HELP! My Sponsored Family Filed for Welfare...

[CrisAb]

:'( My husband and I successfully sponsored 4 extended families from the Philippines. They all arrived and became permanent residents of Canada since April 2014. My mom is currently unemployed (aged 59), my dad is currently employed making approx. $1,110 bi-weekly (aged 61), my brother was employed but was just laid-off (aged 23) and is currently sponsoring his wife and child, and my sister a student (aged 18). Due to some family dispute involving the welfare and safety of my kids (my mom, brother and sister left my 7 year old daughter by herself while sick with 39.8C fever while me and my husband were at work), I decided to open the door for my brother asking him to get out of my house last November 2015 and my mom, dad and sister left a month after I learned that my mom neglected my minor children and not picking or dropping them off to the 2 blocks away bus stop without my knowledge. Now it's been 5-6 months since they all left. However, I just learned this week that my mom filed for welfare money is apparently getting $1,000 a month for assistance. My husband and I sponsored them and I know that the length of our undertaking is 10 yrs. I heard that they are also currently working with a case worker from Ontario Works, I do not know the implications of this to me and my family. Apparently, my mom falsely claimed that she is a victim of abuse and/or domestic violence (but was not proven) so she does not have to work (as she used to do in the Philippines) while claiming welfare money. They obviously is claiming false accusations against us and turned the story the other way around. I think I needed a lawyer, I wanted to file cases against them: Negligence towards my minor aged children, Breach of trust, Libel for making the false accusations towards us in Ontario Works, etc. What is the right course of action that we can do as these are all staged-up and they know that thy can claim money on my expense? Why did Ontario Works even listen to their false accusations if they have history of doing it in the Philippines and without asking our side of the story? Life is so unfair. After all the hardships we did just so they can all come here, after sending money to them every month while they were in the Philippines, after sending my brother and sister to private schools back home - this is what they are giving us in return?! I'm so down and so stressed-out. Please reply. Thank you. :'(

 

[steaky]

You are so mean. I hope some day your children will do the same thing you did to your brother, parents and sister.

 

[badpusacat]

I felt bad for what your family went thru after being "reunited" in Canada. Since you are aware that they are your responsibility (at least for their basic needs), did you even try to offer them help eversince they moved out? Have you check their situation? They are not only a responsibility but they are your family. In this case, you have to set aside your personal issues and be legally responsible of what you signed in their application - that you are going to be responsible for their basic needs?

Try to talk to them one last time as a family. If you think it's impossible to settle the issue, consult a lawyer for legal advice.

 

[badpusacat]

You are so mean. I hope some day your children will do the same thing you did to your brother, parents and sister.

I hope you know the whole story of CrisAb's life for you to be able to say those words.

 

[Bs65]

You are so mean. I hope some day your children will do the same thing you did to your brother, parents and sister.

maybe read the original post again the OP made big sacrifices to sponsor extended family into Canada. The extended family have since abused that priviledge first with welfare of OPs children and now they are bringing into disrepute the OPs family sponsorship committments so the OP is asking for support/ input on the situation not a judgement on whether the OP pushed his brother out of the house or the fact mom dad sister left voluntarily. Obviously there are two sides to a story and large extended families are often complex but the OPs extended family should remain grateful they have the opportunity to live in Canada at all. So maybe someone here can provide advice not criticism.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

I think I needed a lawyer, I wanted to file cases against them: Negligence towards my children, Breach of trust, Libel, etc. What is the right course of action that we can do? Life is so unfair. Why did Ontario Works even listen to their false accusations if they have history of doing it in the Philippines? Life is so unfair.

You will be responsible for paying back the welfare regardless of any legal action you attempt to take against them.

 

[Leon]

I assume that you sponsored your parents along with their minor children at the time. Unfortunately the sponsorship obligation is clear. You and your spouse, as long as your spouse co-signed the application, are liable to support your parents for 10 years after they became PR. This means that your parents even without talking to you can go on welfare or ask for disability and you will have to refund the govt. the money they receive until 2024. As for your siblings, the sponsorship requirement is not as strong. Right now it's 10 years or age 22 whichever comes first. I believe under the old rules while you applied it was 10 years or age 25. You are lucky that you did not sponsor your parents under the new rules, otherwise it would have been 20 years for them.

You can of course talk to Ontario Works yourself. Tell your side of the story. But I do not know if it will help. You can say that your parents are welcome to move back in with you and that you will support them financially for the next 8 years but if they maintain that you abuse them, Ontario Works will not make them move back in with you and according to the sponsorship agreement, you are still liable to sponsor them.

