Dion Lays Out Anti-Poverty Plan

[margrace]

I have never heard of a food bank that serves children as clients. Their parent(s) maybe but not children.

WEll I guess you don't know much about food banks do you? We server families, all recorded and counted. These figures, in Ontario at least are forwarded to the agency collecting such figures. Therefore when one person comes through the door they could be getting food for several adults and several children, all is written down.

[margrace]

Oh great. So the children get supplied by food banks then their parents go get more provisions. What a system.

Not in our area, where did you come up with this information?

[margrace]

Nope, not needed. There are warm places to sleep all around.

Where are these warm places, there are none in our area.

[margrace]

I slept in a university library once by accident, no one gave me any grief.

Other places that come to mind is under a bridge, perhaps in a box, maybe even in one of the ATM places, I always find homeless types in there. I've slept out in the mountains well below -20. It's possible. Chilly, but possible.

Why should I be buying houses for people? Get like 10 of them together and rent the crappiest apartment you can find. Could get your rent down to like $50 or $70 a person depending on your area of Canada.

If people all want their own place, they are dreaming. That's not a reality for most Canadians, let alone the place to draw a poverty line. Possible and comfortable are two different things. We have no business in giving comfortable. Just a possibility to survive.

Unless, or course, they want to work for it. Food and shelter for hard labour. That works for me. But no free rides.

One of the first things our wonderful Mr. Harris did was sell off the subsudized housing. Now the present government is having to deal with the problems

[jdobbin]

Other places that come to mind is under a bridge, perhaps in a box, maybe even in one of the ATM places, I always find homeless types in there. I've slept out in the mountains well below -20. It's possible. Chilly, but possible.

This is a great campaign slogan for when you run! <heh>

You could also add: "Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?"

And during the Christmas season, you can pull up to the shelter in your chauffeur limousine after tipping back a few and berate those inside for being drunks and degenerates.

[Keepitsimple]

In reading through a number of these posts, one NEW idea has popped out - at least one that I personally haven't seen before....and that is getting two or more "poor" people (or families) to "pool" their limited resources so that together, they can afford better accommodations and probably save money on food as well. In addition to us helping them through various subsidies and support, they could help each other. Is anyone aware of any agencies that try to facilitate something like this?

[margrace]

In reading through a number of these posts, one NEW idea has popped out - at least one that I personally haven't seen before....and that is getting two or more "poor" people (or families) to "pool" their limited resources so that together, they can afford better accommodations and probably save money on food as well. In addition to us helping them through various subsidies and support, they could help each other. Is anyone aware of any agencies that try to facilitate something like this?

Hi a friend of mine floated an idea similiar to this. She proposed a dwelling of some kind and having a single mother, a senior in need of help, perhaps a single healthy welfare person, adisabled person, a mentally disabled person etc. It never went anywhere. Do you think it would work?

[Keepitsimple]

Hi a friend of mine floated an idea similiar to this. She proposed a dwelling of some kind and having a single mother, a senior in need of help, perhaps a single healthy welfare person, adisabled person, a mentally disabled person etc. It never went anywhere. Do you think it would work?

It wouldn't work for everyone....certainly not for those who are homeless through alcoholism, drugs etc. But if we can accept the fact that there are quite a few people who are "challenged" through no fault of their own - then the trick would be to effectively mix and match cultures and personalities. Something like this should actually appeal to Social Workers who are trained and educated to understand people and their situations - and whether they would effectively respond to such an opportunity.

Certainly seems to be a good thing to try as a pilot project somewhere. Call it the Together Project.

[gc1765]

You could also add: "Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?"

Good one!

[myata]

It wouldn't work for everyone....certainly not for those who are homeless through alcoholism, drugs etc.

Agreed. The solutions must be specifically targeted to the group. They should solve specific problems for the target group, not "provide comfortable living" forever at the expense of somebody else.

This, of course, will require serious conversation about causes of "poverty" and realistic achievable goals. Far from simple and catchy "throw more money to eliminate poverty by ..." slogan thingy.

[JerrySeinfeld]

Dion represents the "big idea" socialists of eras gone by.

I honestly think Canadians are in the mood for practical, accountable government and lower taxes - offered by the conservatives. Not "big scheme big dream tax and spend policies" offered up by Ivory Tower libs like dion.

I think most people are too well informed to buy into the "I promise to slash poverty by 30%" bullshit these days.

[margrace]

Well you know something, I live in an area that really supports the food bank. We are strange Canadians I guess. Perhaps it is because we tell people what is going on. We don't support anyone who won't work. Our people get food 4 times a year unless there are mitigating circumstances which they have to prove.

I hear a lot of BS on here and I encounter it even in our supportive area. Do you know that those who talk the most have no idea what they are talking about, They make me sick. People are so surprised when they find that their little pet theirs are nothing but something they made up in their head. We call ourselves a Christian Country but you know that is a name for people who love to put others down and then kick them.

[scribblet]

One of the first things our wonderful Mr. Harris did was sell off the subsudized housing. Now the present government is having to deal with the problems

He did? He actually handed the responsibility over the Municipal gov't with Local Housing Corporation (LHC) being responsible for it.

[Moxie]

In reading through a number of these posts, one NEW idea has popped out - at least one that I personally haven't seen before....and that is getting two or more "poor" people (or families) to "pool" their limited resources so that together, they can afford better accommodations and probably save money on food as well. In addition to us helping them through various subsidies and support, they could help each other. Is anyone aware of any agencies that try to facilitate something like this?

Noble idea Keepitsimple but in Nova Scotia a welfare receipiant isn't allowed to live with another welfare receipiant. In their view it's double dipping. I pity those that get welfare, god dealing with those paper pushers must be awful.

Regarding food banks, our policy is that people have to register their name and address. All the food banks share the same computer system, when you go to a food bank it is recorded. The food banks are so afraid that someone "MIGHT" use more than one they've become very dictorial.

[luvacuppajoe]

I've known a few people over the years who use(d) food banks -- some working, some parents, what have you. Whatever their circumstances, without exception the one thing they all had in common was that they drank, presumably the money that would otherwise have gone for groceries.

I can't help but look at food banks (and the growing reliance on them) at least in part as a self-perpetuating prophecy; their very existance seems to make it easier for some people to spend their money on other priorities, knowing the food bank is there.

[geoffrey]

Why not? Why shouldn't we give people a reasonable level of comfort. Not a house, or a nice apartment, but a roof over their head.

Because you and I pay for it by working. They do nothing. Why do they deserve anything?

I'm in favour of giving people help who genuinely need it. People who can't work because of disability, people who just got laid off and can't find work.

People with real disabilities are different. They need help. Unfortunately, all our resources are wasted on the lazy instead.

This is a great campaign slogan for when you run! <heh>

It would sell in my riding, and most Calgary ridings. It elected Klein.

And during the Christmas season, you can pull up to the shelter in your chauffeur limousine after tipping back a few and berate those inside for being drunks and degenerates.

See above.