Blog Action Day: Poverty in Canada
October 15, 2008
As a bit of a change of pace, I’m going to talk about Poverty. I’ve joined with many, many other online writers today to join in and participate in talking about this years subject (Poverty, in case you forgot).
I thought at first about writing about Poverty all over the world. Then I thought about writing about Poverty in your own country. That’s when I realized I could talk about my own country, because damn it, I live here and this shit’s important. This is probably one of the issues closest to my heart on this planet and I’ll be damned to give up an opportunity to help.
I am against Poverty.
For the grammar and spelling Nazis out there, you will notice that I’m giving Poverty a capital ‘P’. My reasoning for this is simple: Poverty is not just a state; it’s not just something that happens to people. Poverty is a being. It’s a horrible, twisted thing that exists everywhere you go. Wherever you find people, you will find Poverty near by.
Poverty is life going wrong.
Poverty is mistakes.
Poverty is screwing up, hard luck, a missed bill, an empty stomach, a bitter cold night, an addiction you can’t shake, a child without a home, a man with enough dignity that he will actually beg for help, a squeegee kid, an over-crowded shelter, a woman riding the bus until it closes, a person drowning their sorrows, an under-paid worker, a child labourer, a person who needs help.
Poverty is a disease.
Poverty is a mistake.
Poverty is a thing, and we have to stare at it right in the eye, and bludgeon it to death with a baseball bat.
Poverty in Canada
Canada is considered to be a first-world country, and is a part of the G8. We are recognized in the world as a great country; a land of opportunities and free thought. A place where people can make their lives better.
Then why is it that even in Canada, a place that I am proud to call my home, we have such high rates of poverty? In 2000 Canada’s Poverty rate rested somewhere about 16%. Given the population was just shy of 30 million, that adds up to roughly 4.7 million people resting below the Poverty line. Some reports conflict saying that it was actually only around 11-12%. Going with those numbers, we’ve still got 3.3 – 3.6 million people below the poverty line.
Those same reports also say that as of 2005, the poverty rate is resting around 11 %. I feel it’s pretty safe to say that though a couple years have passed, I doubt that number has fluctuated that much. So we have 3.3 million people that live below the Poverty line.
What the hell?
This isn’t right. In a country as great as it is – sorry world, I’m a touch patriotic – how is it that literally 1/10th of the population – 1.2 million of which are children – are living below the poverty line? I’m aware that Canada does not officially have a set poverty line, but a yearly calculated value. Even with that fact in mind, how can things be as bad as they are?
What can we do?
Well if you want to feel good, throw some money into some hats, cups, bowls, or whatever the poor on the street use to beg. That will give you a warm feeling in your stomach as you walk on down the street to buy food that costs too much and clothing that you’re over-charged for.
If you want to make a real difference, try spending your money and your time helping organizations that are working on improving the quality of life both locally and globally.
Here’s a very small list of national and international charities that you can work with and donate to. If you don’t like the one’s I’ve listed, find another one and get started.
Make Poverty History
“Make Poverty History has mobilized Canadians like never before on issues related to poverty at home and abroad. From hundreds of events to hundreds of thousands of e-mail messages to politicians, from getting organized in communities to meeting with decision-makers, Canadian Make Poverty History campaigners are standing up and making a difference.”
Website: http://www.makepovertyhistory.ca
Free The Children
“Free The Children is the world’s largest network of children helping children through education, with more than one million youth involved in our innovative education and development programs in 45 countries. Founded in 1995 by international child rights activist Craig Kielburger, Free The Children has a proven track record of success. The organization has received the World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child (also known as the Children’s Nobel Prize), the Human Rights Award from the World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations, and has formed successful partnerships with leading school boards and Oprah’s Angel Network.”
Website: http://www.freethechildren.com
Meal Exchange
“Meal Exchange is a national student-founded, youth-driven, registered charity organized to address local hunger by mobilizing the talent and passion of students. Since 1993, our programmes have been run on over 50 campuses across Canada and generated over $2 million dollars worth of food or 727,200 meals to address local hunger.”
Website: http://www.mealexchange.com
National Anti-Poverty Organization
“The mission of the National Anti-Poverty Organization (NAPO) is to eradicate poverty in Canada by promoting income and social security for all Canadians, and by promoting poverty eradication as a human rights obligation.
We believe that poverty is a violation of the human right to security of the person and, with reference to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the legal right to security of the person. We further believe that poverty is an affront to the values of fairness, justice and the inclusion of all persons in Canadian society. We therefore contend that for these reasons, poverty must be eradicated.”
Website: http://www.napo-onap.ca/
The Hunger Site
“The Hunger Site was founded to focus the power of the Internet on a specific humanitarian need; the eradication of world hunger. Since its launch in June 1999, the site has established itself as a leader in online activism, helping to feed the world’s hungry and food insecure.”
Website: http://www.thehungersite.com
United Way Canada
“The Movement is made up of 120 volunteer-based United Ways – Centraides (UWs-Cs) located in ten provinces and two territories and a national organization, United Way of Canada – Centraide Canada. Its mission is “to improve lives and build community by engaging individuals and mobilizing collective action”.”
Website: http://www.unitedway.ca
World Job and Food Bank
“The primary goal of WJFB is to help the poor in less developed countries to become able to help themselves. By creating income-generating small work cooperatives, WJFB helps to provide jobs and skills training for the poorest. These co-operatives have been in the form of poultry rearing, sewing and dress making, desktop publishing, and others. Co-op members work together to develop and market their product, and share in the profits. Once fully trained, they can obtain jobs elsewhere, so that more needy people can join the co-op and learn skills.”
Website: http://www.wjfb.org/
Save the Children
“Save the Children Canada has been working for over 85 years to bring immediate and lasting improvements to the lives of children through the realization of their rights. Save the Children Canada provides both long-term development assistance and emergency relief. Wherever possible we work closely with local community organizations to ensure lasting and effective programs to benefit children and their families. We partner with local organizations, communities, government bodies and international organizations.”
Website: http://www.savethechildren.ca
End Canadian Poverty
“End Canadian Poverty (ECP) aims to provide information about charities and organizations that help Canadians cope with and overcome poverty. We hope that summarizing this information will help you to locate food banks, housing support and more if you are in need of these services. Or, if you would like to help impoverished Canadians, through donations of time or money, we hope that ECP will help you to find information about a charity or organization that is right for you.”
Website: http://www.endcanadianpoverty.ca
In the end
It’s up to us people. Poverty won’t get rid of itself and only we as people, we as a nation, we as a world can change things. I’m exceptionally thankful to be in the financial and economical position that I am, and I’m damned lucky to be here. What’s my excuse for not helping out? I don’t have one, and I’d be hard pressed to find anyone that did have a passable reason.
Get out there and let’s destroy Poverty.
Categories: Bad bad bad Personal Self-Improvement
Tagged under: Activism, Blog Action Day 2008, Charity, Poverty