CALGARY—This was a tough one to write, so living in it is a death sentence. 

Last weekend, Bruce Johnson, an Alberta man with disabilities who was an advocate for his community, may have died by suicide as a final solution to the Danielle Smith government’s draconian changes to Alberta’s disabilities benefit program. His last message, delivered via Dropbox and posted on his Facebook profile, detailed his struggles with his condition, including his fears, anxieties, shame, and the living hell that he endured nearly all of his life. It is truly one of the most heartbreaking things I’ve read: “I have always been ashamed of not being able to earn a living and receiving CPP Disability and AISH for the past 29 years. Throughout that time, I tried working, employment and volunteer, when I could, but couldn’t do it for long. Depression, anxiety & stress. It doesn’t take long for me to get to the point when I can’t think straight. I am unreliable. Useless. I don’t deserve to live.”

On July 1, Smith’s United Conservative Party government will largely replace Alberta’s long-standing disability program, the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) program, with the Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP). This is a massive program cut in everything but name. The difference equates to about $200 less in income support per month. CTV News reports: “Under AISH, individuals receive up to $1,940 a month, but those who will now transition........

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