Vagrants in Canada receive monthly welfare payments and are permitted to earn another $200 per month without losing their benefits but some have - according to one transit cop who spoke off the record - found a way to earn up to $700 cash in handouts per day, tax free of course.
One beggar, clad in gypsy clothing from Eastern Europe, has been a fixture on the downtown scene since at least 1997 and now plants herself for about a dozen hours daily near the metro turnstiles at Atwater.
Local merchants say she comes to them with coins worth about $250-$300 per day, that she requests to be changed into bills.
She poses with crutches, although she has no problem walking, and sits on a chair emblazoned with a large Canadian flag. She does not appear to speak English or French but can apparently speak Italian, her husband's language.When an onlooker filmed her walking, she responded by bending over and pointing at her own backside in a vulgar gesture.
Alexis Nihon Plaza security guards apparently cannot force her to leave, as she's technically not in the mall area.
Montreal police do nothing either, as they cite the danger involved in displacing vagrants and also note that they are not doing anything technically criminal, when they're not smoking or drinking or causing a disturbance.
One observer familiar with the characters in the neighbourhood has expressed irritation with the woman, who he believes is deceiving donors by feigning disability.He asked welfare officials whether she could have her payments stopped but they reported that they would need her name and social insurance number, which remain a mystery.
Some claim that she gets picked up by a family member at the end of every day in a late-model automobile but that element of the story has not been confirmed. Anybody who could provide proof either refuting of proving this would be welcome to share their findings.
I've seen this lady. She's nuts! She attacked some guy who took a picture near her, and chases away the genuine poor people from the area when they try to panhandle near her.
ReplyDeleteThe best way to have her leave is simply not give her any money. The bad exposure is a good tactic,if she makes over $100,000 a year this is ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteWho knows how many fake mentally and physically "challenged" are out there deceiving passersby who fall for their scams? One notorious character in Australia managed for years to fool everyone that he was blind while collecting voluntary donations from people until eventually someone caught him unawares, spooking him to run from a building and across a busy street, the cameraman shouting, "Hey, mate, I thought you were blind!". I haven't checked, but that video might even be on YouTube doubtless along with others similar. In addition to those who pretend that they are "disabled" in some manner, I remember a perfectly healthy young skateboarder who performed in various Montreal public places, his open hat on the ground ready for spectators' coins. Imagine my surprise then when during a visit to Sydney, Australia years back, I saw that very same guy doing his very same skateboard tricks at the crowded Darling Harbour tourist spot--his ghetto blaster playing Kool and the Gang's "Get Down on it", etc. Did that open hat of his actually finance his trip downunder, I wonder? Talk about gall and opportunism.
ReplyDeleteThe skateboarder is a street entertainer, not a beggar with a faked affliction. What the skateboarder does with his money is his business. He isn't conning anyone. Jesus! Get some logic man!
DeleteWhile you have a point in making the distinction, unless he paid the ~ $210 [initial, $160 to renew] for the permit to act as a street performer - then legally speaking he's not a permitted street performer, but just another person breaking the law to get your money...
DeleteNot that many years ago police would have arrested her for vagrancy. The police had a lot of powers back then. My cousin was in a pool room when plain clothes police come in and wanted ID from everyone there. My cousin told them it was none of their business and got a punch in the face for that remark. That was in the early sixties.
ReplyDeleteNow it appears police have no bite at all.
With all due respect, something that happened in the early 60s doesn't really qualify as "not that many years ago". It is almost 60 years ago. Thank god police can't illegally ask innocent people for ID and then assault them for non-compliance.
DeleteWell
ReplyDeletethe police cant do anything,
unless a pan handle passes the turn style, then they get ticketed by police or STM transit police,or they are aggressive smoke or drink alcohol.
Alexis Nihon Security
say they cant do anything
because its in the metro not the plaza.
The Welfare office
won't start an investigation without her full first last name and address.
revenue quebec
wont start an investigation without her full first last name and address or social insurance number.
