefits period. Leave the special diet alone. You only make it worse for the people that truly need the special diet because they actually have the conditions.

Has anyone thought how the credibility of the doctors? Doctors who falsely sign for recipients that don't actually have the listed conditions are committing fraud. The Special Diet should not be used to improve ODSP benefits. ODSP benefit increases must lobbied for period.

Fight for ODSP increase. Leave the Special Diet out of the conflict.

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Welfare / ODSP: Special Diet Supplement Wrestle Continues with City and Provincial Liberals

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