Before I continue on with my story, yesterday at 4:30 our land line telephone rang. Now we never use that phone and the only reason we have it is because it was included in our internet package that was less expensive than the one we had before. It rings the odd time and the few times I do pick it up it is almost always a telemarketer. So there I was sitting in the living room and the phone rings. I answered this phone a couple of weeks ago and it was the Toronto Star newspaper looking for customers to which I politely said no. A tough job at the best of the times.
So I look at the phone ringing and for some reason rather than ignore it I pick it up and it is someone asking me if I am Steven Nicolle author of the book, How I Took a Bartending Course and Traveled for Seventeen Years? I go yes and the first thing I am thinking about is they are phoning me about the book but rather it was my blog post about Soley losing her job at the restaurant.
They ask me about my disability and in general how we are all doing during this pandemic. Now they are talking about a bill that didn't pass in Parliament today that would have given $600 one time payment for people with disabilities. I replied back that now with my wife not working and no job to go back to that $600 would come in even more handier. The conversation went on for about 10 minutes and afterwards was told that this would air on the 11:00 news last night.
I believe they wanted to talk to me more about my disability but being a former waiter I probably talked more on the Canadian Emergency Support Benefit which I feel at least for the restaurant industry should be extended while waiters and bartenders are waiting at home for reopening of their places of employment.
I am not sure why but the defeat of the bill was not even mentioned on the night news therefore any chance of my interview of being aired was scrubbed as well. Too bad because I felt I had a lot to say. Although they didn't have to it would have been nice of them to call and let me know.
Maybe I just spoke too much or wasn't on point. Maybe we didn't look to panicky. Who knows?
At the end the interviewer asked me if there is anything I would like to say to the members of Parliament after the defeat of the bill that afternoon. I said that all the MPs should work together and get the help out needed to those that are worse off than we are who have more limited resources out there than most do. People with disabilities who rely on things I do not need to because I have family around me to help with shopping and so forth. If you are elderly and live alone these times are tough with a limited income. Being in isolation seniors have had to order take out, have their groceries delivered, take taxis when transit has been cut it all adds up. That and add on the price of food. It is expensive. So hopefully that help will come to those who need it.
Now who knows maybe the interview is being saved for another time when it will become more pertinent. If it ever gets released I will send a link.
My next post will be on the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit and I would like to share some thoughts on that with you and the poor thinking a lot of people have while collecting this benefit.
Stay tuned for that tomorrow and I will continue the story on Saturday. Meanwhile here is a video that a lot of you have seen already that I did on a CBC documentary called "Customer Disservice."
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