Minister Chantal Rouleau denies lacking humanity by abolishing $100 million in social assistance benefits in five years. On the contrary, she said, “we are going to improve people’s lot.”
How ? The minister is counting on the fact that people who will no longer receive the allowance for temporary employment constraints (CTE) of $161 per month will eventually return to the job market.
“We looked at what was best to do for people, to better support them, so that they could be integrated into employment. Because it is through employment that they will improve their lot. »
The ministry of Mme Rouleau decided to abolish the CTE currently given to people aged 58 and over and to parents of a preschool-age child.
This cut will generate 99.7 million, just enough to finance the new aid measures provided for in Bill 71 on social assistance ($97.06), revealed Duty Wednesday.
According to the minister, the decision to abolish the CTE is also not linked to measures to combat the deficit or to any directive from the Ministry of Finance.
“No, it is a modernization of a law which has not been [revue] for twenty years. »
Rob Peter to pay Paul
However, the three opposition parties believe that the social assistance system needs new funds.
“We are not fighting poverty at zero cost,” responded from the outset MP Christine Labrie of Québec solidaire (Sherbrooke).
The elected official also doubts the abilities of those affected to return to the job market. “I’m not even convinced there are any savings to be made with this,” she says. “Most of them will probably still have recognition of a health constraint, except that it will take them more paperwork, then more delays to have it recognized. »
His PQ colleague Pascal Paradis (Jean-Talon) protests against the fact that aid is being abolished in a bill supposed to “humanize” services. [c’est l’expression qu’avait utilisée la ministre lors de la présentation].
“We are going to cut them off this service to be able to finance the other service […] by making a beautiful communication plan, saying: “We want more human management, we want to focus on human beings”,” he denounced.
For liberals, “we undress Peter to dress Paul”. “The bill which was supposed to be a reform of social assistance turns out to be nothing more than a simple transfer of benefits from one clientele to another,” argued MP Désirée McGraw (Notre-Dame- of-Grace).
The study of Bill 71 must begin on Tuesday, October 8 with a three-day consultation in Parliament.
Around twenty groups and individuals are expected, including the Common Front of Social Assistance Persons of Quebec, the Quebec Solidarity Roaming Network and former minister and professor François Blais, who led the social assistance file at the time. of the government of Philippe Couillard (2014-2018).