This was sent today to all BC newspapers. ----------------------------------- Dear Editor: We tentatively applaud the Campbell governments' attempts at making amends with the much battered public service employees, and thank the unions for taking a stand to ensure fair compensation for all workers. However, where is the voice for the children, women, disabled, elderly and disadvantaged who are living in abject poverty within this wealthy province? In this boom of high employment, the BC Government conveniently overlooks that the vast majority of new jobs are minimum wage. This means people fortunate enough to move from social assistance to 'gainful' employment STILL remain below the poverty line. So much for reducing the gap between the rich and the poor! Welfare rates have not increased in years. They have, in fact, declined drastically while the cost of living rises steadily. New qualifications for eligibility are complicated, disrespectful, impute blame, embarrass and shame, and in some cases are impossible to navigate without assistance. Communities around the province are scrambling to find alternatives to the increasing poverty, diminished health care, unattainable housing, sprawl and its attendant transportation problems, and decreased services for our most vulnerable citizens. Our tax dollars, provided through the province, used to cover these basics... Not any more! Decisions made at the top level of governments are the most to blame for the existence and depth of poverty in this province and country. Yet poverty is expected, by those very same policy-makers, to be treated locally. What crazy logic is that? And how convenient! Those creating the problem are not required to correct it. There is enough in the millions of surplus dollars the Liberal Government brags about to meet the needs of all British Columbians and it is time we ALL voiced our outrage on behalf of those living on the edge. It is time to implement a guaranteed annual income for all. Daphne Moldowin and Chrystal Ocean, WISE, Duncan BC. - 30 - ------------------- Problems/Questions? Send it to Listserv owner: [log in to unmask] To unsubscribe, send the following message in the text section -- NOT the subject header -- to [log in to unmask] SIGNOFF SDOH DO NOT SEND IT BY HITTING THE REPLY BUTTON. THIS SENDS THE MESSAGE TO THE ENTIRE LISTSERV AND STILL DOES NOT REMOVE YOU. To subscribe to the SDOH list, send the following message to [log in to unmask] in the text section, NOT in the subject header. SUBSCRIBE SDOH yourfirstname yourlastname To post a message to all 1000+ subscribers, send it to [log in to unmask] Include in the Subject, its content, and location and date, if relevant. For a list of SDOH members, send a request to [log in to unmask] To receive messages only once a day, send the following message to [log in to unmask] SET SDOH DIGEST To view the SDOH archives, go to: https://listserv.yorku.ca/archives/sdoh.html