Inuvik (May 21/04) - With little money, no home and colon cancer surgery on the horizon, Billy Garlund received another setback last week when he went to have his monthly assessment done to claim income support.

After an Income Support Program official in Inuvik determined that Garlund, currently living at Turning Point emergency shelter, had most of his basic needs taken care of, he was issued a $5 cheque.

"This is crap," he said holding the stub of the cashed cheque. "It's not even enough for a roll of toilet paper."

Garlund received income support of $285 in January, when he was not living at Turning Point.

"The reason they gave me (for giving me $5) was now I'm living at Turning Point, so as far as they are concerned, all my needs are met."

In addition to providing emergency shelter, Turning Point also serves meals to its clients.

Officials at the regional Education Culture and Employment office in Inuvik declined to comment on the matter, referring the Drum to ECE Public Affairs Manager Sue Glowach.

Calling ECE's Income Support Program "one of the most generous in the country," Glowach says it is meant to be used as a last resort to meet basic needs.

"It's for helping to cover shelter and food costs and is a kind of top up measure," she said. "And someone who is in a shelter situation is having these needs met."

Though unable to comment on specific cases, Glowach would say that all clients of the program are entitled to challenge the amount of income support they are allotted.

"We give our clients the option to appeal our decisions if they feel that the program's principles have not been applied," she said.

As for Garlund, who went to Edmonton Monday for cancer treatment, his main concern is not appealing ECE's assessment, but finding the money for his medicine.

"I can't even pay for my prescriptions," he said.