Food Banks

[Hecate]

Look at the excessive taxes on cigarettes and alcohol that disproportionately hurt low income Canadians. Greed greed greed. It’s everywhere.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Hecate

Why stop at grocery stores? Maybe landlords too? What about other businesses that make excessive profits?

Because we're talking about food?

We already have rent controls that impact landlords.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Hecate

Look at the excessive taxes on cigarettes and alcohol that disproportionately hurt low income Canadians. Greed greed greed. It’s everywhere.

Those aren't essential to live, and cost our public healthcare system a lot of money.

[Nouvellecosse]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Those aren't essential to live, and cost our public healthcare system a lot of money.

Not to mention that such taxes act as a disincentive to a lot of people who would otherwise be harmed by higher rates of tobacco and alcohol consumption. And cost-related disincentives have the greatest effect on the most cost sensitive. Safe to say those taxes probably help low income people more than they harm them.

[ssiguy]

I am not questioning the need of Food Banks but rather how it has gone from a one-time need to a gov't excuse.

This idea that we just can't get rid of Food Banks has no validity. Canada had a lot of Food Banks in the Dirty Thirties but they were all quickly phased out as the Depression ended and good economic times returned with the War. Canada didn't get a Food Bank again until 1981 when the first since the Depression opened in Edmonton. If we could get rid of them 75 years ago then why can't we now? If we had kept all those Food Banks running, it's very possible we wouldn't have had the development of the huge post-war welfare state.

Having the need for Food Banks has created the need for even more because gov't now consider it a way to pass the buck of providing help to our most vulnerable citizens. It's become an unending cycle for what was originally brought in for a short-term solution but now has become part of the problem. Perhaps our only way of getting gov't to make sure that all citizens have enough nutritious food to eat is by closing down the Food Banks. When people start going hungry I think the gov'ts would miraculously find the money to help our people which they swore they just didn't have.

They have to give the gov't time to change their policies so a phased out approach would be best as an example, no foreign students/TFW, then no students at all, then no landed immigrants, then no employable single person between 18 to 65, eventually leaving only seniors, people with disabilities, and people with kids. Then all of the last 3 would see the vast majority of new welfare programs.

Food Banks themselves maybe part of the reason why we need them in the first place.

[blueandgoldguy]

While we are going after grocery stores, we should go after telecoms for their outrageous monthly rates on cell phones, pretty well the highest in the world. For many people nowadays, poor or otherwise, the cell phone is their only form of communication with the outside world. Saving an extra 20 - 30 dollars a month might not sound like much, but it would make a world of difference for families on the edge.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by blueandgoldguy

While we are going after grocery stores, we should go after telecoms for their outrageous monthly rates on cell phones, pretty well the highest in the world. For many people nowadays, poor or otherwise, the cell phone is their only form of communication with the outside world. Saving an extra 20 - 30 dollars a month might not sound like much, but it would make a world of difference for families on the edge.

Like most of the food panic it just takes some shopping around. I am paying $15 a month for cell phone. But yeah I don't watch videos on the train and need to wait for wifi.

[Nouvellecosse]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

Like most of the food panic it just takes some shopping around. I am paying $15 a month for cell phone. But yeah I don't watch videos on the train and need to wait for wifi.

Oh I started to get excited for a second until I found out there's no data

[Hecate]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

Like most of the food panic it just takes some shopping around. I am paying $15 a month for cell phone. But yeah I don't watch videos on the train and need to wait for wifi.

Yes because poor people have $10 in gas to spend driving across the city to save $1.00 on macaroni

[SpongeG]

I pass the food bank here in Vancouver almost daily on my way home. many of the people using it arrive in vehicles.

I heard there was a controversy and public outcry in Ontario recently cause an International student was telling fellow int students to go to a food bank cause it's all free food and locals were quite mad.

[Hecate]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Because we're talking about food?

We already have rent controls that impact landlords.

lol rent controls. How many people have been renovicted in the last several years? Grocery stores don’t make that much profit, they’re making money yes but not like other companies. Grocery stores are averaging like a three percent profit margin. Average home building profit margins are around 12%. You should look at clothings profits. Lol

[Hecate]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

I pass the food bank here in Vancouver almost daily on my way home. many of the people using it arrive in vehicles.

I heard there was a controversy and public outcry in Ontario recently cause an International student was telling fellow int students to go to a food bank cause it's all free food and locals were quite mad.

There are videos on YouTube of Indians telling other Indians how to scam the system in Canada.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by Hecate

Yes because poor people have $10 in gas to spend driving across the city to save $1.00 on macaroni

A lot of people have no idea what being poor is like. That's why you get trite suggestions like, "Just shop around."

