gc1765 Posted February 25, 2009 Report Posted February 25, 2009 An interesting article by Joe Clark in the Globe and Mail about helping third-world economies as well as our own: However, virtually none of the “stimulus packages” in rich countries address this disproportionate impact on the poor world. The U.S. and Canadian packages focus internally. Japan will increase development assistance in Asia, and lend an additional $100-billion to the International Monetary Fund. Now six European countries whose economies are large enough to attend the Group of 20 meeting in April propose another $500-billion for the IMF, to strengthen regulation of financial markets.... Obviously – as Canadians lose jobs, homes and earnings – they need help at home. But the Canadian government also has a larger responsibility to its citizens: to look ahead, as well as inward. If a tenet of globalization is that growing wealth lifts everyone up, then growing desperation and despair can pull everyone down. Link to Full Article An interesting point that he makes, which is something that I often wonder, why is it more important to help Canadians than it is to help people who are so much poorer than we are? People are people regardless of whether they live in Canada or a third-world country. So why are Canadians more deserving of our help than anyone else? Sadly, the only answer I can come up with is that people in third-world countries don't vote in Canadian elections. Quote Almost three thousand people died needlessly and tragically at the World Trade Center on September 11; ten thousand Africans die needlessly and tragically every single day-and have died every single day since September 11-of AIDS, TB, and malaria. We need to keep September 11 in perspective, especially because the ten thousand daily deaths are preventable. - Jeffrey Sachs (from his book "The End of Poverty")
M.Dancer Posted February 25, 2009 Report Posted February 25, 2009 An interesting article by Joe Clark in the Globe and Mail about helping third-world economies as well as our own: Link to Full Article An interesting point that he makes, which is something that I often wonder, why is it more important to help Canadians than it is to help people who are so much poorer than we are? True people are people.....never the less we must take care of our own before we take care of someone else....as well, aid we send overseas is gone and lost to us and we still have our poor while aid that is spent here alleviates suffering here. I'm all for international aid, after we have looked to our own. Quote RIGHT of SOME, LEFT of OTHERS If it is a choice between them and us, I choose us
gc1765 Posted February 26, 2009 Author Report Posted February 26, 2009 True people are people.....never the less we must take care of our own before we take care of someone else....as well, aid we send overseas is gone and lost to us and we still have our poor while aid that is spent here alleviates suffering here. I'm all for international aid, after we have looked to our own. Could you elaborate more on why you think it's important to look after "our own" first? Quote Almost three thousand people died needlessly and tragically at the World Trade Center on September 11; ten thousand Africans die needlessly and tragically every single day-and have died every single day since September 11-of AIDS, TB, and malaria. We need to keep September 11 in perspective, especially because the ten thousand daily deaths are preventable. - Jeffrey Sachs (from his book "The End of Poverty")
Oleg Bach Posted February 26, 2009 Report Posted February 26, 2009 There is a hidden segiment of Canadian society - that are proud and private - and live in less than third world conditions. These poor need care before we care about the other family (Nation) across the way. Wasted human resourses are a fact in Canada. We resent and dispise our own poor - yet we think it's grand and benevolent to go off and help those else where. Much like we now love puppies more than children - animals more than human beings - maybe those in third world nations are viewed by us as helpless animals and that makes us feel superiour when we toss them a morsel. With our own poor we view them as vile predatorial beasts who will steel our STUFF...so we give to those to far away to steal our stuff - good plan. Quote
August1991 Posted February 26, 2009 Report Posted February 26, 2009 (edited) Joe Clark is a tall man, and he's an ambitious idiot. He won the PC leadership by luck. He was not from Quebec but he claimed (falsely) that he spoke French. In 1976, that was enough to become PC leader - third in a race against Wagner and Mulroney. Later, Mulroney suffered Clark for about 10 years. After Meech, Mulroney out of desperation gave the file to Clark to see what would happen. ---- Here is what I think about African Aid: Q: As a native of Zambia with advanced degrees in public policy and economics from Harvard and Oxford, you are about to publish an attack on Western aid to Africa and its recent glamorization by celebrities. ‘‘Dead Aid,’’ as your book is called, is particularly hard on rock stars. Have you met Bono?I have, yes, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last year. It was at a party to raise money for Africans, and there were no Africans in the room, except for me. NYTBeen there, done that. This woman is right. Joe Clark, once again, is wrong. Edited February 26, 2009 by August1991 Quote
Oleg Bach Posted February 26, 2009 Report Posted February 26, 2009 Joe Clark is a tall man, and he's an ambitious idiot. He won the PC leadership by luck. He was not from Quebec but he claimed (falsely) that he spoke French. In 1976, that was enough to become PC leader - third in a race against Wagner and Mulroney.Later, Mulroney suffered Clark for about 10 years. After Meech, Mulroney out of desperation gave the file to Clark to see what would happen. ---- Here is what I think about African Aid: NYT Been there, done that. This woman is right. Joe Clark, once again, is wrong. Slum Dog Millionare...what the heck was that bit of exploitation about? China really likes to be involved with African affairs these days - maybe they should bring a lunch for two next time they deploy someone there....Joe may have been counting the flys crossing the eyes on one of those world visioin adds...and jumped up and said ----"martha...i can bear no more...bring me my note pad!" Those that are exploiting natural resourses in third world nations should be responsible for aid....who ever exploits the most should give the most....How wide spread are our investments and exploitations? I would assume that we are a minimal factor. Quote
M.Dancer Posted February 26, 2009 Report Posted February 26, 2009 Could you elaborate more on why you think it's important to look after "our own" first? Isn't it obvious? Do you work and save to feed your kids and send them to school or do you work and save to send someone else's kids? It is pretty obvious that no other nation will take care of ours so we have to do it ourselves. Quote RIGHT of SOME, LEFT of OTHERS If it is a choice between them and us, I choose us
Oleg Bach Posted February 26, 2009 Report Posted February 26, 2009 Isn't it obvious? Do you work and save to feed your kids and send them to school or do you work and save to send someone else's kids?It is pretty obvious that no other nation will take care of ours so we have to do it ourselves. But it takes a village to raise a child...ha...those types are the last to feed other peoples kids. We have our own aged and the aged from other nations to take care of now --- we are doing our charitable work at the other end of the life span. Quote
gc1765 Posted February 26, 2009 Author Report Posted February 26, 2009 Isn't it obvious? Do you work and save to feed your kids and send them to school or do you work and save to send someone else's kids?It is pretty obvious that no other nation will take care of ours so we have to do it ourselves. I can understand why someone would want to help their family before helping a complete stranger, but I can't understand why someone would want to help a stranger from Canada more than a stranger from another country anymore than I can understand why someone would want to help someone with brown hair and not someone with black hair, or any other arbitrary characteristic that one can think of....especially when there is a lot more money/jobs in Canada than in third world countries. Even the poorest Canadians are a lot better off than most people in, say, Africa. Quote Almost three thousand people died needlessly and tragically at the World Trade Center on September 11; ten thousand Africans die needlessly and tragically every single day-and have died every single day since September 11-of AIDS, TB, and malaria. We need to keep September 11 in perspective, especially because the ten thousand daily deaths are preventable. - Jeffrey Sachs (from his book "The End of Poverty")
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