Living On the Edge:

1

• Living On the Edge
• Tracking the Experiences of Current and Former
  Welfare Recipients in Toronto

2

• Study Context
• Changing Worlds of Welfare and Work
• From Passive Welfare States to Active Workfare
  States
• Emerging Conventions New Form of Welfare for New
  Economy
• Increasing Instability/Risk
• Risk displaced from state/employer to individual
• Difficulties meeting basic needs e.g.
  health/hunger

3

• Panel Study
• R1 90 people drawn from caseload in Toronto in
  September 2002
• Older more likely to be single longer on
  assistance 20 newcomers.
• Difficulties making ends meet Problems
  navigating welfare bureaucracy.
• R2 43 participants
• Older fewer singles, more single parents longer
  on assistance less educated
• Ongoing hardship regardless of category
  LeaversMixers Cyclers Stayers
• R3 31 participants
• Older singles steady, fewer single parents
  fewer long-term unemployed fewer low education.

4

• IN-DEPTH EXPERIENCES WORK
• Working, but Poor
• Majority of jobs provided little or no financial
  improvement
• Minimum wage jobs, few if any benefits.
• Precarious Work
• Jobs reported were short-term/insecure
• Fluctuating hours/pay and bad working conditions
• No Rewards in Work
• Work neither financially nor emotionally
  rewarding
• Little return on effort, education or skills
  especially evident for newcomers.

5
IN-DEPTH EXPERIENCES WORK I was lifting 60lb
boxes and bags of potatoes all day. I had to do
it in a certain time limit to get considered for
full-time employment. They wanted me to work
overtime, but it took me three hours to get there
and back. I was fighting a losing battle, but I
had to keep going until something gave way, and
it was my health. So I lost again (Keith,
20). Im falling apart. Ive got to go to the
dentist today and Ill probably have another
tooth pulled, thats 4 teeth this year. My
breathing isnt good and Im on medication for
that I had numbness in my arm and the doctor
said it was nerve damage. I had to be on
physiotherapy and pills for 6 months. It was
because of the job and now Im back on welfare.
Id be better off in jail. You lose your dignity
and your pride, you cant go out, you cant meet
a girl or do anything. Sometimes I cant afford
to shave, I feel like a bum (Keith, 20).
Weve been infested with mice and cockroaches.
The furnace was broken and we had to be evacuated
for carbon monoxide poisoning ... The house is
behind a beer store and theres always trucks. I
cant get sleep properly and all kinds of dust
and exhaust fumes come in The guy upstairs has
HIV and is very sloppy. He leaves blood, feces
and urine around the toilet (Keith, 20).
6
IN-DEPTH EXPERIENCES WORK Telemarketings
changed from my day. We just used to phone people
up and ask if they wanted their vacuums fixed or
their windows triple pained, nothing like this
scam The product was a business directory and
it cost US375 to get your company name in it for
2 years It was an assumptive sales approach
where youre leading them to believe that theyve
done this before It was so sleazy I couldnt
morally do it (Janet, 45). It was dirty, hard
work a demolition job. It was just insane. The
boss wouldn't pay on time. We were clearing out
old insulation from attics and we had to bitch
just to get simple masks because of the dust. We
were supposed to wear safety boots but we didnt.
I wouldn't want to do that job for very long
because I know it wouldn't be good for your
health, but I was only concerned with staying
alive (Andy, 22) I was working with recovering
addicts. I felt like I was finally climbing the
ladder and then all of a sudden the ladder was
broken. Ill never forget that day. It was
devastating (Angela, 42).
7
IN-DEPTH EXPERIENCES WORK When I first started
working I felt proud, very independent. I felt
like I was contributing, doing what a parent
should be doing and supporting my family. I was
on a high about it for about a year and then I
got used to it and it sucked. It was good at
first, but it's not a career. It's not something
I would want to spend my life doing (Jenny, 1).
Living in poverty is a big stress on the
marriage. We should be enjoying seeing our
daughter growing up, but a lot of the time were
worrying about when were going to eat again.
Even for the most loving parents there's a bit of
resentment towards the husband, towards the child
and it takes a huge toll. When you struggle for
basic things like food and shelter, it places a
strain on everything around you Everything and
Everybody (Jenny, 1). I feel like a failure.
Sometimes I feel like I'm going to ruin the rest
of my daughters life because of the things I've
done the fact that there isn't money for
college, there isn't a long-term plan for her. I
wish I could have planned more for her...My
neighbours are the same. We all get depressed and
we all worry If I'm down or Im worrying a lot
I don't like to go anywhere. I just hide in the
house, stay in bed and watch TV (Jenny, 1).
8
IN-DEPTH EXPERIENCES WORK If Im patient enough
I may have a better chance by applying from
inside a big company than applying on the
internet ... I have to change three buses and
travel an hour each way to reach the job, but I
believe its worth it and it will let me get into
what I want accounting. My plan is to start from
zero, work for a year or so and wait until a
position is available at head office when
somebody retires or moves on. I have to be
patient (Adriana, 5). When you apply to come
to Canada, they have a lot of conditions. First,
a university degree. Second, the right working
age. Third, good health. Fourth, English. Fifth,
enough money. In Canada, 10,000 is not a lot of
money but where Im from 200 is a good salary.
So I had to save and save and for what? To be a
cashier? I can do more, Ive proved that. Theres
no shame in this job but why dont we let people
do what they are skilled to do? Why does Canada
encourage people with university degrees to come
here when they have no way of accessing jobs they
are qualified for? If it was just me and my
English was bad or I didnt know how to sell
myself thats one thing, but Ive spoken with so
many people in the same position (Adriana, 5).
9

