Income Assistance reinstated at Tuktoyaktuk
Back pay cheques delivered last week
Kassina Ryder
Northern News Services
Monday, July 25, 2016
TUKTOYAKTUK
Tuktoyaktuk residents who were cut off the territory's Income Assistance program say their payments were reinstated last week.
"I couldn't believe it for a while, I couldn't stop crying," Clara Bates said. "I was so relieved. I kept thanking God."
Bates said she received her May Income Assistance cheque on July 18 after returning home that evening.
She said the cheque arrived via taxi with no explanation as to why she was receiving back pay or why her payments were being reinstated.
Bates and other Tuktoyaktuk residents were denied Income Assistance this spring due to late or missing paperwork, leaving them without income for months.
Bates had received notice on May 11 that she had been denied and was in the process of appealing the decision.
When she checked her telephone messages the evening of July 18, she said there was a message from Jolene Saturnino, director of income security programs with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE).
"She said they withdrew my appeal and they are going to reinstate my income support," Bates said. "They did not give us a reason at all."
Bates' brother, Robert Anikina, also received cheques last week. Anikina received his last Income Assistance cheque in April before being notified that his payments were being cut off. He also appealed the decision. Anikina said on July 20, he received cheques for May, June and July with no explanation.
"I was really surprised," he said. "They never gave me a note for why they helped me."
While they don't know exactly why they received their cheques, Anikina said they are grateful.
"I'm just glad at the moment that I got help," he said. "It's really going to help."
Bates said she agreed.
"We were just relieved," she said. "I'm still trying to comprehend it."
Bates said she is still waiting to hear whether she will receive her cheques for June and July.
But for the time being, she said she is busy getting her bills back on track and repaying her debts.
"I started writing a list of what I needed and a list of who helped me out," she said.
The department was not able to provide an interview to News/North by press time on July 21.
