I’m deeply concerned about the remarks made by our member of Parliament, Colin Mayes.
He has said that citizens who are having a difficult time with poverty, hunger and homelessness are local issues.
The Harper government tell us that these issues are not their’s, but this is the easy way out.
Over the past few years, this Harper government has downloaded many issues down the line to municipalities and provinces as they balance the budget on the backs of those who don’t have resources to fight back or voice their opposition.
They just say, “not ours.”
The Canada I have known for more than 70 years has been a caring country that provides reasonable help to its citizens who have fallen on bad times.
I realize that homelessness has many causes, but providing reasonable housing to these people is the start many need to find their way out of the cycle.
Another thing that is needed and must be provided is counselling and medical assistance to help those addicted to substances and alcohol.
Balancing the budget and reducing taxes is a lofty goal but completely ignores those that need the assistance and can’t obtain it.
I believe that homelessness costs all of us far more than any taxes that may be saved.
Municipalities in Canada have tremendous pressures for services, downloading and offloading of these services by cutting the amounts provinces receive from the Harper government is not the way to improve Canada.
Various charities and non-profit groups cannot provide these services by themselves.
Please think of these issues when we go to the polls in next year’s federal election.
Heywood MacDonnell
Vernon
