P A R T C D e c i s i o n u n d e r A p p e a l T h e d e c i s i o n u n d e r a p p e a l i s t h e M i n i s t r y o f S o c i a l D e v e r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n o f J a n u a r y 3 1 ' \ 2 0 1 4 w h i c h d e f r i e n d m u s t b e c o n s i d e r e d s p o u s a l , a s d e f i n e d u n d e r s e a n d t h e r e f o r e , s h e m u s t b e c o n s i d e r e d a d e p e n d a n t i n h u n i t ' s e l i g i b i l i t y f o r i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e a s s e t o u t i n s e c t i o P A R T D R e l e v a n t L e g i s l a t i o n E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e A c t ( E A A ) , s e c t i o n 1 , a n d 1 E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e R e g u l a t i o n ( E A R ) , s e c t i o n E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )l o p m e n t a n d S o c i a l I n n o v a t i o n ( m i n i s t r y ) t e r m i n e d t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h h i s f e m a l e c t i o n 1 . 1 o f t h e E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e A c t ( E A A ) i s f a m i l y u n i t f o r t h e p u r p o s e o f a s s e s s i n g t h e f a m i l y n 5 ( 1 ) E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e R e g u l a t i o n E A R . . 1 5
PART E -Summary of Facts The evidence before the ministry at the time of reconsideration: • Employment and Insurance Benefit Statement in name of Appellant's female friend (AF). • Shelter Information form dated May 31st, 2013 in the appellant's name indicating there are 2 adults (only appellant's name is listed} residing at the residence (R1); the rent is $600 and shared -50/50; the rent receipt is blank. • Shelter Information form dated September 20th, 2013 in appellant's name indicating there are 2 adults at this address (R2) (only the appellant's name is listed). The form indicates the appellant's share of rent to be somewhat higher than 50/50 -($375 of $600); the rent receipt is dated September 23 rd , 2013 and indicates the rent of $600 was received from the appellant for the month of October 1 st , 2013 and is signed by landlord. • Employment and Assistance Review form date stamped October 1'\ 2013 with following information: Family Type: Couple Primary contact: Appellant Have you or your spouse ever applied for income assistance in British Columbia? Yes. • Have you or your spouse ever received income assistance in British Columbia? Yes • Common Information: Address: same address as shown for R2 for October 2013. Do you have identification documents: Yes Does your spouse have identification documents: Yes Did anyone assist you in completing this form? Yes, a worker (EAW) helped me. • Describe your current living arrangement? Rent -Current Situation: -Are you (or your spouse currently receiving child support or spousal support or maintenance payments? No. Marital Status: Single Spouse: her name is listed; she is over 19 years of age, born in Canada and is non-aboriginal. • Common expenses: Rent and phone • the Declaration -I declare that all the information I have provided in the application process is true and correct• form is dated October 1'\ 2013 and signed by the appellant, the AF and Employment and Assistance worker (EAW). • Attached to the appellant's Request for Reconsideration the AF provided an 8 page submission that was signed and dated January 15 th , 2014. The submission provided background information on her personal situation (family}, her health issues, and details on the relationship between herself and the appellant. In