This month I am returning to Canada after a year spent travelling around the US, coast to coast. And what did I learn. First, and this is not on topic, but Americans are not assholes like we imagine them to be in Canada, but they do need to realizze what they have. It's just a smal thing, but for those of us who find themselves in poverty now and then, it's a big thing. Food stamps. Canada has it's chartere of rights and freedoms in which it states that everyone is entitled to food. America doesnt have that rule, but they do a much better job of it. Food stamps are easy to get here in America, and let me tell you, they come in handy. Why doesn't Canada, land of "Everyone is entitled to food" have this. We have welfare, average $400 a month, which by the way is average for a cheap room, and where do you get food? I don't want to argue about who should work and who shouldn't. Disability is something not easily recognized by government measurements. some people need help. period. why do we let the USA one-up on this?
It's because in America a lot of people get food stamps and then sell it for drugs and alcohol. We have food donations and volunteers. You can gt free bread at the local welfare office or at your local Salvation Army. You can also go to certain homeless shelters for a free meal. We also have food banks and food baskets you can sign up for. We don't have food stamps, we have food.
Food banks? Food banks give you three days food max, and it's outdated, processed, sugar and MSG laced garbage that I wouldn't feed to a pig. That's not food. No offense, but anyone who reccomends a food bank has never been to one. I'm talking people have a right to nutrition here.
i had to go to the food bank in calgary once, and i walked out with two weeks of food easily - some of it was stuff i'd never heard of, but 75% of it was good, and i was grateful at the time to get it . To bitch about the quality of your charity items sounds kind of selfish and unreasonable to me. What do you expect - free range eggs and organic veggies? c'mon man - the people who donate are often not that much further ahead than the people in need.
That was extremely ignorant. I have been to a food bank. I have donated and I have been a receiver. I've been on both ends. I know exactly what they give you. I know they're generous and I'm happy with what I get. It keeps me alive and for that I'm greatful.
I'm sorry that I was rude about it. the larger point that I was trying to make is that the country is not doing enough to insure that people are fed. Food banks, regardless of their quality are insufficient. A food bank that gives out two weeks of food is rare, and the quality of the food is a larger issue itself. Not just for charity, but for the country in general. We shouldn't have to pay twice as much for organic and free-range. I do think that giving to food banks is an honourable thing, but I also know that some people assume that it solves the problem, when it's really just a minor fix. I'm sorry I was so colourful about the way I have tried to explain this. Really though, most food banks give around three days worth, and the food is largely unhealthy. It's not the food bank's fault at all. I've been on both ends myself, and I have gotten healthy food, but rarely. Me, I can dumpster dive, so I don't care, but there are many, many people who don't really have a lot of options. Being poor means losing out on the opportunity to be healthy, and that's not right.
I've always heard that medical insurance was better/cheaper & medical/dental care was better (when ya got it)
hey this is tottally relavent Im drew for the last five moths my gypsy tribe has been touring the US (see nomadic tribe under communal living) I have recently returned back to canada...ahh canada good as hell to be home true you can get food stamps..good idea, one good thing at least, the poverty in the us is terrible, I took america as a third world country, illiterate, poor, no work to get yourself ahead we pulled up to a food bank in texas and there was a line up that lasted 3 hours...three hour line up at the food bank??!! your right though I was really suprised to see how many kind folk I had met touring threw the states, even pro bush supporters and even still a few militaryt police we had met in new mexico, were very cool to us, even though we were in a big ass purple hippy bus with anti establishment stickers smearing the back...they paid me ten bucks to let them drivbe around the parking lot!!! one thing I did notice, is americans in GENERAL even righteous rainbow brother and sisters were very racist, the woulod say they were not but would be very afraid to approach another race, even though they were not "racisit" cowardly as well, I have always been anti american with my political vies on the verge of racisim toward americans, until I went down there and saw for myself how these folk were....for one my bus was fiulled with americans wanting me to take them to canada fleeing bush. my point is with all the conversations only oncew in texas did anyone even slightly disagree openly with me.... if an american spoke the same about canada downt there or up here They would hear my protest...noda!! they bitched and protested up to the election sweraing if he got in they would rise up ... the next day...oh well lets bend over for a few years... that would not happen in canada we would rise up. thats what I have to say about that.....nonetheless, I had a lotr of fun and for the most part truly enjoyed the company of americans in america..I only wish they were that cool when they came up here peace
I've had a landlord that was a Canadian citizen ....he would go up to British Columbia, Canada around Easter time and come back to AZ,USA right after halloween. He was retired and owned a home in both places. He was old, set in his ways (strange habits...seemed to be stuck in 1800's) but very picky. My son's would make wise cracks about leaving him a "south park" tape. But still a couple of my kids have talked about moving somewhere near Toronto & Montreal.
