The reason he is so well known and loved by all who have had the pleasure of meeting or talking to him, is that he has been a pro-welfare activist on the CB radio.

Citizen's band radio is predominantly operated by Canadians on the welfare system or that are physically and/or mentally handicapped. These radio operators for the most part try to hide the fact that they do not work, can not work or just don't want to work. It annoys them that "Welfare Wally" and his radio sidekick "Food Stamp Freddie" have come out of the welfare closet, so to speak, and talk about their lives on the dole with pride and an openess that is all too often frank and candid.

Wally came to Canada from Scotland in 1950. He was the son of a coal miner who turned to alcoholism after his wife left him for a travelling champion caber tosser. Wally's distraught father turned to a life on welfare after he could no longer hold down a steady job for any length of time.

Wally learned at an early age that one could live off the fat of the land, and, rather comfortably in Canada on the Social Assistance Program, and not having to work for it.

During Wally's first year in university, studying business administration and investment strategies, his father died of cirrhosis of the liver. This left Wally completely on his own without any means of support. He dropped out of university and began his life on the dole.

After a short life of crime, Wally found himself with far too much time on his hands. After a coincidental meeting with another welfare recipient at a local coffee shop, Wally was introduced to citizen's band radio. When Wally's next welfare cheque arrived, he promptly went to Uncle Bert's Radio Store and purchased his first CB radio. It wasn't long after, that Wally became proficient at operating his little radio station and soon acquired a long list of CB friends and acquaintances, as well as a healthy list of memberships to various CB clubs, including the Hamilton Bad Boys and R.E.A.C.T., an emergency radio response team that was also monitored by the O.P.P.

As time went on, Wally's radio station became a force to be reckoned with. Running a "ham" radio with the latest in microphones, linear amplifiers, antenna tuners and a moonraker antenna system, Wally started to be heard the world over. He fondly calls the setup his "Mike Harris" base station because through the hard earned dollars of tax payers, and the generosity of the Social Assistance Program, he was able to acquire his high quality, high tech, top notch radio station.

Some years later, Wally met his present common law wife, Wilma (Wilhelmina) while talking "skip" to Europe. Wilma was born and lived in Holland and they carried on long conversations over the following months. Soon an arrangement was made for Wilma to visit Wally in Canada in the spring of 1970. When Wally picked Wilma up at Toronto International Airport, he was surprised to see that Wilma was in a wheelchair. None the less, it was love at first site.

Wilma, at the time had three young children whose father disappeared while roaming the European countryside as a high wire act in a well known travelling circus. That year she packed up her bags along with Wilbert (Bert), Wynona and little Walter, and moved to Canada to reside with Wally.

As time went on, Wally and Wilma added five more kids to their family, Willy (Bill), Wesley, Wendy, Wayne and Warren. As they say, "eight is enough!"

It is now 1998 and the kids range in age from 1 year to 28 years. All of them except for Willy (who is deaf and dumb), enjoy many evenings sitting with mom and dad in front of the CB radio and chatting up a storm with friends. They do not even own a television because it is unproductive and very little can be learned from it. The CB radio has become a vital part of the Wallace family communications link in their community.

They all live comfortably in a low income housing project in the north end of Hamilton. Although Wally has ridden with various motorcycle clubs in southern Ontario, he has had to pass this up to be able to spend time with his family. Wally is able-bodied and although he wants to work, the social workers have suggested he stay at home and collect Welfare so that he can look after the children as Wilma is in a wheelchair and the cost of day care is far too high.

So, Wally collects Welfare, Wilma receives a disability in Canada in addition to disability payments in her Dutch account along with the six figure bank account they have there as a result of the car accident that caused her injuries. It appears that their total monthly income once converted to Canadian dollars is somewhere in the neighborhood of $10,000. and that is not even touching the estimated $300,000. in the Dutch account.

Why then do they live their modest subsidized lifestyle? Wally says "Because we can! Why should we deplete our savings in another country when we can live here quite well for free and build our retirement nest egg!" Makes sense!

Meanwhile, in the late hours of the evening to the wee hours of the morning of each day, Wally antagonizes truckers on CB channel 19, and harasses closet welfare recipients on CB channel 7. He also takes a firm stand about women belonging at home in the kitchen, and doing the chores such as vaccuming, ironing, scrubbing the bathroom tiles and toilet and cooking the meals for their hubbies. He makes no bones about disliking languages other than English on the CB. He enjoys his radio and his beer. He is a traditional guy.

Now, next time you chat with Wally, you know a little more about the man behind the mike! No wonder he is loved and respected by all who have had the pleasure of talking to him.

Please feel free to send Wally and Wilma comments at the email address below. They will respond to all in a congenial and ammicable manner.