But f--k up on your incomtax and see how fast they stick their arm up your ass to collect.
The whole system is broke.
Bottom line is no one has to give he money,but she plays on people as looking destitute and in need and sports a fake crutch so say hey i am handy capped,Next time you see her check out Her top of the line cell phone she has in her hand.Food people give her when no one is looking she either throws it away or gives it to the inuits. she buys food a few times a day,trust me take a good look at her she is far from starving.
She is a terrible person! She chased a man with her cane! THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH HER!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that street entertainers are perfectly entitled to do their thing in a public place; which wasn't a "complaint" on my part and should not be considered as such despite my perhaps harsh description of the aforementioned skateboarder as having "gall and opportunism". Good for him, and I hope he succeeds in whatever he does and wherever he does it. Did I claim to have personally confronted or publicly ridiculed the man? No, and why should I since I had no idea concerning his actual financial status nor indeed of ANY such street performers or panhandlers whom most of us probably assume do NOT have nine-to-five "real jobs", although they very well might. My perceived "criticism", therefore was based purely on the question of how certain people collecting donations in public places manage to survive on the fringes of society as it were whether they be beggars or buskers.
ReplyDeleteVery annoying are the derelicts who hang around bank ATMs where they clearly are not allowed to be. Who remembers an event several years ago in a certain bank's, publicly accessible ATM lobby where a homeless man was murdered by another over who was "exclusively entitled" to loiter there? It used to be that such ATM lobbies required a credit or debit card to gain entry but that requirement was discontinued, possibly due to vandalism of the card insert slot.
ReplyDeleteThe best thing to do is to continually post pictures of her walking, making vulgar gestures, or threatening people with her cane; on Twitter and Instagram.
ReplyDeleteIf it's possible that she's making $100,000/year, then the tax authorities should go after her.
I think for the small earning she earns it's not a big deal vs others who are emptying the Canadian reserved with offshore tax heaven on a daily basis....if you don't want to give her money so be it .. otherwise who cares she is not selling crack or cocaine or je ne sais quoi...I would rather focus my energy on something more efficient to crack down those Rich criminals but a street beggar sorry it's a waste of time and if you don't want to give money so don't give it..comme on dit : i"est plus facile de brise un Atome qu'un prejuge" A. Einstein sliraa😎
ReplyDeleteI have seen this lady and have bought her food more than once. I have never noticed crutches and she has never tried to suggest that she is disabled or to seek pity from me. She does mainly speak Italian and simply asks and says thank you; she is not aggressive and doesn't harangue.
ReplyDeleteThe homeless millionnaire is a common trope and I find it troubling that people are photographing her and publishing hearsay. Story doesn't even make sense: what merchant would even accept $300 in loose coins? They would have to count it.
Some prople panhandle despite having disability benefits and subsidized homes. There are many reasons for that. That doesn't make them scammers or bad people. That is probably the case with this woman too.
If you choose to give, you don't get to be moral authority about whether the person is worthy or to approve of their spending. If you want to do that, donate your money to a drip-in that you have vetted.
It is irresponsible and mean to post photographs of people on the internet alongside judgmental and factually-questionable assertions.
well the 3 pictures of her with the 1 crutch was your 1st clue and your a idiot she is a 300 lb elephant and you think she is starving.she is a ill mannered ignorant woman who after your bleeding heart gave her she promptly throws it in the garbage and buys the expensive stuff in alexis neon with the loose change she cant change to bills at endless places which she does this.waht merchant would even acept this-try the loto booth and she does it $50 at a time and the stm booth they change her money as well.girl at loto booth said she is disgusted and makes the woman buy loto tickets or she wont change her money anymore.Take a look at her top of the line new cell phone next time you are there
DeleteThis old fat despicable bag of shit is still panhandling in alexis neon.on her brand new iPhone still 300 lbs of fun definitely not starving nasty like a cross between a rattlesnake and a pit
ReplyDelete