Dear Mr. Harper,
Please find attached my Request for Proposal for the money allotted in the 2009 budget for bailouts to assist in the prosperity and growth during this economic downturn. Since you appear to be willing to bail out companies utilizing billions of dollars of the taxpayer’s money, I thought it would be appropriate to encourage Canadians to do the same by starting my own request. We are the people and we need to survive.
Due to the current economic situation I have been unable to find a job despite sending out over 400 resumes to date. I have kept a clean record (and have presented it once to Service Canada) should you wish to peruse. As well, I have documented the 4 companies who called me and the 3 interviews I have had.
Today, my Employment Insurance Benefits is no longer available to me as, in September, the Unemployment Rate in the KW Area allotted me only 24 weeks. Being a person from a small town with a high Unemployment Rate, I automatically assumed that I would receive 45 weeks like every Tom, Dick and Harry across Canada. That was not the case and I claim ignorance for not reading between the lines. To clarify, I am allowed 24 weeks until September. I am not allowed to claim EI until September 2009. It’s like a buffet; pick and choose the weeks you want. As my daughter would say (and I hate it), “my bad”.
So right now $0.00 = $0.00 and I’m broke.
So here I sit broken hearted as I ponder how Scotiabank will receive their car payment of $100.71 on Tuesday along with my future weekly payments, my Mortgage, and the various insurance payments needed to be made on my automobile, life, and home.
We must not forget that Union Gas and Cambridge Hydro do not have any qualms in switching off the power or gas to my home should my payments cease to arrive on time.
Here is a clear and concise overview of my request.I am requesting the minimum of a $10,000 bailout and here is my plan. The exciting part of this RFP is that I can tell you exactly where it will go.
$ 800.00 of this will go towards my car payment for the next two months.
$ 3200.00 will go to my mortgage.
$ 350.00 will go to my car and home insurance. Like Hydro, insurance companies do not hesitate to cancel your policy and send a person’s rate through the roof.
$ 150.00 will go toward life insurance (yes, my husband has Crone’s and it’s much more expensive to insure his life)
$ 140.00 will go towards my Daughter’s year end trip that she wants to take to Wonderland, Marineland and African Lions Safari
$ 50.00 will go to my Son who has so gracefully accepted staying at school all week, because I’m not working, and opt in for one trip to Canada’s Wonderland.
$ 600.00 will go towards Hydro and Union Gas as they do not take “I can’t pay you this month” as an acceptable cry for help. It doesn’t matter if it’s cold outside. They CAN and WILL cut it off.
$ 1000.00 will go towards other bills that we have incurred since my EI started and had to charge for shoes, pants, tops, and school items as my children are still growing and living.
The remainder will be kept in a tax free Savings Account which was created to help Canadians. I never thought you had to pay taxes on a Savings Account anyway.
Trina Stewart’s Obligations
I will promise to send out another 400 resumes and be on my best behaviour at any interview that may arise. I will accept flipping burgers and any other position available out there that will assist our family during this time. I will utilize the remainder of the bailout to subsidize the loss of income in taking these jobs at a minimum wage which really doesn’t match the Standard of Living Rate. My considered opinion and advice is that it should be altered accordingly by the Federal Government of Canada.
I cannot guarantee that my children will abide by the same regiment as they have big eyes and want to live a little as I did as a teenager.
I will stay home all March Break and not venture anywhere but to the We Will Rock You Musical in Toronto as we purchased the tickets through Air Miles last Friday.
I must inform you that I was on contract last year and since I was laid off, I have spent the GST owing as well as the savings on the taxes owed on my invoices. So in light of not having EI or any money at this time, you’ll just have to wait for that or you may deduct this amount from the final bailout allotted to my family. Failure to do so will result in some door to door activity looking for 2008 receipts, a skewed 2008 Tax Return and a makeshift factory to produce moonshine in my backyard.
I realize that this is not a professional RFP submission as it has been four years since I have prepared one for the Federal Government. I do know that you have highly paid employees that can formulate a template to work for both of us and will include other political policies and procedures.
Please consider assisting myself and other Canadian by providing full EI benefits across Canada or a sensible bailout plan to assist people to survive during this time of struggle.
Sincerely,
Trina Stewart
