YELLOWKNIFE - A man who could not afford his medication because of maintenance enforcement payments will again have money to live.

Paul Matwiy's lawyer Donald Large has dropped his case against the Maintenance Enforcement Program (MEP) to have them go after Matwiy's former employer for payments taken off his paycheque.

Paul Matwiy will at least have money to live, as he goes into surgery next month, since MEP has lifted the garnishee off his employment insurance cheques. - NNSL file photo

Coyote's Bar and Grill owner Edward But has come to an arrangement with MEP to pay all of the overdue payments by the end of April. MEP has adjourned its case against Coyote's until June 5 until those payments are made, said Large.

Maintenance enforcement took action against But to collect $2,400 that was taken off Matwiy's paycheque and not remitted to MEP.

Matwiy had been living off of barely $600 a month because MEP continued to take money off of his cheque without crediting his account for the money But should have paid. He was also being forced to pay back a debt to the federal government.

His medication, needed for a variety of conditions, costs about $200 a month, and his rent was $1,000 a month. Matwiy said he was going to be evicted and had to rely upon friends for food.

Also, MEP has lifted a garnishee from Matwiy's employment insurance so that he will have enough money to live.

Matwiy is now awaiting a British Columbia court to rule whether he still owes $10,000 in back child support. Last fall, NWT Supreme Court sided with Matwiy that he had custody of one of his children and made payments directly to his other child.

If the B.C. court agrees with that variance, Large said Matwiy should end up owing almost no money in back child support.