Novocastrian

This is quite wrong. Although I'd be happier if "welfare" i.e. state responsibility for folk in distress, were even higher in Canada.

brizzle

Ahh, that is definitely the way to do it if you want to donate.

brizzle

With the exception of EI (which you pay into yourself anyway), which provided you qualify is pretty decent in the short-term (55% of wages - the UK should do something similar to help people who've actually worked and then find themselves unemployed), social provision seems to be less than in the UK, but more than in the US.

I know the distances are huge in Canada, but with the natural resources available here and the small population, I also wonder what the hell they do with the money. Taxes are high, plenty of resources money flowing into gvt coffers, social spending low, plus you have to pay for your MSP (if your employer doesn't), market rate prescriptions, ambulances for god's sake....etc

Alan2005

The UK's income tax take is less than it's welfare bill. I have no idea how much a % of government revenue income tax is in the UK, but this isn't very sustainable. Remember this is before the NHS, police, armed forces etc.

Lord Vader

I often wonder how many actually need a food bank versus those that decide to spend their money on other non essential things. I remember a story of one family "gathering" 7 Christmas turkey's by hitting up a local food bank and a few churches.

What does oil exporting have to do with anything? Either people want to work or they don't. If you want a job you will get a job. Some folks would rather take the easy way and abuse the system that is meant for those who truly need it. Voluntary donations from the rest of the population means that the country can feed itself.
I personally am not one to believe that money should be forcefully taken from a working family with kids and given to some deadbeat who is on voluntary full time vacation.

wheatsheaf

Are u sure EI is 55% of wages?. I think in fact the max EI is about C$430 pw.

wheatsheaf

Individual citizens are not the only ones possibly abusing the welfare system. Major Canadian companies are using this recession as an opportunity to shed their pension, health and insurance obligations by dumping these onto the State by getting rid of employees close to them becoming eligible to collect from company plans paid into by employees for decades. The volume of such cases is so high now that Government law enforcement agencies (labour. human rights etc) cannot cope with caseloads. This in turn leaves many at food bank lineups, whilst companies look like they are being well managed having diverted funds away from the "employee obligation" towards their profit line. AT least in the USA there never was a promise, but in Canada the promise of "work towards freedom at retirement" is now acknowledged to be a gross lie.

Lord Vader

So you are saying that the government is picking up the tab of pension plans from companies that are tits up and this is forcing people to foods banks?

lol, what?

BristolUK

Social assistance for a single person in NB....$300 a month. No separate allowance for rent. That's yer lot.

Income Support (UK) $64.30 pw = $486 a month plus Rent Allowance...according to Bristol city council is £62 or £115 a week for a single person.

So £546/$955 or £775/$1357


NB regards $300 a month as being sufficient to feed a family of four.

I'm glad we don't have to rely on the safety net here.

Lord Vader

http://www.gnb.ca/0017/social_assistance/rates-e.asp

jimf

Could you clarify - do you think it is wrong that the situation I described exists or you think the situation I described is factually incorrect. If factually incorrect is that all or part?

wheatsheaf

companies are getting rid of employees who are on the threshold of qualifying for full company pensions, leaving them to the immediate circumstance of a poor job market and so having to exhaust savings, EI with final resort to food banks.

Why are you so smug vader?

dbd33

That's an issue of immoral taxation. Governments know that tobacco taxes are aimed at "the poor, the black and the stupid". In a more just society, taxes on golf and yacht club memberships would subsidise low cost cigarettes.

Jingsamichty

I think many Canadians enjoy the warm fuzzy feeling they get as they drop a packet of muffin-mix into the food bank box. It's an easy option that makes them feel good... much fluffier than getting angry over welfare/taxation/inequality issues.

Couple of bucks, drop something in the box, brief pause to bask in your wonderful charity, instantly forget all about it and hop back in the Lexus.

dbd33

I think that's true but that political disengagement is fundamental to Canadian life, obviously as a by-stander in Canada I'm not involved in their politics or social issues, but I don't think even the unhyphenated take a interest in these matters the way many people in the UK do. Earlier this week I went to see Billy Bragg and was amused at the way the crowd shuffled uncomfortably toward the bar when he went into one of his many rants; in the UK declaiming polemic gets you cheers or boos, it gets you a degree of interest.

In part I think the lack of quality newpapers contributes to the lack of a climate of political interest. It's just too hard to fathom what the author of any piece in the Star is driving at, but that may be chicken and egg; given that politics isn't a matter of great interest the quality writers may be working on pieces about ice hockey.