• IN-DEPTH EXPERIENCES HUNGER
• Fear/Actual Hunger
• Lack of Quality/Variety of Food
• Use of Food Banks
• Welfare Recipients Special Diet Allowance

10
IN-DEPTH EXPERIENCES HUNGER Im not getting
proper food. The food banks are overrun and you
cant get a proper meal. Im sluggish all the
time, with no energy. Probably three or four days
out of the week I dont have enough to eat. I get
a little bit at the food bank but that doesnt
hold me over. Theres nothing with any protein in
it so I just sit there and starve (Keith,
20). There have been many times when I've gone
with nothing to eat for a day and a half or two
days. If it wasn't for a local church I would
have been forced to panhandle or steal ... I get
frustrated because I'm trying to do something
with my life. Its hard concentrating on studies
when your belly is empty (Andy, 22).
11
IN-DEPTH EXPERIENCES HUNGER My daughter looks in
the fridge and says, Mommy you need to go
grocery shopping. I'll say I don't have to go
for a couple of days. Mommy, I opened the
fridge and it looks empty. It scares me. My
daughter is terrified if she sees a space in the
fridge. It doesn't matter if I just put a bunch
of containers in the fridge she feels better
(Anna, 80). I needed to see a dentist for the
last 8 months. I know dental work is only covered
if its an emergency, so Ive let one of my teeth
practically rot so that it will be covered as an
emergency. Otherwise what am I going to do? Take
food out of my kids mouth to go to the dentist?
(Angela, 42). Its fine and dandy to take care
of the kids but what about me. I got really
resentful for a long time because I wasnt frugal
and I was spending on my kids and I ended up with
nothing (Angela, 42).
12
IN-DEPTH EXPERIENCES HUNGER I've been to the
food bank to see what they have nothing. The
shelves are empty and what there is isnt
nutritious. They give you canned foods. No
vitamins. Vegetables come in but they're already
way past the expiry date. When you eat well, you
have stamina and strength. After you eat there
you just walk around and you don't really want to
do anything. You don't have that extra ...
(Kevin, 92) I've noticed at the food bank a lot
of people are losing their teeth. They're just
yanking them out. That's pretty sad. I already
pulled two. Now I'll have to pull one of these so
I'm a total mess as far as my teeth go. When I go
for a job interview, there's blood coming out of
my teeth (Kevin, 92).
13
IN-DEPTH EXPERIENCES HUNGER I dont always trust
whoevers in the kitchen. Im paranoid now about
getting Hepatitis or TB, especially TB. There are
some really sick people who come in Today at
some mens shelter there was a massive outbreak
of TB. When I started volunteering I had to get a
TB test and my doctor advised me to get Hepatitis
shots just in case (Janet, 45). Its been
getting a lot more violent in the food bank. One
of the ex-volunteers was asked to leave because
he was extremely rude. He came back in and
freaked out and tried to walk out with a case of
tuna. One of the volunteers stopped him and they
got into a fist fight ... Its escalating.
Saturdays tend to get busy and people get edgy.
You sit in somebodys seat and theyre pissed off
about it and scuffles break out (Janet,
45). Im entitled to an extra 250 for myself
and my daughter as part of the special diet. The
worker pushed me to go to my doctor and be very
firm that I needed this. I was under the
impression you had to have something wrong with
you to get it and the worker was saying No, we
realize we cant pay more so just tell your
doctor to be creative and she winked at me.
Basically, because Im volunteering my ass off
and taking steps to get employed and they want me
to be healthy and productive (Janet, 45).
14

