Why is our government trying to scrooge on the spirit of giving?

By Mae Velasco [current events bureau chief]

Every Christmas I’m into the spirit of giving, but this Christmas it’ll be a different story. I’m a starving student, and on top of that, the government hasn’t been paying me properly.

I’m a behavioural interventionist who works for autistic children. All my paperwork, service hours, rate of pay and personal information goes to the Ministry of Children and Family Development.

I love my job, but it’s December and I haven’t been receiving my June 2010 payment for work for one of the families that I work with, and one of my papers are missing for my September 2010 invoice.

On Nov. 23, 2010 CBC News said that autism therapists are complaining about the late payments. Many workers have been evicted from their homes, are in debt and simply can’t pay their bills. I’m one of these workers and I do not like how this is going.

I even had to borrow money from my parents just to pay my bills on time. I’m even breaking my piggy banks to give change to the teller at the bank. I don’t know how far this is going to go.

Other therapists are thinking of just dropping the job as a behavioural consultant or interventionist and they’re picking up another career just to pay their bills. I don’t want to leave my job because I love the children that I work with and have formed a close bond and attachment with them. I have a great rapport and relationship with the families and I simply care for them.

I want to continue on with this work and become a behavioural consultant one day, but the government better step up and play their game right. I hate having to worry all the time about the money that I spend; I would love to be in the spirit of giving, but I simply can’t.

Christmas is a time for happiness, joy and spending all the good times with your family and friends. I hate having a financial burden when  I shouldn’t, since I’ve been working. I’ve been working for the love of my job and this better stop.

The New Year is coming up and I hope the government has heard our plea. Please pay us because we’re suffering. The therapists are not the only ones suffering, but also the families and their children.

Without our intervention their future is in danger. These children need us!

“Oh, Christmas! Darn! Sorry, I don’t have gifts for you under the Christmas tree because of the government.”

Ugh! I just hate the feeling!

So, as you can see, this Christmas is just going to be a broke one for me. I don’t have gifts for you because I’m broke because the government is just damn selfish.

They don’t want to do their work, pay me properly and they lose my papers. Sure, I suffer and my fellow therapists suffer. You government people are just so malicious these days, especially this year.

You think that these parents are not paying for their children’s treatments and using your money properly so you think you’d take charge of the situation. Well guess what?! They are doing what’s best for their children.

It’s just you government people that want to keep that extra cash for a long time. Take action now because we’ll soon be gone and then these autistic children will have no one to look out for them. It will just be your fault. So take it into consideration. Christmas is not a good time and it’s the government’s fault. I really don’t like you right now.