“Here for Canada?” Or the corporations?

The Conservative government won the election. They’re “Here for Canada.” Yet another leader for the Canadian people states he’s going to make the necessary changes to put Canada back on track.

I’m a 44 year old man from Bathurst, New Brunswick and this year I voted yet again, after all it’s my civic duty, right? But really, what does this do for me? Well, the Canadian government is supposed to be there to represent me and the rest of Canada, not just the wealthy corporations. After all if it were not for the people’s hard work, these corporations would not function. It seems to be the Conservative way that once they’re elected they forget about workers, the so-called “little guy,” our “ordinary” Canadians. There have been promises made to the people. Will they be delivered?

At the moment, I’m in the Adult literacy program in Bathurst working to get my diploma then I plan to go on to nursing. I was a long-haul trucker, and I was good at it, but when I was told I could no longer do my job, for health reasons, I was forced to retrain for a different career. The employment agency told me that I could receive my EI rate until I finished school and so I made a budget and started school at 43 years old. I started school in May 2010 and finished that school year in July 2010. When I was called in to sign a new contract for the upcoming school year, I was informed that cuts had been made and they could only offer me what amounted to not much more than the basic allowable income for a school year. I thought that’s not what I was quoted when I started the program, but I was already into it and wanted to finish and get back to work.

I’m not getting any younger, but I’m not old enough to retire and I need another trade. So I made another budget, and scraped through this last school year. Now the Conservative government has a majority, and I come to find out that there are more cuts. Now they are only going to pay me a maximum of $250 a week for the time I’m in school.

This year the basic allowable income is $8,953, and the amount I’m afforded is $9,000. This amount may be okay for a child living at home, but I pay $6,900 a year just for rent. For an adult with living expenses and responsibilities who faces the rising rate of inflation, this is unacceptable. When Stephen Harper says the “Here for Canada” plan, does he mean the “Here for Corporation” plan, because I’m not getting the “Here for Canada” feeling when I’m forced to live in poverty while going to school.