PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ALBERTA REGARDING THE ASSURED INCOME FOR THE SEVERELY HANDICAPPED (AISH) PROGRAM AND THE CANADA DISABILITY BENEFIT (CDB)
TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ALBERTA,
We, the undersigned citizens of Alberta, respectfully submit this petition to express our profound concerns regarding the Government of Alberta's (United Conservative Party - UCP) policies and budgetary decisions affecting recipients of the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) program.
WHEREAS:
 * The AISH program falls under provincial jurisdiction in Canada, granting the Alberta government the legal authority to design, fund, and administer it, including setting eligibility criteria, benefit amounts, and overall budget allocations, as outlined in the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped Act and its associated regulations.
 * Section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees that every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination, particularly on the basis of mental or physical disability.
 * While the "quality of life" is not a direct legal right under the Charter, government actions that lead to a significant diminishment of the ability of a protected group, such as persons with disabilities, to live with dignity, access essential services, or participate fully in society, can form the basis of a Charter challenge under Section 15 on grounds of discrimination.
 * The recent decision by the Alberta government to claw back the federal Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) from AISH recipients, by treating it as income and consequently reducing AISH benefits, directly undermines the federal government's stated aim of lifting people with disabilities out of poverty and significantly impacts the financial well-being and quality of life of AISH recipients.
 * Advocacy groups, including Inclusion Alberta, have publicly condemned this clawback as "punitive, mean-spirited and undermines the benefit's fundamental purpose," and have called for its immediate reversal.
 * While the government may justify budget reductions as "finding efficiencies," such measures can translate into reduced services, longer wait times, or diminished access to essential supports, even if the core cash benefit remains the same. These secondary impacts can profoundly affect an AISH recipient's ability to live independently and thrive.
THEREFORE, we, the undersigned, respectfully call upon the Government of Alberta to:
 * Reverse the decision to claw back the federal Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) from AISH recipients and ensure that the CDB is treated as a supplement to, rather than a reduction of, existing AISH benefits.
 * Ensure that budgetary decisions and policy changes related to the AISH program do not disproportionately impact persons with disabilities and do not diminish their ability to live with dignity, access essential services, and participate fully in society.
 * Prioritize the true "quality of life" for AISH recipients in all program design and budget allocation decisions, going beyond merely maintaining core benefit amounts to ensure adequate access to support services and resources.
We believe that the cumulative effect of current government policies and budget decisions, particularly the CDB clawback, constitutes discrimination against AISH recipients and denies them the equal benefit of the law, potentially crossing a constitutional line.