the submission the AF wrote the following: the appellant has been a 'recipient' for 2 or 3 years now! I'm not sure of time -I have been trying to get him on his feet with as little help from me as possible; everything that 'office' has told the appellant to do -he tried to do, yet, you keep pushing him back on me; Yes, I said I am moving; I also said I will move when I am ready. Again, like I asked the last EAW -How can you move? Carry things on my back? Can you help me move? she said, no. Anyone with common sense would know it takes money to move • I have any possessions left -here -in this cabin -I take all my things -the appellant doesn't even have a dish, a pot, a phone, towels, nothing. His entire life is in storage elsewhere; We just went through Christmas -very depressing too. He couldn't even get his mother present. EAAT 003( 10/06/01)
I t o o k h i m o n a s a r o o m m a t e b e c a u s e h w a n t t o l i v e w i t h h i m e i t h e r h e h a d n o w h i m p o s e . I t r i e d s t a y i n g w i t h m y d a u g h t e r s h e g a v b e i n g t h e r e . . . m y d a u g h t e r h a s s i n c e h a d I h a d t o c o n t r i b u t e t o C h r i s t m a s g i f t s f o r m n e c e s s i t i e s t h a t I h a v e l e f t ; S o h e r e i s w h a t i s g o i n g t o h a p p e n I a m m y s t u f f i s ( m o s t o f ) s t a y i n g h e r e u n t i l I f i n a n c e s t o a c t u a l l y m o v e m y s t u f f n o t c t o m y p e r s o n a l p r e f e r e n c e s a n d g o t o E m j o b s a n y m o r e . T h e o n e p e r s o n t h a t h e h a s I c a l l h i s g u a r m o v e i n t o t h i s c a b i n ( R 2 ) n o t k n o w i n g u s p r o m i s e t o p a y a s s o o n a s w e c o u l d ; T h e g u a r d i a n a n g e l s e t u p a m e e t i n g w i t h ( t h e a p p e l l a n t ) t o k e e p t h i s h o m e h e r e . T h o w n . I w i l l b e o f f i c i a l l y l i v i n g a t m y g i r l f r i e n d s h o e x p e n s e s , f o o d & s h e l t e r , d o e s t h a t m a k e I t t a k e s t i m e t o o r g a n i z e a m o v e , w i t h l i t t l e h o p i n g I c a n h e l p h e r , n o t h i n d e r h e r . W e b e w e h a d n ' t h a d a c h a n c e t o w o r k o u r t h e m i n i s t r i e s d a m n b u s i n e s s , b e c a u s e i t ' s m e n t o m o v e m y s t u f f . I c a n ' t m o v e h e a v y • R e q u e s t f o r R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d a t e d J a n u a r y 1 6 t h , • O n S e p t e m b e r 2 0 t h , 2 0 1 3 t h e a p p e l l a n t a d v i s e d t h r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h a f e m a l e f r i e n d ( A F ) . • O n O c t o b e r 1 ' \ 2 0 1 3 t h e a p p e l l a n t a n d A F a t t e n d t o t h e a p p e l l a n t f i l e a s h i s s p o u s e ; t h e m i n i s t r y a d a d v i s e d m i n i s t r y ( E A W ) t h e y w e r e l i v i n g t o g e t h e r . A s s i s t a n c e R e v i e w f o r m s t o m a k e a p p l i c a t i o n t o r • O n N o v e m b e r 2 0 t h , 2 0 1 3 t h e a p p e l l a n t a n d t h e A F r e q u e s t e d t h a t t h e A F b e r e m o v e d f r o m h i s f i l e . T a r e l a t i o n s h i p b u t w e r e n o t c o m m o n l a w s p o u s e s t h a t s h e w a s c o n s i d e r i n g m o v i n g i n w i t h a f r i e n d . r e m o v e d f r o m h i s f i l e w h e n h e p r o v i d e d c o n f i r m a t • O n D e c e m b e r 3 r d , 2 0 1 3 t h e m i n i s t r y w a s c o n t a c t e M L A ' s o f f i c e w o r k e r a d v i s e d t h e E A W t h a t t h e a p f i l e ; t h a t t h e A F ' s E l f u n d s w e r e f o r h e r