Wow, it's been an extremely busy week for me. I haven't even had much time to do anything, let alone blog. I have held a workshop at the shelter that I ran on crime and victimization this weekend. I co-facilitated it and my wife, Jen, cooked the meals for it (they were really good). So, between preparing for the workshop sessions, watching my kids while my wife cooked, and actually facilitating the workshop, I have not had time to think about anything else.
I was at a forum on poverty yesterday. I was not very surprised about what I heard, but it made me very angry at the greed in this world. Did you know that the people in the lowest 20% of incomes in Canada don't even register 1% of the total wealth in Canada. In fact, they are negative, if we want to be specific. The next 20% have 3% of the wealth. 40-60% have 5% of the wealth. The next 20% have 19% and the top 20% have 73% of the wealth!! This is insane. And then, those who have top paying jobs get a lot for free. For example, if a lower paid labourer gets a job, he/she is expected to provide their own safety equipment, but if you are a higher paid worker, you get everything provided for you. This doesn't make much sense to me. If the wealthier people have the money to actually afford this stuff, make them buy it and the lower paid get it for free. This world is all backward. I learned in this forum that if the top 20% of wealthy Canadians took a 3% pay cut and that money was funnelled properly to take care of poverty, it has the potential of eliminating poverty altogether!! 3% is nothing to them. They would still make 70% of the money in Canada. How greedy is this? It's all about status. I hate how this works. I wish there was something more we could do. There are people in our own backyards who are lucky to get a sandwich and a place to sleep at night. Then there are those who are cruising down the Canal on one of their three yachts! Give up one yacht, and give that money to those who need it.
Then there is the government! There used to be this law in Canada called the Canadian Assistance plan. In this law, the feds offered the provincial governments 50% of their welfare costs so that people could afford to live in actual homes. Back in 1996, they cancelled the CAP and guess what? The provincial govenments had to decrease welfare because they were not receiving the money from the feds anymore. Also, they made it harder to get welfare when you actually need it because the feds were no longer telling them what the criteria is for welfare. Guess who was in charge of cancelling the CAP? PAUL MARTIN! The man who currently runs our country! Great! He's part of the rich get richer and the poor get poorer problem that has swept our nation. This can't happen anymore but I don't know what we can do about it except pray. Prayer can and will make a difference!!
I know not everyone will agree with me on this topic. Some people think that everyone abuses welfare or that homeless people should just go and get jobs because jobs are out there. For those people I ask, have you ever tried to get a job when you have no phone number to be reached at, or have no address to put on a resume. Employers just throw your resume in the trash. What about those people who have illiteracy problems? Should we not help them get on their feet? Everyone has a different story and they all break my heart. Drug and alcohol addiction is a big one people think is a cause of homelessness. For some stories it is, but not all. Probably not even half. We still need to help these people, and we need the rich to understand that they hold the power to help them in a way that most of us can't.
Anyway, sorry that this is more of a rant than anything. I just feel really passionate about this and when I heard the statistics, I was floored. Thanks for taking the time to listen and if you have any suggestions on what we can do to turn this situation around so that it seems more fair, please post a comment so that I can gain ideas and share them with my coworkers.
Neil
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3 comments:
I think you have a real passion for what you are doing. Certainly gave us all something to think about.
God bless you.
My turn to weigh in. You do have a great passion for this work and that is good. We need all kinds of people with passion for all the numerous areas of concern around the globe. And they will attract others with like-minded passions and together something can and will get done with enough faith and enough work. This is the Kingdom of heaven at work to bring God's will on earth as it is in heaven.
The statistics you cite are interesting and most of us have known full well that a very few make the majority of money in western society and probably in all societies. One of the examples you chose however, attacks a group that at best is in the 40-60% percent who have 5% of the wealth. These are the working class people like myself who only enjoy some of those benefits you mention because of years of fighting the rich corporations they work for through organized labor and negotiated contracts.
It is also this group that pays the most taxes, probably gives the most to charities and volunteers numerous hours to help the less fortunate.
I agree with you that it is unfair that lower paid labourers have to supply their own safety gear, but the answer is not to take it away from those in the next two groups up in order to share it with the lower paid. While that seems like a fair equalization, it actually just contributes to the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer because the employers will not distribute their added profits to anyone but their shareholders.
The answer probably lies more in working towards getting fairer wages and benefits from the employers who, in most cases, will be in the top two groups of wealth. And you mention this with the statement that a 3% pay cut by the top 20% could possibly eliminate poverty all together. However, this could only work through fairer taxation laws and that depends on governments and, well, I wouldn't hold my breath. The money lobby is a powerful group interested only in less taxation and more profits.
And let's not forget that the Bible tells us that the love of money is the root of all evil. Money is the chief god for most people in this world including, sadly, many Christians.
One other thing (and forgive me this lengthy comment), your mention of trying to get a job when you have no phone number where you can be reached sounds like a potential for further ministry and service. If there is a genuine desire to find jobs then there should be a way to help those who have no phones and no addresses. Like I said, sounds like a great ministry opportunity.
Thank you for your passion and your work. If the world had more people with that kind of desire to help, it would be a far better place.
And feel free to debate right back any of the things I've said. That's how we learn and grow.
Neil, as I read your blog something struck me. Funny how as we learn & our eyes are opened we become passionate!
Reminds me of christianity in a way. As our eyes are opened to truths of God, Christ, blessings, salvation & punishment we should be extremely passionate. Kinda like Booth. See any correlation to new christians???
My encouragement as Christians is to regain our passion! We should be choked at the things & injustices of this world. We should be moved with passion to DO SOMETHING! All around us, people don't get it. If we truly know what they're missing now & what their lot is in eternity we should be motivated with passion. We should enter into their lives, talk to them (yes even if you're scared to strike up conversation), get to know them, help them in their 'gutter' (whatever it is from person to person).
As a fellow welfare recipient & a christian who has helped people on welfare find housing, I'd like to comment on one aspect of your blog. You make reference to no ph# & address. Like Tim says, 'sounds like a ministry oppty to me.' For the address part specifically, you can get from the gov't an 'Intent to rent' form that you can take with you to a rental place. The landlord fills it out saying that they intend to rent you the place for 'x' $ & starting at such & such month. Welfare then considers this adequate to start your assistance & will issue the landlord the cheque or may just give to welfare recipient. I myself was on welfare for 6 months & used this form & also got bus passes to go to job interviews. Of course the gov't wants to know if you are actually looking for work & you have to prove some of this but I'm sure if you were dishing out coin to someone for a purpose, you'd want to know it was being used for that purpose as well. Am I right?
Keep it up. Dream big, let God drive passion in you. Let your passion move from being your job to being your life. Let you & your family get involved personally in God's justice not just keeping it to The Shelter. Hang on, things are just starting to get fun!
Your bro'
Clint
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