Alberta to Claw Back Federal Disability Benefit, AISH Recipients Asked to Be Grateful for Less
In a bold new twist on financial innovation, the Alberta government has announced it will be deducting the recently introduced federal disability benefit from payments made to recipients of Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH), sparking outrage among advocates and a quiet round of applause from budget spreadsheets everywhere.
The province insists it’s just ensuring “no one gets ahead unfairly by being disabled in multiple jurisdictions,” adding that clawing back support meant to lift people out of poverty is a time-honoured tradition. “We’re not monsters,” said one government spokesperson. “We’re just allergic to double-dipping. And equity. And eye contact.”
Recipients, many of whom already live far below the poverty line, have expressed confusion over how new support from Ottawa magically translates into fewer provincial dollars. “It’s like someone gives you a lifeboat, and Alberta pokes a hole in it so the water’s more ‘evenly distributed,’” said one AISH recipient.
Meanwhile, officials promised a thorough review of the situation, likely to be conducted in the form of a shrug. The province reminded residents that “we’re all in this together,” assuming “this” is a hole-ridden social safety net stretched over an open pit.
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