In January 2013, I moved one floor lower in my building,and misplaced my SIN Card in the process. I immediately reported it missing to my Public Guardian and Trustee, who said once moving costs were taken care of, they'd fill out and send an application for a replacement. Over time I inquired but 1. She was hard to get a hold of, and 2. All I did manage to get were excuses so I stopped. Then my YWCA housing workers asked her for a copy of my SIN card and she faxed it over (both knew how I felt about communication and being kept in form and paper trails,yet I knew nothing until recently) Mid January my now previous trustee told me it was in and it would remain there. For safe keeping. Then January 27, 2014 she called me wanting to meet with me,but didn't specify why. I arrived Friday afternoon to her office to find another trustee with her. I was then told it was my new rep. I inquired about the SIN card in the meeting and was again told that it was on file. So about 2 weeks later,when I tried getting a phone with Fido, I was asked for my SIN card,but when I asked my new trustee, I was told the only thing on file was a copy. I reminded her of what the previous trustee said and she told me my previous previous trustee signed it out, but that I must have it. Fast forward to this week, March 24-28 and Monday, after leaving team lead and area manager voicemails which never got responses from,current rep was still saying the same thing,so I informed Minister Hoskins constituency office and Ontario Ombudsman's office, who then called OPGT. I also tried management, and got nothing. Wednesday, after growing increasingly impatient, I visited the reception of OPGT, who provided me Service Canada's number to find out if OPGT had actually sent in an application on my behalf, and when Denise confirmed my fears that they hadn't, I was not pleased. In my conversation with PGT reception, I mentioned my current trustee told me once I get my status card I'll get a new trustee, and he said she may not have understood what I meant but that I wouldn't be getting a new worker. Thursday, I heard nothing from trustee office, but Ombudsman's office left me a message. Today, I went down to College Park Service kiosk but decided to check messages. I called Ombudsman's office. I was told that yes, no application was sent, and they were going to inquire about the new worker. I wanted to know if there was anything Toronto Police could do so I went over, and they called to enforce the issue and inform PGT that they were aware, and would be kept in the loop. I then went to Aboriginal Legal Services to inform them, and learned Fido doesn't need SIN cards as proof of ID, and they issued a letter stating that, and I signed consent for communication so they could talk to PGT and the Ombudsman's office to determine the best course of action, and reported what I'd done to Police,and my contact at Ombudsman's office called so I updated her, and she was pleased, even more so because I had Police enforce that PGT management needed to return my calls, which they claim they never got. I spoke to my rep and my application was sent in today and Aboriginal Legal is hoping to work with Ombudsman's office staff to ensure I get the card despite the cut off deadline as it was beyond my control. And they are also hoping to work with them on the best possible course of action to address the unprofessional ways OPGT chose to handle this situation.
Friday 28 March 2014
Sunday 23 March 2014
Suicide
I was reminded earlier today of the effects of committing suicide when trying to return home from my shopping trip and instead of catching the train, I had to catch a shuttle bus. While people scrambled to get on the 4 buses I patiently let fill up before getting on safely, word of a person committing suicide was spreading as the cause for the shuttle buses. But as I listened, people weren't sympathetic, they were inconsiderate, like usual, which normally doesn't affect me. But this is a perfect example as to why suicides occur. I'm no saint, and love my phone just as much as everyone else, but I also balance everything. I see things from all perspectives. I don't turn away if someone needs help. I don't know any of the details behind the tragedy today, but I don't need to. With the reactions I saw today, I think back to my choice of harming myself which was slicing my wrist in my apartment while alone, and compared it to this incident where people saw it happen, people were affected,who were strangers. My attempt, I didn't want attention, mainly because I know with suicide and the reason behind it, it was pointless as I already pointed out, and with this incident I feel the person was so distressed and not taken seriously so to pay back they ended their pain for others to see. What angers me is how people were more focused on getting on a shuttle bus instead of why the buses were being used yet these same people, if something in their world distressed them, they'd want us to stop for them. Instead now if they had friends or family, they are possibly grieving. Maybe mental health was a factor, maybe not. Nobody knows. But the bigger picture is, not giving a damn when even a stranger commits suicide and pushing and shoving to get on a bus because this tragedy derailed the usual trip but yet you still go on and