‘I’m constantly behind on bills’: Canadians with disabilities hope Bill C-22 passes, addresses gaps

Two Canadian charities have come together to call on the federal government to do more to listen to people with disabilities who struggle with food insecurity and poverty.

As federal lawmakers continue to work on legislation aimed at addressing financial challenges facing Canadians who live with disabilities, those whom the bill aims to help — and their advocates — are speaking out about what is at stake.

Eileen Davidson, a 37-year-old single mom from Burnaby, B.C., describes the daily challenge of trying to live on the disability benefits she receives due to her rheumatoid arthritis.

“I’m constantly behind (on bills), especially as things get more and more expensive,” Davidson said.

“And it’s getting harder and harder just to do anything. Some weeks, I have to decide on eating healthy or skipping meals or tightening things down because it’s just getting harder.”

Davidson’s situation is typical of Canadians receiving disability benefits across the country. Two Canadian charities have recently come together to call on the federal government to do more to listen to people with disabilities, especially as their struggles with food insecurity and poverty have become more acute.

The issue has reached Parliament. The federal government tabled the Canadian Disability Benefit Act with Bill C-22 two years ago, but reintroduced it last year.

The bill passed through the House of Commons and went to the Senate earlier this year, which returned it with amendments. One of those, which sought to prevent clawbacks of benefits from insurance providers, was rejected by the government on Wednesday, while some specifics including the payments that would come through the benefit are not yet clear.

The bill is now back with the Senate, which faces a timeline to approve it before that chamber goes on recess for the summer at the end of June.