Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction

Decision Information

Decision Content

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 r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e S o c i a l I n n o v a t i o n ( t h e m i n i s t r y ) d a t e d 3 0 M a y 2 0 1 3 d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e b e c a u s e o f a l i f e t i m e s a n c t i o n d e t e r m i n e d t h a t , p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n s 1 4 ( 1 ) a n d 1 4 ( w i t h D i s a b i l i t i e s A c t ( E A P W D A ) , a s t h e a p p e l l a n t w a t o s e c t i o n 3 8 0 ( 1 ) ( b ) o f t h e C r i m i n a l C o d e , i n r e l a t i o n 1 1 A p r i l 2 0 1 3 , a n d a s t h e a p p e l l a n t i s a s i n g l e p e r s o f o r d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e f o r h i s l i f e t i m e b e g i n n i n g o n 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 f o r P e r s o n s w i t h D i s a b E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e f o r P e r s o n s w i t h D i s a b 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 9 . 1 A d m i n i s t r a t i v e T r i b u n a l s A c t ( A T A ) , s e c t i o n 4 6 . 3 H u m a n R i g h t s C o d e , s e c t i o n 8 . E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A L I c i s i o n o f t h e M i n i s t r y o f S o c i a l D e v e l o p m e n t a n d t h a t h e l d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t i s i n e l i g i b l e f o r d u e t o a c o n v i c t i o n o f f r a u d . T h e m i n i s t r y 5 ) 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 f o r P e r s o n s s c o n v i c t e d o f f r a u d o f $ 5 0 0 0 o r u n d e r , c o n t r a r y t o o b t a i n i n g a s s i s t a n c e u n d e r t h e E A P W D A , o n n w i t h n o d e p e n d a n t s , t h e a p p e l l a n t i s i n e l i g i b l e 0 1 M a y 2 0 1 4 . i li t i e s A c t ( E A P W D A ) , s e c t i o n s 1 4 a n d 1 6 . i l i t i e s R e g u l a t i o n ( E A P W D R ) , s e c t i o n 3 1 .
P A R T E S u m m a r o f F a c t s W i t h t h e c o n s e n t o f t h e p a r t i e s , t h e h e a r i n g w a s c o 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 . T h e i n f o r m a t i o n b e f o r e t h e m i n i s t r y a t r e c o n s i d e r a t i • F r o m t h e m i n i s t r y ' s f i l e s : t h e a p p e l l a n t i s a s i • A R e c o r d o f P r o v i n c i a l C o u r t _ p r o c e e d i n g s a n a p p e l l a n t p l e a d e d g u i l t y o n 1 1 A p r i l 2 0 1 3 a n d C r o w n p r o c e e d e d b y i n d i c t m e n t o n a C o u n t t f r a u d u l e n t m e a n s d e f r a u d t h e m i n i s t r y o f m o s e c t i o n 3 8 0 ( 1 ) ( b ) o f t h e C r i m i n a l C o d e . • A l e t t e r d a t e d 0 1 M a y 2 0 1 3 a c k n o w l e d g i n g r e r e q u e s t i n g a n a d d i t i o n a l 1 0 d a y s t o p r o v i d e m a l s o w r i t e s t h a t a l i f e t i m e b a n s h o u l d n o t a p p i n a b i l i t y t o w o r k h e n c e h i s P W D s t a t u s . W i t m e d i c a t i o n ( $ 5 0 0 m o n t h l y ) , t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , h o p r e m i u m s a n d v i t a m i n s . H e l i s t s a n u m b e r o f • T h e a p p e l l a n t ' s 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 a p p e l l a n t w r i t e s t h a t c u t t i n g o f f h i s a s s i s t a n c e w o u l d n o t b e a b l e t o a f f o r d c l o t h i n g , m e d i c a t i n e c e s s i t i e s o f l i f e . H e r e q u e s t s a n e x t r a 1 0 d a p r o v i d e a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n . • A l e t t e r f r o m t h e a p p e l l a n t d a t e d 1 0 M a y 2 0 1 3 d i s p a r i t i e s " b e t w e e n w h a t h e h a d b e e n t o l d a t h e a p p l i c a b l e l e g i s l a t i o n . H e w r i t e s t h a t h e h m i n i s t r y m u s t r e a d i n m a k i n g i t s r e c o n s i d e r a t a d d i t i o n a l 1 0 d a y s s o a s t o e n s u r e l e t t e r s f r o m g o e s o n t o s t a t e t h a t i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e l m o n t h l y b e n e f i t , i n c l u d i n g n u t r i t i o n a l , v i t a m i n b e e n d e n i e d a r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n p a c k a g e m u s t t h a t h e w i s h e s t h e m i n i s t r y t o p r o v i d e . H e a l s c o