#cesb

The lack of money and essentials given to Indigenous and First Nations communities in this pandemic is appalling. $305 million of the $82 billion pandemic response budget was given to ALL Indigenous and First Nations communities, highlighting and drawing mass attention to Canada’s historic and continued mistreatment. Furthermore, gas pipelines are continuing to be run through Indigenous and First Nations land- despite the increased risk of exposure to COVID-19 and the continual protests. 

The Spirit of the Buffalo Camp at Standing Rock was burned down the morning of April 26th, 2020. Local RCMP and law enforcement did nothing. “The camp is a prayer camp in resistance to Enbridge’s Line 3 Pipeline expansion (the corporations biggest ever project) and is [situated] almost directly on the US/Canada border.” The camp had stood for 2 years in peaceful resistance to the pipeline expansion. Their camps facebook page. The Wet’suwet’en resistance blockade against Coastal GasLink and LNG Canada placing a pipeline across unceded land is still on going. They are facing RCMP working in the direct interests of gas companies. Donate here.

The CERB initially excluded a massive one-third of Canadians- and the most vulnerable and in need third too. The initial CERB qualifications released on March 25, 2020 was met with calls for it to be universal. Initially, it excluded students, seasonal workers, homeless people, disabled people, gig, contract, and commission workers, and those who were making scant part-time income. Push back by citizens and fuelled by NDP leader Jagmeet Singh led to Trudeau expanding the restrictions to include contract workers, seasonal workers, and those still making up to $1000. On April, 22, 2020, Trudeau also announced the CESB, a $9.3 billion support package for students and recent graduates. Although students will only recieve $1,250 per month ($1,750 if disabled), and this amount faces backlash as rent in places such as Ontario is at least $900/month. Canadian students are not worth 60% of other Canadians. Jagmeet Singh and the NDP party are still pushing for the CERB to be made universal and all qualifications to be waived.

Trudeau refuses to exclude companies who use tax havens in their COVID-19 bailout.

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A few accounts I would recommend following if you want to stay informed:

- @allthecanadianpolitics (my favourite blog tbh), @atlanticcanada, @politicsofcanada, and your provincial politics tumblr ie. (@abpolitics, @nlpolitics)

- Raven Trust on Instagram and their website

- Women on the Frontlines Speak on Instagram

- Gidimten checkpoint on Instagram

- tapioca-starch on Instagram

Apply here:

You’re welcome! I’m glad others are finding it helpful. Since you saw the post I’m betting you’ve read this webpage... That’s the most information on it we currently have from them. Job Bank uses the EI job hunt PDF as a template to show us how to keep track of things without a Plus account (which is also free but requires your SIN number or Express Entry number, it keeps track of your searching efforts on their site specifically).

I’m considering upgrading to a Plus account as it’s only one day in and emotionally I feel a little overwhelmed about the idea of keeping track and what they might ask as proof, despite them reminding us on Job Bank: “Employers do not need to give you confirmation that you've applied for their job. You should never pay for proof of your job search and, if asked, you should refuse.” But if we don’t receive confirmation, are they just talking us at face-value? No one has been audited yet because it literally just started this weekend, so we don’t know what they will be asking of us. If we learn more I will post as loudly as I can about what their criteria turns out to be, I promise.

Using Job Bank Standard is what I’ll consider the minimum personally, and using a Plus account is a safe measure. This answer got a little long just because we’re all so uncertain right now, so there’s more links and screenshots down below.

Here is the official Job Bank CESB website which details how it helps you find jobs to apply for, and what is the minimum required that you can present to stay eligible for the student benefits.

Before applying I recommend reading through that and planning the course of action best available to you. At the very least, subscribing to job alerts and opening a standard (free, only email required) Job Bank account is recommended. This can take less than 30 minutes. Good luck everyone, through all of this.

And remember! Quoting the link above directly: Employers do not need to give you confirmation that you've applied for their job. You should never pay for proof of your job search and, if asked, you should refuse.

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When she applied online for the first Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) pay period in May, Melanie Leith, a 46-year-old recent graduate in Calgary, says she got through the process without a problem.

June, however, was a different story. She says the system wouldn’t let her apply online and told her to call the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

And she’s not alone. Several mature students who spoke to Global News say they have to repeatedly complete their attestations for the coronavirus aid money over the phone, while their younger classmates have no issue applying online.

Leith says a friend of hers claimed they were told student applicants had to call in if they were aged 45 or older. She saw similar chatter on social media as well. Leith says she also asked her classmates in their Facebook group if anyone else couldn’t apply for the CESB online.

“It was only the people that were 45 or older who were having difficulties getting it,” Leith says.

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