Better supports and mental health care for our children in Ottawa

Update April 22

It has now been since March 9th that we have received any money from EI and they're saying that May 8th will be their 'decision date'. The problem being that they have already moved that date twice. First April 9th and then April 19th. It has been escalated to an investigator - one who states 'it should be a simple conversion, we have all the documentation. I don't understand what the delay is'. Unfortunately since she escalated it again last week, she no longer has access to my file. Tell me how people are expected to survive on EI in the first place (which only paid me $2000 and my rent is $1600), but especially when waiting TWO months to receive any money - the money I have spent my life paying into. I have worked since I was 15 years old!

The kicker is this - I requested a letter from EI on March 27th to a) provide to my landlord since my rent is unpaid and b) hopefully apply for some other supports in the interim. On March 27th, they told me a letter would take up to 21 days - but I still have yet to receive it. AND, we are JUST starting to receive calls from local resources and programs for my child - who was in Failure to Thrive and a suicide risk back in November when I had to make the call to leave my job due to the lack of supports - stating that we are now AT THE TOP OF THEIR WAITING LISTS FOR PROGRAMS LIKELY TO HAPPEN IN THE FALL. I have spent the day contacting local MPs, councilors, media and will continue to fight and advocate for my child. This is disgusting and corrupt. OUR CHILDREN DESERVE BETTER!

Updates

And the hits just keep on coming... EI has now cancelled my benefits without notice. I called them today when I noticed the payment missing. Their explanation being that I don't actually qualify for medical benefits even though they were the ones who told me to apply as medical since we didn't meet the threshold for caregiver benefits which are used to care for someone 'terminally ill or dying'. I am going to appeal (can take 6-8 weeks I was told), but in the meantime we have  0 money coming in and still waiting on all the services we have been waitlisted for/don't qualify for. How is this okay?!

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