u s e o n l y , a D e c e m b e r 6 t h , 2 0 1 3 t h e a p p e l l a n t a d v i s e d t h e E A p r o v i d e a n y c o n f i r m a t i o n f r o m h i s l a n d l o r d b e c a u s T h e E A W r e q u e s t e d t h e a p p e l l a n t p r o v i d e c o n f i r m • O n D e c e m b e r 2 3 r d , 2 0 1 3 t h e a p p e l l a n t a d v i s e d t h 1 ' \ 2 0 1 4 a s s h e h a d o a i d f u l l D e c e m b e r r e n t . O n E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )i s s i s t e r c o u l d n ' t k e e p h i m a n y m o r e . I t o l d h e r I d i d n o t e r e e l s e t o g o I h a v e f r i e n d s . B u t I d i d n ' t w a n t t o e m e a k e y b u t h e r b o y f r i e n d t h e n d i d n ' t l i k e m e t o m o v e b a c k i n w i t h h e r d a d ; y k i d s p a y r e n t h e r e s o I d o n ' t l o s e t h e b a s i c g o i n g t o s t a y w i t h m y g i r l f r i e n d i n a n o t h e r c o m m u n i t y h a v e s o m e w h e r e a t h e r h o u s e t o k e e p i i t h e a r r y i n g o n m y b a c k . A t l e a s t a t h e r p l a c e I c a n a t t e n d p l o y m e n t I n s u r a n c e f o r r e t r a i n i n g a s I c a n ' t d o c e r t a i n d i a n a n g e l . T h r o u g h t h i s p e r s o n w e w e r e a l l o w e d t o f r o m A d a m , w i t h o u t a p e n n y g i v e n t o t h e m , o n a h i s p a s t o r a n d t o g e t h e r t h e y a r e t r y i n g t o h e l p h i m i s i s a g o o d p l a c e f o r h i m t o l i v e i f h e c a n d o i t o n h i s m e a s o f M o n d a y , J a n u a r y 2 0 t h , 2 0 1 4 . O h , i f w e s h a r e u s a " c o m m o n l a w " c o u p l e , h m m . t o n o f u n d s , I w i l l b e d i s r u p t i n g h e r f a m i l y . I a m d i d n ' t p u t d o w n o n y o u r " f o r m " h o w m u c h m y r e n t w i l l a n y d e t a i l s y e t . A s f a r a s I a m c o n c e r n e d i t ' s n o n e o f n o t , u n l e s s y o u w a n t t o h e l p m e m o v e t r u c k r e n t a l , t h i n g s . 2 0 1 4 e m i n i s t r y t h a t h e w a s l i v i n g i n a c o m m o n l a w e d a n a p p o i n t m e n t a t t h e m i n i s t r y o ff i c e t o a d d t h e A F v i s e d t h e y p r e s e n t e d t h e m s e l v e s a s a c o u p l e a n d T h e a p p e l l a n t a n d t h e A F s i g n e d E m p l o y m e n t a n d e c e i v e i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e a s a c o u p l e . a g a i n a t t e n d e d t h e m i n i s t r y o f f i c e . T h e a p p e l l a n t h e A F a d v i s e d t h e E A W t h e a p p e l l a n t a n d s h e w e r e i n . T h e A F s t a t e d t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s h e l p i n g h e r o u t a n d T h e E A W a d v i s e d t h e a p p e l l a n t t h a t t h e A F c o u l d b e i o n f r o m h i s l a n d l o r d t h a t s h e h a d m o v e d o u t . d o n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s b e h a l f b y h i s M L A ' s o f f i c e . T h e p e l l a n t h a d s t a t e d t h a t t h e A F s h o u l d n o t b e o n h i s n d s h o u l d n o t b e d e d u c t e d f r o m h i s a s s i s t a n c e . O n W t h a t t h e A F h a d m o v e d i n w i t h a f r i e n d b u t d i d n o t e t h e l a n d l o r d w a s a w a y u n t i l D e c e m b e r 1 y t h , 2 0 1 3 . a t i o n o f t h e A F ' s m o v e w h e n t h e l a n d l o r d r e t u r n e d . e E A W t h a t t h e A F w o u l d n o t b e m o v i n g u n t i l J a n u a r y J a n u a r v 6 t h , 2 0 1 4 t h e a n n e l l a n t o r o v i d e d a l e t t e r t o t h e
