A re-elected Progressive Conservative government will go after people abusing an aid program for the severely disabled, Alberta Premier Ralph Klein told a campaign rally on Wednesday.

"We will look at potential and absolute abuse of the system and cut those people off," Klein said. The Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) pays $850 a month to permanently disabled people who can't work.

Ralph Klein
Ralph Klein

Klein brought up the program at a campaign rally in Calgary on Wednesday night, describing the problems as personified by two women he met at a sod turning.

"And they were yipping about AISH payments," Klein said, adding the women were receiving the assistance. "They didn't look severely handicapped to me. I'll tell you that for sure. Both had cigarettes dangling from their mouths, and cowboy hats."

Klein's remarks drew laughs at the rally, but criticism from advocates for the disabled.

"There are some disabilities that are invisible disabilities," said Bev Matthiessen, executive director of the Alberta Committee of Citizens with Disabilities, adding that she's heard Klein tell this story before.

"We shouldn't be judging a whole entire program, and over 30,000 people, by making snap judgment like that," she said. "They're very vulnerable. So many people are going to be in fear they're going to be cut off AISH."

A government committee looking at the program has heard that it should be providing more money, because the rate hasn't changed in a decade.

"There are some who are undeserving of being on AISH and there are some who deserve to be paid more," Klein said after his speech.

Asked whether he was worried about offending anyone, he replied: "I'll offend people abusing the system and I don't mind that."

Opposition leaders jumped on Klein's comments on Thursday.

Alberta Liberal Leader Kevin Taft said he's shocked that Klein would pick on the severely handicapped during an election campaign. The comments, he said, are mean-spirited and play to the stereotype of people abusing the welfare system.

New Democrat Leader Brian Mason said Klein was bullying the disabled. He said the premier is trying to silence the disable community during the campaign.

Paul McLoughlin, publisher of the newsletter Alberta Political Scan, says Klein's comments are "clearly a political gaffe, mainly because he got off message," opening the door for the opposition parties to criticize the Tories as "a government of bullies."

The AISH program was also mentioned on the first day of the campaign by Jon Lord, a Tory member of the provincial legislature, who suggested the province should move to a work-incentive program.