The Welfare State Called Canada

[lukin]

It amazes me to read letters in the newspapers by Canadians who seem to want more and more from the government. People want the government to give hand outs for everything, such as daycare.

It seems to me that if you were raised in a strong nuclear family with strong values that you have a major strike against you because according to left wing politicians, you were born with a silver spoon.

Having the drive and desire to go to university or college to better yourself and to get a good job is another strike against you becuase you are going to get nailed in taxes to cover those who think they are owed something by the government.

Don't get me wrong, taxes are necessary. There are people who really do need social assistance, and that is not the problem. I have a problem with people who collect social assistance and use their money to buy beer and cigarettes; people who are able to work, but choose not to because the government supports them.

I put my child in daycare and have to pay $30 a day. I don`t have a fancy house, fancy vehicles, boats, campers, don`t go on expensive vacations, etc. Then there is the farmer who has a brand new truck, nice house, all kinds of little toys like boats and quads who pay $2/day for daycare. Is that fair? I`m being punished for having the desire to complete university so that I have a decent paying job.

I know this seems like a rant, but I am very frustrated. Have a nice day.

[Topaz]

I understand were you are coming from but there is help out there for you. If the Cons $100. monthly doesn't help then you have to look to one of the other parties to see what they can offer you. The Libs are offering students $1000. monthly to pay for their expenses. Perhaps watching the debates tonight will help. I don't know which province you live in but welfare isn't that plentiful unless you have kids and then you get more money. While you may not like what you see around you once you get your degree, you'll have a better life then those who can't get off welfare.

[myata]

Well, if don't want (and support) social programs like quality childcare, investing in urban infrastructure, emergency drug assistance, and so on, your choice must be crystal clear. Get your $100 (before tax, till age of 6) check in your hand, and ahead - to opportunities and successes of unrestrained capitalism.

[TCCK]

I don't mind a reasonable amount of welfare for deserving people but FULL WELFARE for fulltime activists that all they do is go around and help on picket lines, chain themselves to trees, lie on the road to stop mining trucks, stand on parliament hill with placards and then drive old VW vans that spew oil with a sign on the side that says SAVE THE ENVIROMENT.

I draw the line! There are too many well and able people that just like to sit at home and let the goverment pay them to sit on their butts while me, my employees and my company pay taxes to support thier lazy butts.

I see the lines at the welfare offices here in BC, young guys drive up in thier hot cars, park a block or 2 away, then go in to get their cheques or see a social worker. More than likely they make a good living selling drugs to kids in our schools.

I have been asked by young guys so many times to spare some change, I ALWAYS offer them a job at my company (I can always use another janitor,manual labourer or gopher somewhere) and offer them $15/hr. TO THIS DAY, NO ONE HAS EVER TAKE ME UP ON IT!! They know it is too easy to collect elfare, panhandle on a corner, be a sign kid at a street corner and make a $100 or more in a few hours. Then go sit on their butts in front of a tv in a house they share with 2-3 other young people that do the same thing.

[Moonbox]

The constant problem with Liberal promises for social services, however, is that they never explain how they are going to afford them and for 13 years in power they never delivered them despite promising them. Dion can promise all he wants but his Liberals can be squarely blamed for the drop in social services since the 1990's.

NDP promises are so out of this world I won't even discuss them.

[independent]

I don't mind a reasonable amount of welfare for deserving people but FULL WELFARE for fulltime activists that all they do is go around and help on picket lines, chain themselves to trees, lie on the road to stop mining trucks, stand on parliament hill with placards and then drive old VW vans that spew oil with a sign on the side that says SAVE THE ENVIROMENT.

I draw the line! There are too many well and able people that just like to sit at home and let the goverment pay them to sit on their butts while me, my employees and my company pay taxes to support thier lazy butts.

I see the lines at the welfare offices here in BC, young guys drive up in thier hot cars, park a block or 2 away, then go in to get their cheques or see a social worker. More than likely they make a good living selling drugs to kids in our schools.

I have been asked by young guys so many times to spare some change, I ALWAYS offer them a job at my company (I can always use another janitor,manual labourer or gopher somewhere) and offer them $15/hr. TO THIS DAY, NO ONE HAS EVER TAKE ME UP ON IT!! They know it is too easy to collect elfare, panhandle on a corner, be a sign kid at a street corner and make a $100 or more in a few hours. Then go sit on their butts in front of a tv in a house they share with 2-3 other young people that do the same thing.

I fully agreed that if you are able bodied and work is available for you should not be getting welfare. I am totally unaware of any one that meets that description. I have heard the kids on the street with signs do make a lot of money but they are not on welfare. They do it because they make more money doing that than getting a job. You are doing the right thing by offering them a job instead of giving them money.

[Smallc]

I fully agreed that if you are able bodied and work is available for you should not be getting welfare. I am totally unaware of any one that meets that description.

Unfortunately, I an aware of many that meet that description.