E A W f r o m h i s l a n d l o r d w h i c h s t a t e d t h a t y o u w o u l e t t e r d i d n o t r e f e r e n c e t h e A F . • O n J a n u a r y ? 1 h , 2 0 1 4 t h e a p p e l l a n t a n d t h e A F a d i d n o t r e a l i z e w h a t h e w a s d o i n g w h e n h e a d d e h a d b e e n d e n i e d a s s i s t a n c e o n h e r o w n . T h e E A i n f o r m a t i o n t o t h e m i n i s t r y t h a t e s t a b l i s h e d t h e A f a m i l y u n i t f o r t h e p u r p o s e o f a s s e s s i n g h i s e l i g i b r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n . • O n J a n u a r y 9 t h , 2 0 1 4 t h e a p p e l l a n t d e n i e d t h a t h a n d t h e A F w e r e s t i l l l i v i n g a s r o o m m a t e s . O n J a t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s M L A ' s o f f i c e . T h e E A W r e v i e w e d w o r k e r a n d a l s o r e v i e w e d t h e r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n p r O n t h e N o t i c e o f A p p e a l u n d e r R e a s o n s f o r A p p e a l , t h e k n o w h e r t h e n , s o r r y , p l u s a d d e d s t r e s s , n o m o n e y s i n c e w a s s i n g l e l i v i n g w i t h m y s i s t e r i n . . . 2 0 1 1 . S h e d o e s n ' t l N e i t h e r t h e a p p e l l a n t n o r t h e m i n i s t r y c a l l e d a w i t n e s s . T h e m i n i s t r y r e l i e d o n t h e f a c t s a s s t a t e d i n t h e r e c o n s i d p a n e l a n d t h e a p p e l l a n t , t h e m i n i s t r y a d v i s e d t h a t p r i o r t o a s s i s t a n c e a s a c o u p l e ) o n S e p t e m b e r 2 7 t h , 2 0 1 3 h e h a r e c i p i e n t . O n O c t o b e r 1 s t , 2 0 1 3 t h e a p p e l l a n t a n d A F b e g $ 8 7 7 . 2 2 . T h e m i n i s t r y a d v i s e d i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e i s r e a s o f $ 1 , 0 0 0 i n E l b e n e f i t s i n N o v e m b e r t h e E l b e n e f i t s a f f e a r e d e d u c t e d d o l l a r f o r d o l l a r . T h e m i n i s t r y a d v i s e d t h e A i n e x c e s s s i t u a t i o n a n d t h e r e f o r e t h e m i n i s t r y c o u l d n o t i s n o t e t h e a p p e l l a n t b r o u g h t i n t o t h e o f f i c e o n J a n u a r y 4 t h , T h e r e n t w a s $ 6 0 0 . T h e S h e l t e r a p p l i c a t i o n i n d i c a t e d t h a h a s n o t r e c e i v e d a n y t h i n g f r o m t h e a p p e l l a n t t o c o n f i r m t T h e a p p e l l a n t t e s t i f i e d t h a t h e d o e s n ' t h a v e a n y m o n e y a p a i d h i s r e n t , c a n ' t g e t a n y b u s p a s s e s f r o m t h e m i n i s t r y H e s t a t e d t h a t w h e n t h e l a n d l o r d r e t u r n s f r o m v a c a t i o n h a p p r o x i m a t e l y 6 w e e k s a g o a n d h e h a s n o i d e a w h e r e s h m i n i s t r y o f f i c e i n O c t o b e r 2 0 1 3 t o a d d h e r t o h i s f i l e b e c a t o g e t h e r i n a n o t h e r c o m m u n i t y f o r 8 m o n t h s b e f o r e m o v i a p p e l l a n t s t a t e d t h a t h e w a s s o r r y t h a t h e d i d w h a t h e d i d t o o k t h e n o t e i n t o t h e m i n i s t r y o f f i c e , a s t h e y h a d a s k e d , e v e r y o n e b u t t h e s i t u a t i o n h a s n o t c h a n g e d ; h e d o e s n ' t k a n d g e t h i s l i f e b a c k a s h e h a s b e e n l i v i n g o n n o t h i n g s i n a r e n o t a c o u p l e a n d h e d o e s n ' t u n d e r s t a n d w h y t h e m i n r o o m m a t e s . H e t e s t i f i e d t h a t h e w a s j u s t t r y i n g t o g e t h e r t h e p a s t . T h e p a n e l f i n d s t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s t e s t i m o n y i