Hi there, ah yes, CRA and our government's take on these things. Oh joy. I went to the CRA website and here are the criteria:
Walking
For the DTC, you are considered markedly restricted in walking if, all or substantially all the time:
•you are unable to walk, even with appropriate therapy, medication, and devices; or
•you require an inordinate amount of time to walk, even with appropriate therapy, medication, and devices. An inordinate amount of time means that walking takes significantly longer than for an average person who does not have the impairment.
Dressing
For the DTC, you are considered markedly restricted in dressing if, all or substantially all the time:
•you are unable to dress yourself, even with appropriate therapy, medication, and devices; or
•you require an inordinate amount of time to dress yourself, even with appropriate therapy, medication, and devices. An inordinate amount of time means that dressing takes significantly longer than for an average person who does not have the impairment.
I would be willing to bet you told the truth and admitted that you can, sometimes, actually do these things. That was your first mistake. I don't want to cast aspertions on our KAers who are on disability here (let alone the too many other people I know who are legitimately on disability), as I know they need to be, but all too frequently, honesty does not work with our system. You probably should have told them you couldn't do either of these things all or significantly all of the time. Always give your worst case scenario.
Now, I am not advising you to lie. Heaven forfend I should ever do such a thing. But from what I know of our system, people do lie (at least stretch the truth) or they aren't taken seriously. Unfortunately, there are also people who lie simply because they can't be bothered to get a job. But then, I'm cynical about this for reasons I cannot go into here. Suffice to say, when so many people truly do need disability or this tax credit, but cannot get them because they are honest; while other people lie through their teeth and play act about how badly they are feeling, and they do get these benefits, thereby using money that should be going to the people who really need it ...
As I said, I'm cynical about the whole process. I guess I'm not much help.
Sorry.
Hugs,
