Anti-poverty groups staged a demonstration downtown Tuesday against the government’s welfare bill.
Bill 70 makes it mandatory for first-time welfare applicants to undergo training or lose part of their benefits.
The groups say not everyone who applies for welfare can work because of obstacles including mental or physical illness or simple discrimination.
They also say the specifics of the government's new job and social training programs are too vague and may make fitting the requirements difficult to meet.
“It’s pretty vague how it's going to be applied and that’s the main critique that we have about the law. It’s been about a year since we’ve heard about this law and the rules and regulations and not out yet and nobody knows how it's going to work,” said Gabriel St. Jean of Auberge du Coeur.
Marina Rishkevitch is a welfare recipient on permanent disability, and said one never knows when they may need assistance.
“Many people don't know that many people have high-level education but some circumstances of their life maybe led them to turn to help or have help. It may be temporary, it may be permanent. We never know who is going to be in these shoes,” she said.
Bill 70 could cut the benefits of those who don't attend the new programs by $ 224 per month.