I am not sure how your mother is claiming she can't work due to you abusing her? However, if she manages to claim that she is disabled, she will get even more money and that will be bad for you.

You say your parents have a history of making false accusations in the Philippines? How would Ontario Works know about that? You can tell them but if you knew they were dishonest people and prone to making false accusations, why did you sponsor them?

 

[CrisAb]

I assume that you sponsored your parents along with their minor children at the time. Unfortunately the sponsorship obligation is clear. You and your spouse, as long as your spouse co-signed the application, are liable to support your parents for 10 years after they became PR. This means that your parents even without talking to you can go on welfare or ask for disability and you will have to refund the govt. the money they receive until 2024. As for your siblings, the sponsorship requirement is not as strong. Right now it's 10 years or age 22 whichever comes first. I believe under the old rules while you applied it was 10 years or age 25. You are lucky that you did not sponsor your parents under the new rules, otherwise it would have been 20 years for them.

You can of course talk to Ontario Works yourself. Tell your side of the story. But I do not know if it will help. You can say that your parents are welcome to move back in with you and that you will support them financially for the next 8 years but if they maintain that you abuse them, Ontario Works will not make them move back in with you and according to the sponsorship agreement, you are still liable to sponsor them.

I am not sure how your mother is claiming she can't work due to you abusing her? However, if she manages to claim that she is disabled, she will get even more money and that will be bad for you.

You say your parents have a history of making false accusations in the Philippines? How would Ontario Works know about that? You can tell them but if you knew they were dishonest people and prone to making false accusations, why did you sponsor them?

Hello Leon, thank you for the reply. To answer your question re: why did I sponsor them is because I wanted to give better future to my siblings and so decided to sponsor all of them, including my parents. Though I know that they have the history of being dishonest and making false accusation, I originally sponsored all the four of them because I would not be able to sponsor my siblings without sponsoring my parents. Initially, my parents were using my younger brother and sister as a ransom. My parents said that I would not be able to get my brother and my sister to Canada if I do not sponsor both my parents, obviously blackmailing me. So then our agreement is that they will accompany/escort them to Canada and my parents will go back to Philippines after. But they never did what they promised. Instead, they demanded to stay in my house, little did I know that they are all planning this horrible false statements against me and my husband and then collect welfare money on my expense.

 

[CrisAb]

You are so mean. I hope some day your children will do the same thing you did to your brother, parents and sister.

Hello sticky, I do not know if you read my story or not. I just know that people are judgmental and only time and God will tell who is telling the truth in my story.

 

[CrisAb]

I felt bad for what your family went thru after being "reunited" in Canada. Since you are aware that they are your responsibility (at least for their basic needs), did you even try to offer them help eversince they moved out? Have you check their situation? They are not only a responsibility but they are your family. In this case, you have to set aside your personal issues and be legally responsible of what you signed in their application - that you are going to be responsible for their basic needs?

Try to talk to them one last time as a family. If you think it's impossible to settle the issue, consult a lawyer for legal advice.

Hello badpusacat, yes from the day one the 4 of them came to Canada - I feed them, I gave shelter to them, I offered work to them, I even showered them with birthday gifts such as Iphones, new Ipod and new Samsung tab 4 when they all came here. I did not only give them basic needs but the luxuries in life that they never had back home. I bought a brand new 8-seater car so that all of us (my family and the 4 of them) can go all together wherever we wanted. I applied and paid for their visitor visa to the USA, I already brought them across the border to explore the USA within 1 year of their stay in Canada, I bought all of them season pass to Canada's wonderland so that they can spend their summer in the amusement park. My husband co-signed my dad's brand new 2016 car last October. When they left us, I always visit my dad at his workplace since they moved out just to ask if they needed help. Whenever I get a chance, I bring lunch for my dad at his workplace (my husband and him work in for the same company) because for me no matter what they did, at the end of the day he is still my dad. My husband and I always ask my dad if they are alright, we even offered all our furniture if they needed it while moving out, I even offered cash money for their first & last and deposit for their rent but they said they are in good condition (little did I know that they were already collecting welfare money). The lists goes on and on, my husband and I offered nothing but good deeds, but unfortunately we were blindsided... Then my older brother back home asked for my help to sponsor him, I said I will try. So then my eldest brother shared the good news to our mom saying that I will try to sponsor him next, however, my mom boastfully said that I cannot sponsor anyone anymore as me and my husband were banned and blacklisted in the immigration, of course I was shocked so then I tried to reach out to my mom but then she accused me of harassing them right at the moment I tried to reach out to her just to ask what happened. Little did she know that I intentionally meet with them under the CCTV camera so that I can defend myself if in any case they will further falsely accuse me of doing such things... I think if free money is involved, they will continue on making up story and collect welfare money on my expense as long as people are still listening and being one-sided in favor of them.