s r e l e v a n t t o t h c o n t a i n i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t i s i n s u p p o r t o f t h e i n f o r m a t i o n a r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n w a s m a d e a n d t h e r e f o r e i s a d m EM T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )l d b e e v i c t e d i f t h e J a n u a r y r e n t w a s n o t p a i d . T h e t t e n d e d t h e m i n i s t r y o f f i c e . T h e a p p e l l a n t s t a t e d t h a t h e d t h e A F t o h i s f i l e ; t h a t h e w a n t e d t o h e l p h e r a s s h e W a d v i s e d t h e a p p e l l a n t t h a t h e h a d p r o v i d e d F w a s h i s s p o u s e a n d t h e r e f o r e m u s t b e i n c l u d e d i n h i s i l i t y f o r a s s i s t a n c e . T h e a p p e l l a n t t h e n r e q u e s t e d e w a s l i v i n g w i t h a c o m m o n l a w s p o u s e s t a t i n g t h a t h e n u a r y 9 t h , 2 0 1 4 t h e E A W r e c e i v e d a n o t h e r c a l l f r o m t h e i n f o r m a t i o n t h e E A W h a d o n f i l e w i t h t h e M L A o c e s s . a p p e l l a n t s t a t e s " I w a s n ' t w i t h ( h e r ) i n 2 0 1 1 . I d i d n ' t N o v e m b e r 2 0 / 1 3 , a n d n o . . . ( w r i t i n g i s i l l e g i b l e ) . . . I i v e h e r e n o m o r e m o v e d o u t . e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n . I n r e s p o n s e t o q u e s t i o n s f r o m t h e t h e a p p e l l a n t c h a n g i n g h i s s t a t u s ( r e c e i v i n g d b e e n r e c e i v i n g i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e a s a s i n g l e a n t o r e c e i v e i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e a s a c o u p l e , r a t e s e s s e d e v e r y m o n t h a n d w h e n A F r e c e i v e d i n e x c e s s c t e d t h e D e c e m b e r i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e b e c a u s e t h e y F ' s E l b e n e f i t s p u t t h e a p p e l l a n t a n d A F i n a n i n c o m e s u e i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e . T h e m i n i s t r y s t a t e d t h a t t h e 2 0 1 4 s t a t e d t h e y t h e a p p e l l a n t o w e d $ 3 0 0 f o r r e n t . t 2 a d u l t s w e r e l i v i n g a t t h i s a d d r e s s a n d t h e m i n i s t r y h e c o n t r a r y . n d h a s n o t h a d a n y s i n c e N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 3 . H e h a s n o t t h a t h e s i m p l y c a n ' t g o a n y w h e r e b e c a u s e h e i s b r o k e . e w i l l p r o b a b l y b e e v i c t e d . H e s t a t e d t h a t A F l e f t h i m e i s l i v i n g . H e s t a t e d t h a t h e a n d A F w e n t i n t o t h e u s e h e w a n t e d t o h e l p h e r ; t h a t t h e y h a v e l i v e d n g t o t h i s l o c a t i o n ; t h a t s h e w a s h i s f r i e n d . T h e a n d n o w h e c a n ' t s e e m t o s t r a i g h t e n i t o u t ; t h a t h e b u t t h e y w o u l d n ' t a c c e p t i t . H e s t a t e d h e h a s c a l l e d n o w w h a t t o d o , h e j u s t w a n t s t o g e t h e r o f f h i s f i l e c e N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 3 . T h e a p p e l l a n t t e s t i f i e d t h a t t h e y i s t r y w o n ' t a c c e p t t h a t t h e y a r e j u s t l i v i n g a s s o m e h e l p a s s h e h a s a l w a y s b e e n t h e r e f o r h i m i n e i s s u e u n d e r a p p e a l a n d t h a t h i s t e s t i m o n y d o e s n d r e c o r d t h a t w a s b e f o r e t h e m i n i s t r y a t t h e t i m e t h e i s s i b l e a s e v i d e n c e u n d e r s e c t i o n 2 2 ( 4 ) E M .
