here. - Canadian Women's Health Network

3.3 CHILD TAX BENEFITThe Government of Canada provides aChild Tax Benefit to low and middle-incomefamilies, payable monthly, and based onthe previous year’s taxable income.Provinces were given discretion wherethese funds were payable to families onsocial assistance. The previous Manitobagovernment chose to “claw back” the ChildTax Benefit from families living on socialassistance. That is, the full amountreceived from the Government of Canadais deducted from social assistancepayments, and these funds are used tofinance other programs which the provinceconsiders to be beneficial for children livingon social assistance. Underlying thisdecision is the belief that women on socialassistance would not use these funds in amanner which would best benefit theirchildren and that provincially designed,targeted programs are more efficient.The current Government of Manitoba haschanged this policy. Parents in receipt ofsocial assistance benefits are allowed tokeep any increases in the Child Tax Benefitimplemented from 2000 on. As well,parents of children under 6 are allowedto keep the entire Child Tax Benefit.Interested organizations could, basedon their experience working withmothers on social assistance, educatedecision-makers about the strengthsand competences of women on socialassistance and the need to return theChild Tax Benefit to them, so that theymay use it to act as independentadults, capable of making the bestfinancial decisions for themselvesand their children.Women, Income andHealth in Manitoba534. Expenditure Issues4.1 TELEPHONE RATESIn 1998, the Manitoba Telephone Systemappeared before the Canadian Radio,Television and TelecommunicationsCommission to make the case for an$8 monthly increase in basic phone rates.MTS argued that, as a newly privatizedcompany, they would be required to payincome taxes and that this cost should beborne by telephone system users throughan increase in the basic rate. The CRTCruled that the increase would not beallowed for 1999, but hinted that theywould respond favourably for 2000.Groups including the Public InterestLaw Centre of Manitoba Legal Aid opposedthe rate increase, arguing the cost of thetaxes should be paid by the company’sshareholders and not by consumers. Theyfurther argued that it was unfair for MTSto pass on all of the expected income taxcosts to residential customers, withbusiness customers not expected topay any of the increased costs.Higher telephone costs will mean thatsome low-income Manitobans will beforced to give up telephone service.In Manitoba, telephone service is notconsidered a necessity for those livingon social assistance. That is, unless oneis disabled, the monthly social assistancepayment does not include an amount fortelephone service. Social assistancerecipients, like other Manitobans, wouldhave to absorb the additional cost of anyrate increase allowed by the CRTC.Telephone service is important to healthbecause:1. it allows for contact in caseof emergencies;2. it allows for routine contacts withhealth care providers, schools,social service agencies, etc.;3. it reduces social isolation by allowingfor ongoing contact with family andfriends. This is especially importantfor seniors, parents at home withyoung children and people withphysical disabilities.Manitoba’s cold winter temperatures