[eyeball]

I fully agreed that if you are able bodied and work is available for you should not be getting welfare. I am totally unaware of any one that meets that description. I have heard the kids on the street with signs do make a lot of money but they are not on welfare. They do it because they make more money doing that than getting a job. You are doing the right thing by offering them a job instead of giving them money.

Apparently you're just not offering them enough.

[lukin]

I couldn't believe the debate last night. One of the questions was about funding the arts. Who gives a rats a$$ about the arts. I pay enough taxes without having it go to some pot-smoking poet in search of his inner feelings.

[OddSox]

I couldn't believe the debate last night. One of the questions was about funding the arts. Who gives a rats a$$ about the arts. I pay enough taxes without having it go to some pot-smoking poet in search of his inner feelings.

Although that sounds totally off the wall, it does have some merit. For hundreds (thousands?) of years, artists have been supported by 'patrons'. That is, rich people who can afford it - and want to. Why should government do it? Isn't it enough that we are expected to eliminate poverty, solve all drug problems, and provide everyone with a living wage?

If your 'art' is good enough, someone will pay for it. Period.

[Richie777]

I fully agreed that if you are able bodied and work is available for you should not be getting welfare. I am totally unaware of any one that meets that description.

Perhaps you should meet my neighbour: twenty one years old, perfectly fit and very proud to be on welfare. From what I've seen, most of his money goes to beer. I've overheard two young guys talking on the subway about who got their welfare cheque first and how much they get; it's a source of pride for them. The system needs to be tightened up!

[eyeball]

I've overheard two young guys talking on the subway...

Have you met Morris yet Richie?

[Slim MacSquinty]

This is a problem that comes and goes likes a pendulum, I think this bad attitude part of people who abuse the system has a lot to do with anonimity and pride. I always thought there was some shame in taking what you did not deserve. So anonimity helps with this since these abusers don't get pointed out by their neighbours. Reconciling this with allowing those who do deserve a hand up some sense of pride is the tough part.

Hence the back and forth part of more money less money for welfare.

Edited October 4, 2008 by Slim MacSquinty

[Richie777]

Have you met Morris yet Richie?

No, don't think I have met Morris. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

[Pliny]

This is a problem that comes and goes likes a pendulum, I think this bad attitude part of people who abuse the system has a lot to do with anonimity and pride. I always thought there was some shame in taking what you did not deserve. So anonimity helps with this since these abusers don't get pointed out by their neighbours. Reconciling this with allowing those who do deserve a hand up some sense of pride is the tough part.

Hence the back and forth part of more money less money for welfare.

It's the anonymity of the provider that eliminates pride. If there were a face attached to the provider people would be more reluctant to take advantage of it's beneficence. Since the provider is the government, who cares! Take all you can get!

[independent]

Unfortunately, I an aware of many that meet that description.

Are not able bodied people that are offered jobs not cut off welfare?

http://www.youth.gc.ca/yoaux.jsp?&lang...p;auxpageid=118

Found quite a few reports about government attempts to deal with people on welfare. I know even walmart( even though they are very short of people) seem to turn what seem like able bodied people away because they do not meet their standards. I know one company turned away a qualified applicant because he said he tried marijuana.(I guess he should have lied). How many companies are there that hire someone off of welfare. Do you hire someone who under work experience says I have been on welfare for 10 years. The easys way too reduce the people on welfare is to make sure people do not need to go on welfare on the first place. People need the jobs and the skills too get thoughs jobs. Companies do not want too train people they want to bring people in from other countries with the skills required rather than train the people we have.

[Oleg Bach]

National Socialism is here folks! Corporations are on welfare big time - Executives get fat welfare parachutes filled with gold..just look to the south. Remember old Rome..You would get a measure of wine and a few loafs of bread and a couple of coins for pocket money everyday and all you had to do was attend the games and be a welfare parasite. Nothing has changed. There are the big high class high earning types that look down on the pitiful useless eaters that are the common man. YET The American congress saw fit to take a tribute for the little guys and send it off to be burned up in a month by those that INSIST rich is forever and they are entitled to belong to a certain class based on a religious belief system called Mammon Fiatism.

The previous writer comes from a stand point of rough elitism...and insists that we need educated immigrants to come in and create wealth - artifical wealth based in the I T trade - which again is now the basis for more rediculious fiatism. IF lunitics like Morgantaler the abortion 'Provider' did not insist in the genociding of our possible best - we would not twenty five years later be needing to bring in new national family members called immigrants - that for the most part are here to partake in the economy and provide no real wealth - Like I said of the corrupt parasitic corporates that expect the common poor man to keep them rich via buy outs - let them learn a trade and give them some carpentry tools and make me a god damned table and chair - then I will feel they are useful....so admit it guys - we are all on welfare other than the man or woman that creates shelter - food and clothing - all the other stuff does not count....Investment? That is a situation where an invester wants something for nothing - and in the end they as we now see will get NOTHING.