T h e p a n e l m a k e s t h e f o l l o w i n g f i n d i n g o f f a c t : 1 . T h e a p p e l l a n t a n d A F h a v e b e e n r e s i d i n g t o g e t h 2 . P r i o r t o O c t o b e r 1 s t , 2 0 1 3 t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s a s i n 3 . T h a t o n O c t o b e r 1 ' \ 2 0 1 3 t h e a p p e l l a n t a n d A F a t h e A F b e a d d e d t o h i s a s s i s t a n c e f i l e a s h i s s p o A s s i s t a n c e R e v i e w a p p l i c a t i o n f o r m i n d i c a t i n g t h 4 . T h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t a n d A F s h a r e t h e c o s t o f r e n t . E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )e r f o r a t l e a s t t h e p r e v i o u s t h r e e c o n s e c u t i v e m o n t h s ; g l e r e c i p i e n t o f i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e ; t t e n d e d t h e m i n i s t r y o f f i c e a n d t h e a p p e l l a n t r e q u e s t e d u s e a n d b o t h p a r t i e s s i g n e d t h e E m p l o y m e n t a n d e y w e r e a c o u p l e , l i v i n g i n a c o m m o n l a w r e l a t i o n s h i p ;
P A R T F R e a s o n s f o r P a n e l D e c i s i o n T h e i s s u e u n d e r a p p e a l i s t h e r e a s o n a b l e n e s s o f t h e m i n d e t e r m i n e d t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h h i s f e m a l e f r E A A , a n d t h e r e f o r e , a n d s h e m u s t b e c o n s i d e r e d a d e p e t h e f a m i l y u n i t ' s e l i g i b i l i t y f o r i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e a s s e t o T h e l e g i s l a t i o n c o n s i d e r e d : E A A I n t e r p r e t a t i o n S e c t i o n 1 ( 1 ) I n t h i s A c t : " d e p e n d a n t " , i n r e l a t i o n t o a p e r s o n , m e a n s a n y o n e w h o p e r s o n , M e a n i n g o f " s p o u s e " S e c t i o n 1 . 1 ( 1 ) T w o p e r s o n s , i n c l u d i n g p e r s o n s o f t h e s a m e g e n d e r , w ( a ) t h e y a r e m a r r i e d t o e a c h o t h e r , o r ( b ) t h e y a c k n o w l e d g e t o t h e m i n i s t e r t h a t t h e y a r e r e s ( 2 ) T w o p e r s o n s w h o r e s i d e t o g e t h e r , i n c l u d i n g p e r s o n s p u r p o s e s o f t h i s A c t i f ( a ) t h e y h a v e r e s i d e d t o g e t h e r f o r a t l e a s t ( i ) t h e p r e v i o u s 3 c o n s e c u t i v e m o n t h s , o r ( i i ) 9 o f t h e p r e v i o u s 1 2 m o n t h s , a n d ( b ) t h e m i n i s t e r i s s a t i s f i e d t h a t t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p d e m o n ( i ) f i n a n c i a l d e p e n d e n c e o r i n t e r d e p e n d e n c e , a n ( i i ) s o c i a l a n d f a m i l i a l i n t e r d e p e n d e n c e , c o n s i s t e n t w i t h a m a r r i a g e l i k e r e l a t i o n s h i p . E A R A p p l i c a n t r e q u i r e m e n t s S e c t i o n 5 ( 1 ) F o r a f a m i l y u n i t t o b e e l i g i b l e f o r i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e o f o r t h e i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e o r s u p p l e m e n t o n b e h a l f o f t h e ( a ) t h e f a m i l y u n i t d o e s n o t i n c l u d e a n a d u l t , o r ( b ) t h e s p o u s e o f a n a d u l t a p p l i c a n t h a s n o t r e a c h e d 1 w i t h t h e a d u l t a p p l i c a n t T h e m i n i s t r y ' s p o s i t i o n i s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t o n t w o o c c a s r e l a t i o n s h i p : f i r s t , o n S e p t e m b e r 2 0 ' \ 2 0 1 3 w h e n h e c o n t t h e y w e r e l i v i n g i n a c o m m o n l a w r e l a t i o n s h i p ; a n d s e c o n a t t e n d e d t h e m i n i s t r y o f f i c e a n d c o m p l e t e d a n d s i g n e d t h m i n i s t r y a r g u e s t h e r e v i e w f o r m i n d i c a t e s t h e a p p e l l a n t a ( m a