• IN-DEPTH EXPERIENCES HEALTH
• Very high levels of stress
• High levels of poor self-reported health
• Deteriorating health
• Typically participants described
• Diabetes, Blood Pressure, Heart Problems,
  Hepatitis
• Depression, Anxiety and Seasonal Affective
  Disorder

15
IN-DEPTH EXPERIENCES HEALTH I want to work.
Nothing else matters. But its difficult when you
have an underlying situation with your health.
Its been a very trying year for me because there
were opportunities to work and I just couldnt
capitalize on them I have a heart condition and
high blood pressure and over the past year I had
a lot of complications. It was just horrendous.
There were many days that I just couldnt get out
of bed and lead an active job search (Bernard,
2). I worry that Im eating too much one day
and not enough the next. You cant control things
and you become frustrated. Some days you dont
feel like getting up. I wasnt eating healthy. At
that time, milk was a luxury. I wasnt eating
fruits and vegetables. I had to get the cheapest
stuff, like macaroni and cheese and spaghetti in
a can. When you buy 50 worth of that it looks
like a lot, but theres no nutritional value.
There was too much fat and carbohydrates and not
enough protein and vitamins. I couldnt make any
savings on my rent so there was no other option.
The supplement gives me more choice but
remember it isnt mandatory. I have to fight for
that every three months (Bernard, 2).
16
IN-DEPTH EXPERIENCES HEALTH I cant just get
past that sick hurdle. Sometimes I cant breathe.
Im sick of being sick. Sick of being sick
ODSP means youre finished. You can no longer
work. I might be sick for a year or two, but
eventually Ill go back to work. Im always
optimistic. I cant live like this forever
(Evonne, 53). Hunger is a massive worry ... I
cant afford to spend 4.50 to go to a food bank
when I can spend that 4.50 on food. The food
youre going to get at a food bank is canned
foods we dont normally eat. Im not saying a
food bank is a waste, but its not profitable to
spend 4.50 to go to it either (Evonne, 53). I
have high cholesterol and because of the heart
attack I shouldnt eat certain things, but we
have to buy cheap margarine, for example, and
that has all the saturated fats. I just hope for
the best and that it doesnt really have an
effect (Evonne, 53).
17
IN-DEPTH EXPERIENCES HEALTH When my health
problems first started I tried to get work, but
things werent right. Now I just cant see who
would hire me. Who would hire a person who
doesnt know how theyre going to feel from day
to day and has a lot of medical problems? I even
tried to do volunteer work but when we discussed
my medical problems I was told I wasnt a good
candidate (Mark, 15).   Im unable to work. I
have two doctors saying I cant work, but I cant
get ODSP because of their criteria. Im having a
hard time doing anything really. I have problems
looking after myself, cooking, cleaning and I
dont socialize much. I have a hard enough time
scraping up the bus fare to go and see the doctor
(Mark, 15). Im supposed to eat properly. Ive
seen a nutritionist but I cant afford fresh
food, fresh vegetables, fruit and low fat foods
because they all cost more money. I cant afford
it. I have to get the staples first. I get what I
can but you only get a cheque once a month and
thats it so I might have fresh vegetables for a
week and then do without. Itd be nice to be able
to go out and buy a coffee and a donut or have
lunch at McDonalds or something like that. Its
hard even going out for the day what am I
supposed to do, pack a lunch? (Mark, 15).
18

• LIVING ON THE EDGE
• Welfare-Work Transitions
• Trapped in secondary, low-wage labour market.
• No access to good quality sustainable jobs to
  escape welfare/poverty.
• Marginalization despite work
• Hunger
• Food only budget can control
• Marginalization therefore evident not just in
  fear of hunger but actual hunger
• Monotonous and compromised diets that lack
  necessary nutrition
• Health
• Range of physical and mental health issues
• Some only able to work inconsistently
• Others too sick to work but unable to access ODSP
• Either way, work-first reforms inadequate to meet
  needs