n v i c t i o n i s u n d e r a p p e a l a n d s h o u l d b e s t a y • A t r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n , t h e a p p e l l a n t a l s o p r o v i d e a ) A l e t t e r f r o m t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s p h y s i c i a n d a t w o u l d b e n e f i t f r o m p h y s i c a l t h e r a p y a n d m a s s b ) A l e t t e r f r o m t h e s a m e p h y s i c i a n d a t e d 2 1 a n e m i a a n d a n e x t r a o r d i n a r i l y l o w w h i t e b l o o d m y o c l o n i c j e r k s ( s e i z u r e s ) . c ) A l e t t e r f r o m t h e s a m e p h y s i c i a n d a t e d 2 2 n e c e s s a r y s u p p l e m e n t s : a p r e s s u r e r e l e a s e m f o o t w e a r , a n d a n k l e b r a c e , a t o r s o o r s i n a l b E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )I A P P E A L n d u c t e d i n w r i t i n g p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n 2 2 ( 3 ) ( b ) o f o n i n c l u d e d t h e f o l l o w i n g : n g l e p e r s o n w i t h n o d e p e n d a n t s . d E n d o r s e m e n t o f I n f o r m a t i o n , s h o w i n g t h e t h e r e s u l t i n g j a i l t e r m . T h e I n f o r m a t i o n s h o w s t n e · h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t d i d b y d e c e i t , f a l s e h o o d o r o t h e r n e y , o f a v a l u e n o t i n e x c e s s o f $ 5 0 0 0 , c o n t r a r y t o c e i p t o f t h e m i n i s t r y ' s o r i g i n a l d e c i s i o n , a n d o r e e v i d e n c e f o r h i s r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n r e q u e s t . H e l y b e c a u s e o f h i s s e v e r e m e n t a l i l l n e s s a n d h i s h o u t a s s i s t a n c e i t w o u l d n o t b e a b l e t o a f f o r d u s i n g , f o o d , c l o t h i n g , m e d i c a l s u p p l i e s , M S P m e d i c a l e q u i p m e n t n e e d s a n d a s s o c i a t e d c o s t s . d a t e d 0 2 M a y 2 0 1 3 . U n d e r R e a s o n s , t h e w i l l r e s u l t i n a n i m m i n e n t d a n g e r t o h i s l i f e a s h e o n , f o o d a n d a p l a c e t o l i v e o r a n y o t h e r y s b e f o r e h i s f i l e i s r e c o n s i d e r e d s o t h a t h e m a y c o n c e r n i n g " s e r i o u s d i s c r e p a n c i e s , i f n o t n d w h a t t h e m i n i s t r y h a s a d v i s e d h i m c o n c e r n i n g a s p r o v i d e d m e d i c a l d o c u m e n t a t i o n t h a t t h e i o n d e c i s i o n a n d t h a t h e h a s r e q u e s t e d a n o t h e r t r e a t i n g p h y s i c i a n s a r e c o n s i d e r e d . H e e g i s l a t i o n h e m u s t r e c e i v e t h e e n t i r e t y o f h i s a n d t r a n s p o r t a t i o n a l l o w a n c e s a n d i f t h i s h a s b e p r o v i d e d . T h e a p p e l l a n t a l s o l i s t s i n f o r m a t i o n o a s k s t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y b e a w a r e t h a t t h e f r a u d e d u n t i l t h e a p p e a l i s r e j e c t e d . d t h e f o l l o w i n g : e d 1 9 M a r c h 2 0 1 3 s t a t i n g t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t a g e t h e r a p y f o r o n g o i n g b a c k a n d g r o i n p a i n . M a r c h 2 0 1 3 s t a t i n g t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t h a s c e l l c o u n t . H e a l s o s u f f e r s f r o m s e v e r e M a r c h 2 0 1 3 l i s t i n g t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s m e d i c a l l y a t t r e s s , c u s t o m m a d e o r t h o t i c s , c u s t o m m a d e r a c e , a c u u n c t u r e , c h i r o r a c t i c s e r v i c e s ,
APPEAi I massage therapy, naturopathy, nonsurgical podiatry, and physical therapy. The physician states that these items are medically required to improve physical functioning that has been impaired by a neuromusculoskeletal condition. The appellant's Notice of Appeal is dated 28 June 2013. Under Reasons, the appellant writes "The ministry failed to take into account the judge's reasoning." After reconsideration and before the hearing, the appellant provided a submission dated 26 March 2014. The submission prOviaes notice of the appellant's intenrto argue that there is a conflict between the EAPWDR and the Human Rights Code. The submission provides detailed notes as to the alleged conflict. (See Part F, Reasons for Panel Decision, below.) In an email dated 02 April 2014, the ministry stated that the ministry position will be the reconsideration summary provided in the Record of Ministry Decision. EAAT 003(10/06/01)
