And another thing...

Government at work.

Ok, well maybe not �work� but they are definitely filling seats, wearing down pencils, drinking a lot of that free government coffee. They just aren't doing anything for me. But I am sure they will start�.very soon�.I�m sure of it.

I have been off work now for a month. I thought maybe I would go back to school. You know, re-train for a better career? After inquiring with the proper authorities, I have discovered there are two programs available.

The first one is through Unemployment Insurance, which is no good to me since I was self employed, I wasn�t paying into it so I can�t get anything out of it. Ok, so that�s out.

The second is a program through community services. Here�s where it gets crazy. The program is designed to get people off social assistance (welfare). I inquire about this program and learn that I have to be on SA for 5 months in order to get assistance to go back to school. I think maybe someone on the other end of the phone must be slightly uninformed.

Wouldn�t it be more cost efficient to keep people from going on SA in the first place? But of course that is not how the government operates, they don�t want to be accused of actually being efficient.

So I meet with the case worker who requests reams of paperwork, SIN number, income tax returns, birth certificates, child custody orders, a pint of blood and a urine sample. I tell her that I am interested in this �other� program.

�I don�t know anything about that�, and Miss Dead Fish carries on taking down my vital statistics.

�Um, but being eligible for your program is a pre-requisite to applying for that program, shouldn�t you know about it?�

�Sorry, you will have to talk to someone from that department". (in the same building I might add)

The problem is, I can�t talk to this other person till I determine that I am eligible for this dead fish�s program. She was sooooo helpful. Am I crazy in thinking that these two departments, at least, should talk. I mean they are in the same building, they probably have the same lunch room. If one program clearly encompasses two departments, shouldn�t both departments be at least aware of the program?

There I go again, thinking logically. I clearly would not make it as a civil servant.