first day back to work this week. I had a nice 3 days off. A couple of things I’m watching for today. Firstly, too see if we’re going to get a rental increase. If not today this or next week but I can almost smell it in the office below me waiting to be printed up and to be slid under our door. Last May a 74 year old senior received a $1,000 rental increase. Her rent for a one bedroom apartment went from $595-$1,595. I’m telling one and all, unless you have a place here set up or family and friends to stay with. Don’t come to Alberta thinking it’s the land of riches. It isn’t. Unless you’re a large corporation of course. But if your just a guy reading this don’t bother coming out here. Even if you have a trade or a valuable skill. Don’t bother unless you have friends/family willing and in a position to help you out. We have a housing crisis and all the money in the world won’t help you. The problem is lack of affordable housing. Yes there are programs. There is CRHC but it’s a one year waiting list for families and a two year waiting list for singles. Only one cat. We have 4 and I’m not going to give them up and our 2 budgies and aquarium tank. This program (used to be called Edmonton Housing) is 30% of your income but there’s that waiting list. Also, we’re the only Province in Canada that doesn’t have healthcare covered by Medicare. That’s why out of a result of that I have to pay for my own insulin. There are medical plans covered under an employer plan but you’ve got to work for those. These plans also have a waiting period and it’s still money out of your pocket. The only ones that get free medical here in Alberta, which includes dental and optical etc are people on disability, aboriginals, students and those on welfare. This is why I’m always scratching my head wondering why anyone from another country would want to immigrate here? Sure we have a lot of $8-10 jobs but these jobs don’t cover the rent unless you can get into an Edmonton Housing (CRHC) situation. I’m not saying it’s not impossible but there is that waiting list. If you can get on the program, then you’ve got it made. At 30% of your income, wow. Just don’t bring your pets and plan to sacrifice 2-3 years of your privacy sharing for a couple of years. And then watch by that time the economy will go bust again. It’s been known to happen.

Last year at the under the dome Premier Ed Stemach and the Opposition were really going at this housing crisis tooth and nail. On the table was the subject of our housing crisis was and rent controls. Rent controls was rejected by the Preimer. He said in other provinces rent controls don't work because developers won't build more units. The Opposition was asking for temporary rent controls and as far as rent controls not working in other Provinces not working take a look at Dennis Hurds photo e journal of downtown New Westminster. It's in my list of links. New West has at least half a dozen cranes errecting new condo towers and the condo towers there now have been built within the last 7 years. When I was in New Westminster in the mid 1970's ther might have been 5 apartment towers downtown. Look at the towers along by the waterfront Ed and tell me rent controls are not working?

The other thing in going back to work tonight, is Greg and I are going to be listening to the Oiler/St. Louis game. So that will be on. And there’s the dreaded expected rental notice and the hockey game I’ll be watching for today.

Also, tonight I’ll be taking in our part of the cable bill, which has the phone bill for Cw attached to it. I don’t think this Cw thing is going to work for us but I like the Shaw land line phone. Also, we hope on Friday, Anne will have her vacation pay in. This means that I’ll have the money for my website on Saturday. Also, there’s another Oiler game at Nashville on Friday and another game on Saturday night, which I’ll be watching. Plus this afternoon I want to get some real writing in.

The other thing I want to do possibly tomorrow afternoon is to go into Canada Place before work and pick up my CPP disability form and make arrangements to have a medical by my family Doctor. Mike said the whole thing about the disability is “Gainful employment.” Of course $900/month isn’t the best in the world but it’s about what I’m getting now. Consider I can’t sit for more then 4 hours at a time. I’m drained at the end of that as it is. I can’t stand for more then 20 minutes at a time. I could still do the sgj thing but that’s a long shot. I mean I can get out and walk around the block type of thing (thanks to ETS bus stops) But my Doctor factors into this because I need him to set up another visit to the radiologist for x-rays. Once your approved Mike said, their Doctors give you the go over. I’ve got the same disability that Mike has. So I’ll be attempting to get this set up this month. Mike sees no reason why I shouldn’t be on it if he is.

Also I’m still shook up over the loss of my brother Rick. That hasn’t really settled in yet. Even though Rick and I were never really that close it’s another death in the family. It’s unsettling and it bothers me.

The thing about the disability CPP is that it doesn’t pay very much. $900/month is still a fixed income even though I can earn an extra $100/month on top of that. The beneficial part of this to me is that I get time off and I get my medical covered. If I can get it, then great. I was disallowed 10 years ago and Mike was saying that if I get on the disability, I could sue the Government for “back pay.” I won’t disclose the figure he quoted me but I think you get what I mean. The other thing is while I’m home a lot here, I’ll still be able to do Cw 2-3 nights/week and we can still get our rental subsidy. I can help my wife out more with the chores around here. Also, I can go to more lodge nights and maybe do some therapy at one of the local rec centers. All I want is my $20-50 bucks a week so I can go get my book once/week and have a little left over for the festive board etc. Even with rental subsidy Anne can still work and it wouldn’t affect hr income at all.

Also, I’m watching for a photo I sent Markus of me in an attachment last night. He said he received it this morning and will upload the photo for me. I added some last minute stuff above, sorry for any typos.

Anne took the photo of me in a t shirt at the table with a coffee mug. I didn’t realize I have such hairy arms. It’s a fairly good photo. I don’t take to the camera very well as it is. And yes I’ve got some coffee in that mug.

Anyway, that’s all for now.

e. Jim