Pauvre et captif – or "poor and captive" – is the name of the campaign whose members gathered outside a downtown Montreal office of Premier Francois Legault on Aug. 31.

But its members say it also describes the state of welfare recipients in the province of Quebec. 

Since May 1, 2015, most people receiving social assistance can’t leave the province for more than a week at a time, with a cap of 15 days per month.

After that, they no longer qualify for Quebec welfare benefits and are forced to file again, a spokesperson for the Ministère de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale confirmed when reached for comment.

Montrealers gathered in protest of the rule and in support of a legal campaign seeking an appeal before Quebec Superior Court. That legal challenge has already been twice rejected in the lower courts. 

Nicolas Lemieux of the Comité des personnes assistées sociales de Pointe Saint-Charles says the Quebec rules are among the strictest in Canada – and they’re taking a toll on welfare recipients in the province, many of whom are unable to visit family members abroad.

“Imagine having the stress of your loved one being sick, and also maybe thinking, ‘What … will happen when I come back?” he asked. 

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