Zhanna

A question for those with experience in Canadian social 'justice'. Having read the following article, I felt like packing our bags and leaving for....anywhere, as long as we are not being insulted by the way our 30K/year in taxes collected from 70hrs/week of hard work distributed... What is it like in Canada?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16812185

dbd33

Much the same.

scrubbedexpat091

I dont have kids but for a single person in BC atleast life on social assistance is no fun.

The max is 610 a month for one. You have to be destitute and have exhausted all alternatuve sources of help first.

Average public seems to think its easy to receive help and that it could never happen to them.

I am going through the process at the moment as ive been hospitalized since January 1st and thus no income. Due to the health issues i had not worked most of December and parts of 2011 so ate through my savings.

Today i have my interview to see if i qualify for assistance. Think about how quick your life can change and ask if you want to live in a country where no help exists.

We can all say it wont happen to me and I used to say that until I became ill. Your life can change very quickly eveb if you think it can never happen to me.

gillyd65

Wouldn't like to fall on hard times here (Canada)

Zhanna

Your story is exactly why we need a JUST social system - notice that nether I nor people leaving comments under the article said we shouldn't pay taxes or there shouldn't be social support. In fact, I am not even arguing for the cap - all we want is for 'Raymonds' of this world to get off their a.ses and in 10 YEARS to get a new qualification and a job instead of breeding and watching Sky while drinking and smoking on taxpayer's money. And the wife - too ill to work yet ok to add to numerous children. I understand BBC has strategically chosen their example to create exactly the reaction they wanted - but I don't blame them, and in order not to have to introduce the caps, the parasites feeding on our welfare system need to be eliminated first.

Editha

Zihanna, I can only suggest you immigrate to Canada.

Then you can spend the rest of your working life one paycheck away from destitution. If you are struck by ill health and unemployment, you can live on the streets and sleep in a garbage skip.

But hey, when it is -30C outside, and you are keeping yourself warm with a candle, you can rejoice that none of your tax money is keeping anyone in beer and cigarettes.

MikeUK

Try this thread http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...702903&page=11

Aviator

However of the 5 posts to this point, 2 of them are yours, hardly representative of even this forum, let alone the 30+m people in Canada.

On BCTV last night this very topic came up, 50% of those interviewed thought there should be a limit on welfare recipients in terms of time on welfare.

Unfortunately we have a number of problems, government (any of them) waste too much of taxpayers money and are not sufficiently accountable, there are many fraudsters who either make false claims or milk the system, making less available for the truly needy, those not facing hardship want more spent on unnecessary services (these are the people who vote politicians in), such as on arts and cultural centres and ridiculous sculptures in public parks, grants to events and groups we can live without.

Until society and government are more fiscally and socially responsible and we get rid of the spongers and fraudsters there won't be more to go around and enable us to help those truly in need, until this time there will not be a 'Just' social system.

Healthcare, education, infrastructure, these are all suffering cutbacks. The only options to improve this are to increase taxes or reduce costs and waste.

The likelihood of this happening?

Zhanna

Your reply may have put to shame an indulgent product of western upper middle class upbringing Editha. The thing is, the situation you described - been there (didn't reach -30C, but close enough - ice on water INSIDE our house). I have had first hand experience in perversions of socialism, its dramatic demise, then what can only be described as anarchy, and of course 'side-effects' of the european version of democracy. Incidentally, on the other side of the world, my husband survived Mugabe's madness.
So social justice/injustice/indifference are all very familiar to us, and their mostly unfair distribution too.
We are not in search of promised land in Canada or elsewhere - my husband likes open space and I like snow, and a less claustrophobic place to rest after earlier mentioned 70 hrs/week.

Oink

Before you start throwing around terms like, socialism and democracy you really should ground and operationalise them and then we can all have a nice chat. Plus dramatic language aside, you might want to consider listing these 'perversions'.

Zhanna

This is not a kindergarten Oink, so before posting on 'social welfare' threads, maybe Google the terms you are not sure about.

Oink

They are rather fuzzy theoretical concepts that are open to many interpretations. For us to have any meaningful debate I suggest define how you are using them.

lmartin999

I actually think his life sounds quite miserable. Do you really begrudge the guy a beer and a few smokes?

Eliminating parasites, classy....

Please don't come to Canada, we pride ourselves on tolerance.

Zhanna

Sorry Oink, I am actually continuing my research of Canada at the moment, no time for unconnected debates, maybe next time. dbd33 and Aviator pretty much answered my question, the rest are just personal attacks, and, referring back to my 'dramatically' phrased post, they are trifles that can neither upset nor entertain me.

Zhanna

Really? Try tolerating my opinion first