r r i e d o r c o m m o n l a w ) ; r e s i d i n g t o g e t h e r a t R 2 ; t h a t r e i n c l u d e s t h e f o l l o w i n g d e c l a r a t i o n " I d e c l a r e t h a t a l l i n f o r t r u e a n d c o m p l e t e . " T h e m i n i s t r y a r g u e s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n m i n i s t r v o f f i c e a d v i s i n a t h e E A W t h e v w e r e l i v i n Q t o Q e t h e E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )i s t r y ' s r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n w h e r e i n t h e m i n i s t r y i e n d i s s p o u s a l , a s d e f i n e d u n d e r s e c t i o n 1 . 1 o f t h e n d a n t i n h i s f a m i l y u n i t f o r t h e p u r p o s e o f a s s e s s i n g u t i n s e c t i o n 5 ( 1 ) E A R . r e s i d e s w i t h t h e p e r s o n a n d w h o i s t h e s p o u s e o f t h e a r e s p o u s e s o f e a c h o t h e r f o r t h e p u r p o s e s o f t h i s A c t i d i n g t o g e t h e r i n a m a r r i a g e l i k e r e l a t i o n s h i p . o f t h e s a m e g e n d e r , a r e s p o u s e s o f e a c h o t h e r f o r t h e s t r a t e s d r a s u p p l e m e n t , a n a d u l t i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t m u s t a p p l y f a m i l y u n i t u n l e s s 9 y e a r s o f a g e , i n w h i c h c a s e t h a t s p o u s e m u s t a p p l y i o n s s t a t e d t h a t h e a n d A F w e r e i n a c o m m o n l a w a c t e d t h e m i n i s t r y t o h a v e A F a d d e d t o h i s f i l e t h a t d , o n O c t o b e r 1 5 ' , 2 0 1 3 , w h e n t h e a p p e l l a n t a n d A F e E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e R e v i e w f o r m . T h e n d A F a r e a p p l y i n g f o r a s s i s t a n c e a s a c o u p l e n t i s n o t s h a r e d ; t h a t A F i s a p p e l l a n t ' s s p o u s e ; a n d m a t i o n I h a v e p r o v i d e d i n t h e a p p l i c a t i o n p r o c e s s i s t a n d A F p r e s e n t e d t h e m s e l v e s a s a c o u p l e a t t h e r a n d t h e n s i a n e d t h e a n n l i c a t i o n f o r m t o r e c e i v e
income as sistance as a couple. The min i s t ry argue s that the appella about wheth er or not he and AF are living together. The ministry argued the appellant's eligib assistance will continue to be assessed under section 5 EAR based on the information contained on Employment and A ssistance Rev iew form dated October 1 proper documentation that demonstrate s that the app ellant ministry states that the appellant has represe nted th a t he the appellant a nd AF a re l iv ing in an interdependent/dependen co nsiders AF to be the appellant's spouse as defined ins. The appellant ar g u es that he ma de a mi s take when he ask si gned the review f orm on October 1 st , 201 3; that he was only try bene f its. The appellant argued t hat the El ben efits were he wor k e d for them and that was her money. The appellant argues that w on't accept that th ey are just room mates living t ogether an a ppellant ar gues that she has children of her own and she is not his spouse. I n r eferen ce to t he mean ing o f spou se in sect i on 1.1 (1) E Emp l oy men t and A ssistan ce R ev i ew a ppl ication indicati a s a c o up l e an d t hat h e and AF were li v i ng i n a co mmon-l with t he m inistry' s posi t i o n and he apolog iz e d in h is testimony T he panel fin ds that t he m inis t r y reasonab ly determi ned f or t he purpose s of t h is Act; a nd th a t they ackn o wle dge d c omm o n-law r e lations h ip as d efin ed un der sec tion 1. 