While homeless people are risking their lives and getting trapped in clothing donation bins, the federal government continues its wasteful spending.
It was sad news to hear about the recent death of a Surrey man who got stuck inside a metal bin where people donate clothing. He was apparently reaching inside to get clothing when he became trapped. A similar fate befell a homeless woman in Pitt Meadows last year. She also died.
Poverty in Canada is driving many people to do desperate things these days, and while there are food banks and support agencies around, it’s just not enough to meet the need.
According to Canada Without Poverty, one in seven people (five million) in this country are poor. Statistics also indicate that more than 20 per cent of single mothers in Canada live in poverty.
One in eight Canadian households struggle to put food on the table, and one in 10 Canadians cannot afford to fill their medical prescriptions.
Yet, according to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF), the government is wasting millions of dollars. For example, the Trudeau government sent more than 280 delegates to the Sustainable Innovation forum in Paris last year, compared to 69 in 2014.
We agree with Aaron Wudrick, CTF director, that it seems counter productive to have nearly 300 people on greenhouse gas spewing planes to fly them to a conference to figure out how to cut greenhouse gases. According to the CTF, the United States sent fewer than half as many delegates to the forum.
Statistics from the Canadian International Development Platform shows that our international assistance spending totaled $5.8 billion in 2015, up from $4.9 billion in 2014. Ukraine received $511 million, while Afghanistan received $207 million in aid.
If a small amount of this was given to ease poverty in Canada, we wouldn’t see as many people turning to crime or risking their lives in clothing donation bins.
If the will was there, the government could easily put a dent in poverty, but it’s too busy running the country to care. Can’t see the homeless for the business suits.
Every government minister should live on the streets for a day to see how the other half lives. Then maybe they might be able to sway the finance minister to set more money aside for the poor.
Nobody should have to scrounge for clothing in a donation bin, let alone die in one. What a said day for BC and Canada.
Lyonel Doherty, editor
