As one woman's story shows, being in love is very difficult when you're a PWD in BC
Anonymous
BC Disability
October 25th, 2021
Read Entry 2: "It makes me feel guilty for my disabilities"
Read Entry 3: "Was it worth it to almost cost someone's life?"
Read Entry 4: A loving partner isn't an option: A statement
"This whole situation has destroyed my mental health, as well as my partner's, when it’s supposed to be the happiest time of our lives"
We started having issues when my spouse and I became common law after 6 months. Not legally common law mind you, only under the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction is this a thing.
The ministry then cut me off after getting officially married - the cheques stopped 2 weeks afterwards.
We received our mail warning after we were cut off. Then we spent the rest of the year with no disability support at all, because my spouse makes too much; the rest of the year and we were forced to live off one pay cheque. Victoria is too expensive to live off one cheque.
Victoria is too expensive to live off one cheque
We’ve been forced to use community resources such as food banks, as well as recycling bottles and spending as little as humanly possible.
In order to keep receiving cheques, the ministry said that we have to not be living together, and cannot even be legally partnered anymore according to some ministry workers
In my opinion being forced to choose between marriage or survival is crap. I also think it borders on human rights violations (articles 5, 10, and 14) to be punished for falling in love.
I think it borders on human rights violations to be punished for falling in love
This whole situation has destroyed my mental health, as well as my partner's, when it’s supposed to be the happiest time of our lives.
We’ve had to not only move into different accommodations, but also get divorced, which has been devastating, to put it lightly.
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Spencer van Vloten is the editor of BC Disability. To get in touch, send an email to spencer@bcdisability.com!