share similar thoughts that I'm expressing now trying to make YOU look good. I am writing this because YOU need to stop judging, criticizing, bullying, manipulating, etc and work together, love, appreciate, help, and end all this negativity. It should never be about looks, wealth, culture, etc. Articles like this shouldn't tell you how you should be nice, considerate, have a heart, and the fact that common sense isn't so common shouldn't come from our mouths as casual as it does daily. What are you doing for your friends,family,coworkers,neighbors,etc to ensure their health and wellbeing are being looked after?? What are you doing to help others in need out so that you feel good and they are looked after and happy?? You probably have a home, a vehicle, a family, nice clothes, decent food, a job and money so why not put these luxuries some may not have to good use?? If you are judged for it, who the hell cares?? You took care of something in a good and positive way. If people have a problem with that, ask them how they'd feel if someone committed suicide because nobody cared about them enough to help them so they didn't feel that way and make them see that the best pay isn't money!! Sex, money, drugs, alcohol all have one thing in common: they aren't worth everything they paint themselves out to be. They cause some major problems that sometimes lead to suicide. But should you choose to read this and give this the same treatment as the individual who took their life, I feel bad for your inner circle of family and friends.
Sunday 9 March 2014
R.I.P. Daina December 5th, 1996
Daina, you were taken so young, so soon. You were my dearest best friend. We did so much together. Celebrated so many milestones together. We laughed until we cried. We fought. We did it all. Then you moved away without any explanation. It was a hard adjustment. And although I learned to move on, I never forgot you. I always held hope that you would return. As years went on, and the more complicated my life became, I remember I would take the Vigon's dog out for walks because even back then I knew I connected with nature, and I remember walking and looking up into the sky and asking Creator to bring my best friend back to me and each day after, I carried on. When you were planning on moving back, I remember we had a school assembly and teachers told us of your cancer, and the reason you were moving back. Because I was not in the same class as those we once shared classes with, teachers allowed me to sit in on the assembly. I cried, but more than anything my determination for answers wanted to know why you didn't tell me you were moving, or why you didn't tell me you had cancer. I can't recall how long you were here again before you weren't, but I remember I was one of those students who was poking fun but I did it because I didn't understand and humor was my way of coping. The weekend before you passed, the guilt over poking fun about your cancer ate me up inside and February 10, after talking to our circle of friends, I vowed to apologize and talk to you to understand more, to be your friend until the end. When I got to school that Monday morning, the halls were quiet, the energy was calm, but like hospitals after or before someone has died, and walking out for recess, I saw groups of friends gathered together crying and although I thought it was strange, I went searching for our friends who were also crying, and hugging each other. "Nadia, there's no easy way to tell you this...we've been trying to find the best way..." was how they started. Naturally, I didn't take the news well, and the "cool" kids watched our friends tell me and they approached me. I finally got the strength to admit that I was ready to apologize and talk to you but now it was too late. Elsewhere on the same playground, my brother, despite being in high school, and had driven to my school once your brother, who was his best friend, told him, came looking for me to take me home. I went home, sat with the dog and cried until I fell asleep. Days later, when you're funeral had been arranged, everyone waited to see if I would be in attendance. When I showed up, I cried until the time our class performed the Camp Trillium song and then as we were leaving.
When Facebook was introduced, and I connected with old classmates, I instantly thought of you, and this time I speak of. I've never had a best friend since,but I have had and do have wonderful friends. In the many times I've packed up and moved, I've reflected and gotten so lost in thought, wondering what life would've been like for our friendship if you were still here. Now I'm 30 and days, weeks and months are rushing by so fast, it really makes me wonder and it scares me. I understand now why you chose to relocate when you did. I guess its also on my mind now that my failed reunion is coming to an end and I'm moving my way back to Simcoe. I know you're with me every step of the way and you've probably either cried, laughed or shook your head in disapproval over things I've said or done but its just not the same. Our friends have jobs, homes, families, children, and are doing well, and I am a complete mess with way too much reflection time!! I love you, Daina and always will. Best friends. <3 Until we meet again!!
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