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Penticton  

'It's an everyday struggle'

Murray Maxwell's brother Doug has newspaper clippings he's held onto over the years which shower Murray with praise for his volunteer work with the Penticton Vees.

It's a point of pride for Doug that his brother, who has an intellectual disability, is recognized throughout the community – "for the first eight years, I was Murray Maxwell's brother; I wasn't Doug Maxwell" – but he's dismayed by what he feels is a lack of interest from the government to provide for people like Murray, and he feels it should be more of an election issue.

The money provided to Murray through the disability pension amounts to around $11,000 per year – just over half of B.C.'s poverty line. Over the past 14-odd years, Murray's income has gone from $9,000 to $11,000 a year, which Doug says just isn't enough, and there's little sign of it getting better.

"These people, like Murray and a number of other people in town, haven't got a very big voice for their little problem, here. It seems to be falling through the cracks every election," Doug said. "The problem is, his income is not, number one, tied to inflation like the MLA and MP both are. I think there should be a guaranteed minimum income so Murray and people like Murray don't have to live in the lowest of the low apartment."

Because of his disability, Murray has a hard time keeping a job, Doug says, but he has volunteered in the laundry room with the Penticton Vees for over 30 years, while he volunteers every summer with the KVR train – "two of Murray's passions: hockey and trains."

For his volunteer work, Murray says he used to get $100 per month from the provincial government, but that bump in his income was cut about four years go.

But if you ask Doug, Murray is one of the lucky ones – "I say that with tongue in cheek, but he is one of the lucky ones because he has family" – because Doug and his brothers are well enough off help Murray through his day-to-day, including by providing a shelter with a low rent and cooking at least one meal a week for him.

"Before I moved to Penticton, Murray had to live in an apartment building ... and there was drugs being sold in there, there was prostitution going on," Doug said. "That's the kind of apartment that they can afford with that income."

Penticton and District Society for Community Living executive director Tony Laing would agree with that assessment. He says it's not uncommon for persons with disabilities to be regulars at the food bank or soup kitchen.

"It's a struggle. It's an everyday struggle for people to decide whether we're going to eat today, or turn the lights on," Laing said, adding that it's difficult to eat well for someone with an intellectual disability living on that kind of income. "Food banks, at one time, was kind of a last-ditch item ... but now food bank and soup kitchen has become a regular item for people."

When there have been increases in income or a certain benefit, Laing says that's typically taking from another benefit, pointing to the issue with the bus passes last year, which were initially taken away from those on disability assistance while the assistance was given a bump.

"Just tying current rates to the cost of living (yearly increases) would certainly increase the rates, but basically what it would say is that 'You're in a deep hole, and you're never going to get out of it,'" Laing said. "What they need to do is define a rate that allows people to live, and then tie that to the cost of living."

Doug says he's brought the issue up with both MLA Dan Ashton – currently the B.C. Liberal Party's candidate for that same spot – and MP Richard Cannings. Cannings told him the NDP has been working on including a minimum income into its platform, according to Doug, who said Ashton told him he would look into it.

Doug acknowledged that Cannings, as an opposition MP, and Ashton, a backbench MLA, have little power over the issues. However, Doug told Castanet that he never heard much from Ashton after being told he would look into the issue.

"I've never heard back from anybody.... That was four years ago this election," Doug said. "I haven't gone formally to them (the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation). I thought Dan would do that for me after our conversation."

Ashton declined to speak specifically on the case of Doug and Murray, but said he always tries to get back to get back to people who come to him with issues.

"Overall, I know that we do our best for every client that walks through the door," Ashton said. "What's been indicated to me is there should be continual increases, and I concur. I concur that there should be increases; there was one increase, and you know the issue about the bus pass and all that."

Ashton also points to the adage: "A rising tide lifts all boats." When the province has a strong economy, he argues, then the government can better provide for those in need.

But Doug says providing a minimum income to persons with disabilities could be a good stimulus for the economy.

"It's my opinion that with a minimum guaranteed income, people like Murray would spend a bit more in town," Doug said. "It seems to me, if you give it to the corporations (through tax credits), they tend to take it off shore, pay CEO bonuses, that kind of thing, and it doesn't really trickle down to us as well as they'd like us to believe."

That discrepancy between the tax breaks given to some corporations and what's provided through the disabilities pension, according to Doug, is reprehensible.

"Some politicians should shake their head. As far as I'm concerned, they should be ashamed of themselves for not looking after people like this better," he said. "Maybe we should start shaming people. Again, the MPs have taken a cost-of-living increase every year, but they haven't got together with their provincial counterparts and said, 'Okay, let's do something for these people.'"

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