Cutting welfare recipients some slack

Finally, after years of cutbacks and penalties and restrictive rules, a little bit of good news for Quebec's welfare recipients: Social Solidarity Minister André Boisclair has announced that the government will waive the $150 penalty for refusing a job offer or quitting your job--provided that you enroll in a re-training program sponsored by Emploi Québec. The change is due to come into effect on July 1.

Pointe St-Charles welfare-rights advocate Denis Langevin says the change is an attempt to force the welfare and employment sides to work more closely together--something they've refused to do up until now. "We've been asking the government to waive that penalty for a long time," Langevin says. "I'm glad to hear it."

Still, Langevin has his doubts: "The problem with Emploi Québec is that their decisions are considered final. With welfare, there was always an appeal process. These people have a lot of control over people's lives--they decide what kind of re-training you get, which means they decide what your future career will be. There should always be some way to appeal a decision." :

--Philip Preville