Whinefestarama!

March 01, 1999

At least, according to the Hamilton Spectator . Apparently there was a mixup in the mail last week, so thousands of Hamilton's welfare, er, excuse me, " family benefits " recipients didn't get their checks on Friday as expected. Instead, they were told to wait until Monday.

This startling affair has received front page coverage in our home town news paper for two straight printings. Why does the Spectator consider this (unmittigated) schlopp newsworthy?

Then again, if the Spec didn't print this kind of crap where would we go for humour? Like the part in today's report on this sordid affair which mentions that some of the welfare recipients went to food banks to make it through the weekend. "Many were paying their first visit to a food bank, an experience that left them humiliated and saddened" a food bank employee was quoted as saying. What's there to feel humiliated about, even the careers of welfare recipients are bound to have their ups and downs. Too proud to ask for help freely given (food banks) but not proud enough to turn down what was taken from others without their consent (welfare).

One mom was "really upset".... boo hoo.

What a disaster ey? Welfare recipients have to wait an extra three days and the Spec acts as though the sky is falling. What next? A hard-hitting investigative report about kids shooting spitballs on school buses? One kid was "really upset" when a spitball hit him on the nose.

More commentary on the Spec's (anti-Tory?) Welfare propaganda.

Tuesday, March 02, 1999

The Saga of the Late Checks Continues

Front page news again ! The Spectator is not leaving this story alone..... it's just too big a scoop I guess. Today's edition reveals the culprit: an evil "Private company" is responsible for all the misery and mayhem.

Yup, let's do everything we can to smear the concept of privatization while a provincial election is in the air. Careful with your propaganda boys.... could be that a majority of voters don't really give a shit about welfare cheques being delayed.... maybe they even appreciated the shorter month-end lineups at the grocery and beer stores and silently hope for more.

It makes you wonder about how some people handle their money. Today's whinefest mentions a mother of five who wasn't comforted by the company's apology ... she didn't have enough grocery money yadda yadda .... and couldn't send her kids to school with proper lunches... what happened to the $400+ (for 5 kids) Child Tax Benefit she just got on February 19th ? You mean she didn't have $5 left to buy a bunch of bananas, a loaf of bread, half a pound of cooked ham and some juice boxes for her kids on Monday?

Well, maybe she used that to pay for her new car...... ever notice how heavy the traffic gets at welfare time?

(you can use these links for an interesting calculation on what that kind of new car $400 per month will buy over five years)

Payment Estimator

New Car Prices

Further Reading:

last modified:Wednesday,March 19, 2008 at 04:40