Michelle DaCruz
Northern News Services

Fort Smith (Mar 25/02) - "Very few will challenge a system that they desperately need to feed them."

Those are Aimee Clark's words in her report, Falling Through The Cracks: A Single Mother's Personal Account of Accessing GNWT Social Programs.

What motivated this a single mother of five to challenge a system that she has depended on for two years was a desire to make it work for the people that need it most.

"I thought, 'What's it going to take to make people stand up and take notice that children are living in poverty?' " said Clark.

Her last full-time job was director of finance and administration at the Fort Smith Health and Social Services Board. Before that Clark was employed consecutively for 24 years.

She said she resigned from the board because of "circumstances in the workplace and other personal reasons," for instance, she could no longer afford child care.

Clark is currently taking real estate courses, and doubts she will take a high-level job in her previous field because she can't afford $1,800 in monthly day-care costs. Also, after she returns to work she will not be able to collect any territorial assistance at all.

Besides, Clark wants to stay at home and raise her youngest children, four-year-old twins, and a 10-month-old son.

"I'm at home doing the most important job I can. I wish society would value stay-at-home moms," she said.

The 22-page report chronicles Clark's monthly struggle with debt, giving specific examples of payments and expenses, and her appeals to government assistance programs.

From September 1999 to December 2000, she received a food allowance of $577 for a family of four (this is before the birth of her last child). From this amount, she had to pay for expenses like transportation and basic telephone service. This left her with $365 a month or $13 a day to feed her children.

According to Clark, the problems include the initial entry process, which concentrates on financial situation solely, and not the person's total circumstances, such as debt load. Clients are also not informed about their rights under the Social Assistance Act.

In addition, the program does not account for children's quality of life, like financial assistance for sports programs, Christmas or birthday presents.

Moreover, child support payments are deducted from the total amount of income support, as is the child tax benefit.

Clark said she finds the clawback of the child tax benefit most frustrating, as the territorial government deducts the money to reinvest in services and programs for low-income families. These services and programs are not available to non-working social assistance recipients --only to low-income recipients.

On March 13, Brendan Bell, MLA for Yellowknife South, tabled the report in the legislative assembly.

He called it "fascinating."

"When I read the report I obviously felt much for the women. She had a very difficult time," said Bell.

Although Bell said he is aware of some of the problems Clark raised, he said the bottom line of the program's shortcomings is lack of finances.

Other problems with the program have been discussed by the standing committee on social programs, of which Bell is a member. He promised the report will be discussed at its next meeting.

"Any time people lobby the government for social program reform it puts pressure on the government to respond," said Bell of the possible effect the report could have on the income-support program.

Bell said he is in favour of some of Clark's recommendations, like the need for subsidized day care for all families, and the importance of financial planning help becoming available to single parents, so they can ultimately become debt free.

timeline

Sept. 1999: Because I had earned income within the past four weeks, I was not eligible to receive support until Oct. 1, 1999. My last paycheque was received on Sept. 3, 1999.

Nov. 1999: I received my 1998 tax refund on Nov. 1, 1999. Since I received this refund, I was advised that I was not eligible for income support.

March 2000: I did an analysis of the assistance I received and calculated that my January and February assistance cheques were not correct. It took 16 days and the intervention of the superintendent to receive this money.

Sept. 2000: (Off program and in public housing since July) My last employment insurance cheque was received on Sept. 5 for $375. This plus $197 (child tax benefit) was all that I had to support my family for the month.

Dec. 2000: I went to Yellowknife at the end of November to give birth to my baby. I tried to make arrangements to get my December assistance processed in Yellowknife. Not only did it take almost two weeks to get the assistance, but ... it was prorated due to the fact that I was in the hospital having my baby I filed an appeal.

Jan. 2001: Appeal board upheld December assistance. Appeal filed to next level, the board.

March 2001: Contacted by the Appeal Board on March 19 in regards to December 2000 assistance appeal. I won my appeal.

May 2001: Request for funds to pay for children's swimming lessons denied. Application for son's track and field fees approved.

Aug. 2001: Income support began clawback of National Child Benefit in the amount of $86 per month.

Oct. 2001: Received support payment in the amount of $675 for my 10-month-old son. This amount was deducted from my November assistance. This man is not the father of my other children but his support payment caused the food allotment for myself and my other children to be reduced to $24 for the month.