PART F -Reasons for Panel Decis ion The is sue in this appeal is whether the ministry's decision that the appell assis t a nc e because of a lifetim e sanct i on d ue to a convict e v i dence o r a reaso n able application of the legisla ti wa s re asonabl e in det erminin g that, pu rsuant to section 14(1) and appellant was convicted of fraud of $500 0 or un der, Cod e in relation t o obtaini n g a ssistance under the EAPWDA, on 11 April 2013, and as th is a sfngfe person-wit h -110-aepe11dants, the appel lant li fetime begi n ni ng on 01 May 2014. Th e r elevant legislat io n is f rom the E APWD A: Consequences for convi ction or j udgment in relation to A 14 (1) A fa mil y un it tha t includ e s a person who is convicted of an of ob tai n i n g mo n e y, under th is A ct o r the Emp l oym r epr es e ntatio n is s u bj e ct t o the con s equen ce de person ' s fa mily unit for th e li fetime of the perso of the c onviction. (5 ) I f a fami ly un i t includ es (a) o nly persons de scr i b e d in subsection m ade a decl aration und er that s a ssista nce fo r the app licab l e period, and (b) o ne or more per s ons d escribed has ma de a dec lara tion under that disability a ssista nc e , hardship assista mus t be red uced by the p rescr i b Positi o ns of the pa rti es T he p os i tion of t he m inis t ry, as set out in the reco ns the EAPWDA, a perso n who is convicted of an offense obtaining money under the E A PWDA by fraud or false or misleadin lifetime consequence as outlined in section 14(5), beginning with the first calendar month following the date of the conviction. On 11 April 2013 the appellant was convicted of fraud of under $5000, contrary to section 380( 1 )(b) of the Criminal C o de, in relation to obtaining assistance und EAPWDA. As the appellant is a single person with no dependants, the consequence is in eligibility for assistance be g i n ning 01 May 20 13 . The ministry notes tha t the a ppellant s tated that he is appealing the conviction. It is the minist position that this is an issue between the appellant and the court. As he has bee offense, the legisla t ion a pplies. T he appellant's positio n , as s et out in his Request for R mental disability, he is unable to work. As a result, denying him disability assistance is unreasonable as this would put him in a life threatening situation, as he would be unable to afford food, shelter and other living costs as well as his subs tantial med ical expenses. He al the decision reaardina his ineliqibility for assistance should be staved until his aooeal reaardina his EAAT003(10/06/0 1 ) I A P PEAi ant is ineligi bl e for disability i on of fraud is reasonably s upport ed by t he on. Specifi c a ll y, t h e i ssu e is whether the m i n is try 1 4 (5) of EAPWDA, as the cont ra ry to section 3 80( 1 ) (b) o f the Cri minal e appellan t is ineli gible for disability assi stance f o r hi s c t fe nce u n der the Criminal Code in r e lation t o e n t and A s sistance Ac t, by fr aud or false or misleading s cri bed in su bsect ion ( 5 ) for a f amily un it t hat matches the n begi n ning with the f ir st c a lendar m onth following the da te (1) o r ( 2), or subse ction (3) if the m ini ster has u bs e ction, the fami ly unit is not el ig i ble for d i sa bili ty i n su bsect io n (1) or ( 2), o r subsect i on (3) if the m inist er s ub s ec ti on , a nd at l east one ot h e r p erson, the a mo unt o f nc e o r a su pp le me n t provided to or for the f a mily unit ed am ount f or t he app lic a b le period. i dera tio n de cision , is tha t und e r sect ion 1 4 (1) o f under the Cri minal Co de in r elat ion t o g rep res ent a t io n is s ubject to a er the ry' s n convicted of the ec onsideration, is that, as a per son with a so sub mi ts that
