A Quebec government regulation that cuts off welfare payments if recipients leave the province for a week or more is being challenged in court.<\/p>\n
A\u00a0group of protesters\u00a0gathered Monday morning ahead of three days of hearings before Quebec’s administrative tribunal in Montreal.\u00a0The two plaintiffs argue the rule\u00a0violates their human rights.<\/p>\n Sheetal Pathak of Project Genesis, a community organization based in C\u00f4te-des-Neiges, said the rules harm those who have to forgo travel for events like marriages, illness or death for fear of having their payments cut.<\/p>\n “A lot of people just want to go see their families, and maintain ties,”\u00a0Pathak said at the protest.<\/p>\n The so-called 7\/15 rule was introduced under the previous Liberal government\u00a0in 2015 as part of a number of changes designed to get people back to work.<\/p>\n Welfare recipients have their payments suspended if they spend more than seven consecutive days or 15 days a month outside of Quebec. That forces them to reapply and repay any amounts paid out while they were deemed inadmissible.<\/p>\n Each province sets its own eligibility rules from social assistance, with\u00a0Quebec’s among the most restrictive.<\/p>\n Some provinces and territories, such as British Columbia, Prince Edward Island and the Northwest Territories, cut off applicants after 30 days.<\/p>\n CBC<\/p>\n