 

[CrisAb]

maybe read the original post again the OP made big sacrifices to sponsor extended family into Canada. The extended family have since abused that priviledge first with welfare of OPs children and now they are bringing into disrepute the OPs family sponsorship committments so the OP is asking for support/ input on the situation not a judgement on whether the OP pushed his brother out of the house or the fact mom dad sister left voluntarily. Obviously there are two sides to a story and large extended families are often complex but the OPs extended family should remain grateful they have the opportunity to live in Canada at all. So maybe someone here can provide advice not criticism.

Thanks a lot Bs65 for being "just and fair" and not being judgmental at all. Thank you again.

 

[badpusacat]

Hello badpusacat, yes from the day one the 4 of them came to Canada - I feed them, I gave shelter to them, I offered work to them, I even showered them with birthday gifts such as Iphones, new Ipod and new Samsung tab 4 when they all came here. I did not only give them basic needs but the luxuries in life that they never had back home. I bought a brand new 8-seater car so that all of us (my family and the 4 of them) can go all together wherever we wanted. I applied and paid for their visitor visa to the USA, I already brought them across the border to explore the USA within 1 year of their stay in Canada, I bought all of them season pass to Canada's wonderland so that they can spend their summer in the amusement park. My husband co-signed my dad's brand new 2016 car last October. When they left us, I always visit my dad at his workplace since they moved out just to ask if they needed help. Whenever I get a chance, I bring lunch for my dad at his workplace (my husband and him work in for the same company) because for me no matter what they did, at the end of the day he is still my dad. My husband and I always ask my dad if they are alright, we even offered all our furniture if they needed it while moving out, I even offered cash money for their first & last and deposit for their rent but they said they are in good condition (little did I know that they were already collecting welfare money). The lists goes on and on, my husband and I offered nothing but good deeds, but unfortunately we were blindsided... Then my older brother back home asked for my help to sponsor him, I said I will try. So then my eldest brother shared the good news to our mom saying that I will try to sponsor him next, however, my mom boastfully said that I cannot sponsor anyone anymore as me and my husband were banned and blacklisted in the immigration, of course I was shocked so then I tried to reach out to my mom but then she accused me of harassing them right at the moment I tried to reach out to her just to ask what happened. Little did she know that I intentionally meet with them under the CCTV camera so that I can defend myself if in any case they will further falsely accuse me of doing such things... I think if free money is involved, they will continue on making up story and collect welfare money on my expense as long as people are still listening and being one-sided in favor of them.

Everything that you did for them is because they are your family and your "responsibility" in Canada since you sponsored them. What you are sharing here is "your" side of the story.

My opinion is, starting now, you need to gather proofs that you are really doing your job as their sponsor in Canada - providing their basic needs CONTINOUSLY up to 10years (as per CIC rule). Meet with an immigration lawyer and how to save yourself from all this mess. I've read somewhere that the worst thing that can happen is you won't be able to sponsor another person anymore (since they went for welfare and shows that you didn't meet your obligation) or/and you have to pay whatever they claim in welfare.

Seek the advice of a lawyer before everything goes out of hand.

 

[CrisAb]

Everything that you did for them is because they are your family and your "responsibility" in Canada since you sponsored them. What you are sharing here is "your" side of the story.

My opinion is, starting now, you need to gather proofs that you are really doing your job as their sponsor in Canada - providing their basic needs CONTINOUSLY up to 10years (as per CIC rule). Meet with an immigration lawyer and how to save yourself from all this mess. I've read somewhere that the worst thing that can happen is you won't be able to sponsor another person anymore (since they went for welfare and shows that you didn't meet your obligation) or/and you have to pay whatever they claim in welfare.

Seek the advice of a lawyer before everything goes out of hand.

Thank you for the reply. Yes, I will seek an immigration lawyer's advice.

 

[scylla]

Unless they are obtaining welfare fraudulently, there's unfortunately nothing you can do and nothing a lawyer can do to help. Since you signed the sponsorship agreement, you are legally obligated to repay any welfare they take.

 

[badpusacat]

Unless they are obtaining welfare fraudulently, there's unfortunately nothing you can do and nothing a lawyer can do to help. Since you signed the sponsorship agreement, you are legally obligated to repay any welfare they take.

If this is the case, I guess, it's better for her not to help them at all and just pay all the welfare that they took.