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My name is Maryama Ahmed @m_abd_ahmd.
I& #39;m a DFS organizer and a recent graduate of U of T.
I& #39;m going to be using the #DontForgetStudents account to tell my story.
It& #39;s a story that shows how our government has completely failed Fall 2019 grads during the COVID-19 pandemic.
I& #39;m a DFS organizer and a recent graduate of U of T.
I& #39;m going to be using the #DontForgetStudents account to tell my story.
It& #39;s a story that shows how our government has completely failed Fall 2019 grads during the COVID-19 pandemic.
I called my @Liberal MP for support several times in April and May. I left desperate voicemails, but my pleas for help went unanswered.
I live in Toronto Centre.
My MP is @Bill_Morneau.
He may have ignored my phone calls, but I hope he reads this thread.
I live in Toronto Centre.
My MP is @Bill_Morneau.
He may have ignored my phone calls, but I hope he reads this thread.
I don’t come from @BillMorneau’s world.
I am a Black, Muslim woman born to first-generation immigrants who fled civil war in Somalia in the early 90s.
I grew up in a low-income household.
I was the first person in my immediate family to be accepted to university in 2014.
I am a Black, Muslim woman born to first-generation immigrants who fled civil war in Somalia in the early 90s.
I grew up in a low-income household.
I was the first person in my immediate family to be accepted to university in 2014.
The five years it took to complete my undergraduate degree at U of T were the most difficult in my life.
I had to work my way through school, but I could barely keep up the expensive living costs in Toronto.
There were times where I struggled just to afford to eat.
I had to work my way through school, but I could barely keep up the expensive living costs in Toronto.
There were times where I struggled just to afford to eat.
But I persevered.
I graduated in November 2019.
I was thrilled to finish my studies, but I soon found myself on a tough job market. I struggled to find work for months. My search finally paid off in February.
I found a full-time job in a hotel.
I started on March 2nd.
I graduated in November 2019.
I was thrilled to finish my studies, but I soon found myself on a tough job market. I struggled to find work for months. My search finally paid off in February.
I found a full-time job in a hotel.
I started on March 2nd.
But then COVID-19 hit.
The hotel industry was devastated.
I was laid off less than two weeks after I started working.
I was one of the first workers in Canada to lose my job because of the pandemic.
The hotel industry was devastated.
I was laid off less than two weeks after I started working.
I was one of the first workers in Canada to lose my job because of the pandemic.
When #CERB rolled out, I was relieved that help was on the way.
Even though it would be significantly less money than I would have made at my job, the government& #39;s financial support would have been a lifeline.
But then I looked at the requirements...
Even though it would be significantly less money than I would have made at my job, the government& #39;s financial support would have been a lifeline.
But then I looked at the requirements...
It dawned on me that I had made just less than $5000 in 2019, so I hadn& #39;t made the cut. I wouldn& #39;t get #CERB.
I also hadn& #39;t worked enough hours to qualify for EI.
And my employer wasn& #39;t able to hire me back with the wage subsidy, although I did ask if it was possible.
I also hadn& #39;t worked enough hours to qualify for EI.
And my employer wasn& #39;t able to hire me back with the wage subsidy, although I did ask if it was possible.
April was tough, but I was optimistic that help was finally on the way when @JustinTrudeau announced a massive relief package for students and recent graduates.
If I couldn& #39;t get #CERB, I assumed I& #39;d at least be able to get the $1250 provided by the #CESB.
But I was wrong.
If I couldn& #39;t get #CERB, I assumed I& #39;d at least be able to get the $1250 provided by the #CESB.
But I was wrong.
The #CESB is only for those who were enrolled in December.
This excludes tens of thousands of vulnerable recent grads like me.
But it gets worse.
I& #39;ve been accepted to grad school in the fall, but I still don& #39;t qualify. Only high school students going into first year do.
This excludes tens of thousands of vulnerable recent grads like me.
But it gets worse.
I& #39;ve been accepted to grad school in the fall, but I still don& #39;t qualify. Only high school students going into first year do.
It’s been six months since the beginning of Canada’s emergency response to COVID-19.
I still haven& #39;t received any financial support from the federal government.
I would at least get a one-time $1200 cheque in Trump’s America.
But I get nothing in Trudeau’s Canada.
I still haven& #39;t received any financial support from the federal government.
I would at least get a one-time $1200 cheque in Trump’s America.
But I get nothing in Trudeau’s Canada.
Tens of thousands of recent graduates across Canada have one question: how long do we have to wait until we get the help we so desperately need?
That& #39;s why @dontforgetstdns and @CFSFCEE are demanding that the #CESB be broadened to include all Fall 2019 graduates.
That& #39;s why @dontforgetstdns and @CFSFCEE are demanding that the #CESB be broadened to include all Fall 2019 graduates.
@JustinTrudeau, @Bill_Morneau and @CQualtro could fix the #CESB this week if they wanted to, but we haven& #39;t been their priority.
We need action from them, but we also need @AndrewScheer, @yfblanchet, @theJagmeetSingh and @ElizabethMay to demand it. https://twitter.com/dontforgetstdns/status/1285590369095294976?s=20">https://twitter.com/dontforge...
We need action from them, but we also need @AndrewScheer, @yfblanchet, @theJagmeetSingh and @ElizabethMay to demand it. https://twitter.com/dontforgetstdns/status/1285590369095294976?s=20">https://twitter.com/dontforge...
