I spent the last three days sitting at this computer hitting refresh while pressing the redial button on my phone. I was trying to get through to the government in hopes of getting the new Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) which is designed to give an economic lifeline to people with no work. The first day, I gave up; I kept getting bumped out of the queue by the many, many Canadians who were also trying to get relief. When I did get through, I had to tell my story to at least six government employees, including one who sounded like he was still drunk from a Thanksgiving feast. My story is not unusual. I was a contract employee with the federal government making a good wage, and was booted out because I'd reached my allowed days. I had to wait for nearly a year to reapply for work, and had exhausted my employment insurance. The month I was eligible to go back to work, COVID-19 happened and public servants flocked to the safety of their homes and cottages, and there was no hiring. At
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