con vi ct i on has been c onsi dered. In his Notice of Appeal, the appe l lant also ar g ued that the account the ju dg e 's r e a soning. In his sub missi o n on appea l , the app e lla nt argue d tha th e E A P WDR ) and the Human Right s Code. The appell which prov i d es that a person must n ot, witho ut a b o disc rimi n a te against, a p erson or d as sofpelsons-a available to the public, bec ause of the race, co lour, family stat u s, p hysical or m en ta l disab il it y , sex, sexual orientati p ers ons. The appe ll ant su bmits tha t these grounds "co n vict ion. " The appellant notes that the sanction s 31 of the EA PW DR diff er bas ed e ntir e ly on t he fa mily The appell an t submits t hat th is le gislation i s i n dir e ct violation of th d isc rim inates b as ed on f amil y s tatu s a n d/ or marital Pan el findings Th e p ane l wil l f ir st addres s the H um a n Rights C od e argu E A PWDA p rovid es t hat an appeal of t he o utc ome of Emplo y men t and Ass istance Appeal Tr i b u na l e s t a bl (EAA ) : f rom the EAP WDA: T h e E AA impo rts certain p rovisi ons fr o m the Admini App lic a tion of Administr ati v e Trib unals Act 19 .1 S e ct i o ns 1 to 6 , 7 (1) an d (2), 8, 9, 30, 44, 46. 3 , 55, 56, to th e tribu nal. T h e r elevant section of t he ATA i m po r ted int o the EAA Tribu n al witho ut juris diction t o a pp l y the Human Ri ghts C 4 6 .3 (1) The tr ibunal does n o t ha ve jurisdict ion to apply the Human Rights Code. (2) S u bs e ction (1) applies t o all appl ica tions made b to the tribunal. From the above, it is clear that the Trib u na l, does not Code. T h e ev i dence is t hat the appellant was convicted for fraud under $5 Cri minal Code in relation to obtaini ng assista nce under the EAPWDA. Section 14(1) of the EAPWDA clearly states that a family unit that includes a person convicted of such an offense is subjec lifetime consequence set out in subsection (5) of section 14. As the appellant has been convicted of the off ence and as he is a single pers o n with no depe reasonably determined that paragraph (a) of subsection (5) applies and that the appellant is ineligible for d i sab il itv ass istance as a lifet ime c on s e quence. As t EAAT003(10/06/01) I A PPEAL ministry's decision failed to take i nto t there is a conflict betwee n the E A PW DA (an d ant cites s ect i o n 8 of the Hu man Rights Code , na fi de and re as o n ab le j u s tification, deny to, or n y accommodati o n, serv i c e or fac ility cust o ma rily an c es t r y, plac e o f ori gin , rel i g ion, marit al sta tu s, o n o r age of that p e r son or cl a ss of a re not e xclusive an d anoth e r such ground is unde r s e ction 14(5 ) of t he EAPWDA an d s ect ion st atus/mar ital status of t he co n victed person. e Hu man Ri g hts Code as i t s tatu s. ments ra ise d b y the appell ant. The a reconsiderati on de c is i on is t o be made t o the is he d under the Employ ment and As si s ta nce Act s t r a ti ve T ribun als Ac t (ATA} : 5 8 a nd 6 1 of the Ad minis t rative Tribuna ls Ac /a p ply is: ode efo r e , on or after the date that the subsection a pplies ha ve the jurisdic tion to apply the Human Rights 000 under section 380(1)(b} of the t t o the ndants, the panel finds that the ministry he aooellant was convicted on 11 Aoril 2013,
t h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y w a s r e a s o n a b l e i n s a n c t i o n b e g i n s o n 0 1 M a y 2 0 1 3 . T h e p a n e l f u rt h e r d e t e r m i n i n g t h a t a l t h o u g h t h e a p p e l l a n t h a d i n d i c a t c o n v i c t i o n , t h e c o n v i c t i o n s t i l l c u r r e n t l y s t a n d s . C o n c l u s i o n B a s e d o n t h e f o r e g o i n g , t h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e m i n · d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e ; b · e g i n n i n g o n 0 1 M a y 2 0 1 3 , a s u n d e r t h e C r i m i n a l C o d e i n r e l a t i o n t o o b t a i n i n g a s s a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e l e g i s l a t i o n i n t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s o m i n 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 . E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A i I d e t e r m i n i n g t h a t u n d e r s u b s e c t i o n 5 ( 1 ) t h e f i n d s t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y w a s r e a s o n a b l e i n e d t o t h e m i n i s t r y t h a t h e i s a p p e a l i n g t h e i s t r y ' s d e c i s i o n t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t i s i n e l i g i b l e f o r a l i f e t i m e c o n s e q u e n c e o f h i s c o n v i c t i o n f o r f r a u d i s t a n c e u n d e r t h e E A P W D A , i s a r e a s o n a b l e f t h e a p p e l l a n t . T h e p a n e l t h e r e f o r e c o n f i r m s t h e
 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.