Cheaper, yes. I grew up in Ontario where medical insurance was free (or paid for by the government until you got a job, then the employer has to pay). In Alberta health care is $45/month and up, sliding scale. I haven't been to a doctor in five years before that, so I refused to pay, but they garnished my wages, so you gots to pay. Now, if you're the kind of person who likes going to the doctor, $45/month is cheap, compared to American insurance. But, and I'm just complaining here cause I tend to do that, but for people like me, who refuse to use the medical system, it's mafia tactics to make us pay. However, people are right, the system is better in Canada. Just not always 'free' as Americans like to believe.
Food banks and those kind of things aren't controlled by government, they are independant groups of people that get money from the government. I live in Montreal, and there's a lot of social groups, like food banks, that help out the poors. It could be more efficient and optimal thought...but I cannot compare the situation to other major cities.
we could always do more to help end poverty, thats for sure. And i agree with your statement ,"Being poor means losing out on the opportunity to be healthy, and that's not right." As people rise up socially they tend to forget just how far down, "down" can be. slightly off topic but.. I just met a girl on the greyhound - pregnant, hooked on drugs, a prostitute, maybe 18 yrs old, already one child, on her way to vancouver to do who knows what. so she kind of asks if she can visit and i let her stay with me for 2 days. This girl just needed so much help man. She couldnt even watch tv for her A.D.D., she had these violent mood swings, crazy delusions mixed in with lies that she told herself... hungry like you wouldnt believe. We went to the grocery store on sunday morning, and we had this 10 course banquet of peasant food all afternoon (it was actually fun). so now shes off to turn tricks and do drugs in van... hope shes ok. thing is, i'm sure i'll hear from her again, and i dont know what the hell i'm going to say to her... there definitely isnt enough help for that girl in our society.
When I got pregnant at age 18 I had to access welfare. I received $400 a month plus an extra $25 a month for vitamins because I was pregnant. It was tough, but with proper budgeting and a small veggie garden, I had a nutritious menu. The few times that I ran out of money for food, I was given an emergency food voucher that worked like a food stamp. I never went hungry. When I went into labour I had all the comforts that the rich mamas had; a private birthing room and a semi private room for the remainder of my stay. My prescriptions were always paid for, including birth control. I grew up in a single parent home and we had to use the food bank a few times. I remember getting fresh and frozen veggies, frozen meat, some dairy, day old bread and canned goods. It was enough to get us through. One time we got frozen onion rings! That was a treat. I have had to accept Christmas hampers in the past, which were a huge blessing! They included fresh veggies and fruit, a toy for my daughter, homebaked goodies, and a small frozen turkey. We wouldn't have been able to make a Christmas dinner without those hampers. Now that I am in a more stable position, I give back to these causes. The local food bank encourages gardeners to plant an extra row of veggies, etc to donate to the food bank. They are also starting an organic gardening program to provide produce for the food bank. A local organic farm already donates veggies, fruits and eggs regularly. Nobody has to hungry in Canada. There are alot of resources to utilize here.
mtnhigh - you must have had a free place to stay? or did you also pay rent somewhere? work right after your daughter was born? I bet the difference between your story and mine is that you werent hooked on hard drugs? i only ask because i want to have something to tell this girl if she calls me up...
I paid rent and shared a small apartment until my daughter was born. I didn't work right after her birth, when she was 6 months old, I went back to school part time, went to school full time when she was 1 year old. I finished high school, then I got a job by the time she was 2 years old. wideyed, I wasn't posting in response to your post directly, I was just trying to let people know that there are resources out there.
