In December, we learned that the Province of PEI had cut the Disability Support Program by $1 million.
We wondered if Treasury Minister Mitch Murphy, the Rambling Gambler, did it to make up for gambling losses. Or did Social Services and Seniors Minister Chester Gillan, the smooth talker, make the cuts assuming Islanders with Disabilities had received the miracle cure.
Today, in an exclusive interview, Deputy Minister Jeanette MacAulay took the rap for the program cuts. She was the one who pulled the gun.
To be fair, she doesn’t accept that $8.7 last year and $8.1 this year is a cut-back. The Deputy calls it a budget adjustment. Next time you get less money than you did last year, remember that – it’s a budget adjustment. And if other departments got 5% to 22% more – as in $2.5 million more – don’t even consider that because DSP was not even in the running.
OK Bob, I know your friends all got raises and you got a “budget-adjustment”. Think of it as a positive thing.
Putting our semantic differences aside, the Deputy explained that when she came to the department a year ago, Disability Support was running wild. People were getting different amounts in 5 different regions. It was out of control. She needed to pull the trigger to fix the problem. Amazing! Too bad if people got hurt.
From her office point of view things were out of control. If you asked anybody on the street with a disability, they would have said they were struggling to get by. Different perspectives I guess.
The Deputy wanted me to remember her catch phrase “Let’s be fair to all Islanders.” I agree: give them back the money you took away. That would be fair.
Please send the Deputy an email with your opinion
Email: Jeanette MacAulay
While confession is good for the soul, a seasoned detective doesn’t give up the investigation when the first person says ‘I did it.’
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