1 ( 1 In refe ren ce to section 1.1 (2) E AA, th e mi ni stry's p o sit ion is th least the pre v io us 3 consecu t i ve months and that the mini fin ancia l d ep endence o r int e rd e pendence and social and like r el a t i onshi p. T he mini s tr y 's p os iti on i s that the a p pellant and AF were a re view of his as sistance on Octob er 1 st , 201 3 and they appell ant attended the ministry of fi ce to advise s he wou ld paid rent up to tha t d ate w h ich is m o r e t ha n 3 c o nsecut ive month advocating fo r one an o ther and sharing h ous e hold ite m s dem The appellant agrees he and the AF support one another but now she has left, he doesn't know where and he doesn't have any money and the ministry won't a that was all he wanted to do. In the appell a nt 's testimony he stated that h e was just trying to get h there for me and I was trying to be there for her''. The appellant testified they lived together i community for 8 months before moving to R2 and they consider themselves roommates and not spouses in a co m mon -law rel a t ions h ip. In the AF's submission she acknowledges their interdepend w it h her sta tem ents , "I have been try ing to get him on his feet"; I paid for the move: pay rent here so I don't lose the basic necessities that I have left; and my daughter invited us for Christmas dinner, we had no tree, nothing -nothing to loo k forward to -he has been taken on as part of our famil There is no evidence before the panel that the appellant and AF are not residing together. The panel finds that the testimo ny from the appellant and the submission from the AF supports that the relationship between the appellant and the AF demonstrates a financial deoendence or interdeoendence and EAAT 003(10/06/01) nt has changed his story several times ility for income 6 1, 2013 or untilthe appe llant provides the ministr y and A F a re no longer r esiding together . The and AF are living in a common-law relatio n shi p ; that t relationship a nd therefore th e ministry 1. 1 EAA. ed t he ministry to add AF t o h is file and when h e i ng to help his f ri en d until she received her El r s an d h e d idn't ha ve any right to them; t hat she he doesn 't un derstand wh y t he ministry d ar e not livin g in a commo n la w relations h ip. The A A the pane l fi n ds that appellant complet ed the n g t hat he a nd A F we r e applying f or income ass istan ce aw relationship . T he appel lant does n ot disa g r e e fo r m aking this statement. th a t t he app el l a n t and A F ar e s p o u s es o f each ot her to t he EAW tha t they were res id ing toge ther in a )(b) EAA. a t t he a ppel la nt a nd A F re sided together f or at ster is satis fied that t h e relationsh i p demonstra t es a familial int e rd e pendence, cons istent wi t h a mar ria g e r e s id i ng tog ether wh en he completed t he req u est fo r were s t i ll resi d i ng t ogether December 23 rd wh en the n ot b e m oving until on J a nuary 1 st , 2 0 14 a s she has s . The mi nis t r y argues th a t shar ing th e rent, ons trates familial and fin a n cial int e rd e pendence. she is ssist h im . The appellant argue d AF needed help and er help b e cause " she has alw a ys b een n a n ot h er ence upon one anot he r y".
social and familial interdependence , consist e ntwi th a marriage-like Th e p anel finds the mi nist r y ' s decision t ha t the appellan Sectio n 1.1 of EAA, was reasonable. The panel finds that the ministry's d ecision t hat AF must b unit for th e p u rpose of assessing the famil y unit's eligibility for w as a reaso n a ble a p plication of the legi sl ati o n in the circums mi nis try's decision pursuant to section 24(1) ( b) E A A and EAAT 003(1 0/06/01) relationshi p . t ' s relationship w ith AF i s spous al for the p ur p os e of e consid ered a dependant in the a ppell an t's family income a ssi sta nce a s s et out i n s ec tion 5 E AR tances of the appellant, and confirms the s e ction 24(2)( a) EAA.
You are being directed to the most recent version of the statute which may not be the version considered at the time of the judgment.