Letters to LIFE
reprinted with permission

From Nova Scotia
by Mary - Feb 2005

I would very much like to attain a membership with LIFE. I have been on Social "Assistance" since 2002. First in Northern BC and then here in NB when I moved back.

I am a former healthcare worker who has a worn out and abused body after caring for the elderly for the better part of 15 years; prior to that I worked in various very physically demanding jobs.

I am still in the wondrous world of trying to attain disability from ------ as well as from Canada Pension . This has been a source of frustration, anger, and depression. I have had letters from faceless names who have told me I am lying, I am not in pain and I can work.

( Even though as a result of this struggle I have lost everything that I worked the better part of 40 years to attain. I did not have a whole lot in the way of possessions...)

I have lost my credit rating which meant I suffered the horror of harassing nasty phone calls at all times of day and night. I have lost most of my dignity having to try existing on $460 per month-though I am more fortunate than my sisters throughout the world -I am staying in a granny suite in a relative's home and pay $200 per month everything including.

That leaves me with $260 per month for healthy food and non food necessities. Forget shoes, clothes, and haircuts! I need new false teeth but even with Welfare it will cost me $400- where do I come up with that kind of money? I am so tired sometimes of "living" this way I just want to give up-but then the old activist in me screams "damn it I worked hard all those years and I deserve better than this!"