They assume the poor, like themselves, have plenty of time. But if you know anybody who is actually poor, they are usually trying to get by on more than one job. Guess they should shop around in the time they are transiting from one job to the next.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by Hecate

Yes because poor people have $10 in gas to spend driving across the city to save $1.00 on macaroni

This is the attitude that makes you broke. Two stores a week. Flyer match and stock up. And buy the sales instead of insisting on the apples or brands you like. Lentils and rice have as much protein as Chicken breasts. Yes all of this takes some knowledge, literacy and cooking skills. I don't blame the people filling their cart at Loblaws with Hamburger helper and the $8 400g packs wondering why the dollar doesn't stretch but that doesn't mean there isn't a way to spend less without driving all around town or grinding your own meat.

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

Oh I started to get excited for a second until I found out there's no data

1 GB a month but that's becaues I am with them for 2 years so free bonus and then drop down to the 0 data plan.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

I don't think he's actually far removed from suggesting that. It's the accelerationist view of the problem. "Maybe if we have more people starving to death, the government will be forced to lower immigration and I can afford real estate."

What a weird view, when we all know that in reality, if we have more people starving to death, the solution to that will be to increase the yearly intakes of FNSs to make up for the losses

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

I pass the food bank here in Vancouver almost daily on my way home. many of the people using it arrive in vehicles.

I heard there was a controversy and public outcry in Ontario recently cause an International student was telling fellow int students to go to a food bank cause it's all free food and locals were quite mad.

That happened in Kitchener, iinm, and it was not ill-intentioned.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Those aren't essential to live, and cost our public healthcare system a lot of money.

Unfortunately, both alcohol and cigarettes are pretty damn essential to anyone who’s addicted to them. Alcohol is actually considered “essential” to alcoholics by the healthcare system here, i.e. if you say you want to quit, they’ll be forced to hospitalize you.

[Xelebes]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

This is the attitude that makes you broke. Two stores a week. Flyer match and stock up. And buy the sales instead of insisting on the apples or brands you like. Lentils and rice have as much protein as Chicken breasts. Yes all of this takes some knowledge, literacy and cooking skills. I don't blame the people filling their cart at Loblaws with Hamburger helper and the $8 400g packs wondering why the dollar doesn't stretch but that doesn't mean there isn't a way to spend less without driving all around town or grinding your own meat.



1 GB a month but that's becaues I am with them for 2 years so free bonus and then drop down to the 0 data plan.

Dude, someone with experience with being poor here. That is, I managed to live off of a GST rebate for a year. The biggest problem here is you're talking about people with unstable or non-existent incomes. The real answer is you don't spend. At all. You hold onto every penny until you get some more money. You don't shop around because while you see those bottom-basement prices, you know you can't afford it.

Food banks are useful for those experiencing an interruption of their income. The moment you know that you hold onto every penny. And that can mean you have a fancy car, but knowing it will never be liquid enough to get that quick hit of cash so that you can make your groceries.

For those experiencing protracted food insecurity, other options need to be on the table.

Secondly, I want to point out to people like YOWMetal. I know you're trying to help but please understand that your means of helping is to expend no resources to help so you resort to wagging your jaw. This is something we see over and over. If you've got nothing to give, then shut up. None of us want ashes from your pocket.

[harls]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

This is the attitude that makes you broke.

Tell that to the people with only one available grocery store. Not all poor people live in cities with a flourishing grocery landscape.

[Wigs]

Sorry that you work 2-3 jobs and still struggle to make ends meet.
Guess ya didn't pull yourself up by the boot straps!
Must be the poor person mentality

I've witnessed an increasing amount of Canadians publicly have the American "I got mine, screw you if you didn't get yours, loser" mentality on life. It makes me feel sad.

I've been back in my home region for a decade.
- Rent prices are up 50-65% (depending on size)
- Home prices have nearly tripled (currently 2.7 times higher)
- Groceries are a lot higher for a well balanced, nutritious diet
- Gas prices fluctuated from 90 cents to $1.20/litre, now they are generally above $1.50/litre to currently closer to $1.60/ litre in my region (costs an extra $24-$40+ for a 60L tank every time you fill up).

My Dad is a monthly sustainer of the local food bank, and I donate when I can. We also grow a larger than needed backyard garden together to give excess fresh produce (tomatoes, sweet peppers, cukes, and apples from 2 old growth trees). The staff are super appreciative of fresh produce and it feels good knowing, even in a tiny way, you are helping out the less fortunate members of our community.

No man is an island (well maybe Bezos and Musk could afford to have self sustaining islands at this point ).
Never judge your fellow humans unless you've walked a mile in their shoes/moccasins. Some of you guys are seemingly callous, or delusional into the harsh realities for many of your fellow Canadians in 2024.
You never know what an individual or family is going through unless you take the time to talk to them. Everyone has a different story.

The amount of people "gaming" the system are in the minority. And like Truenorth essentially states, if one tried to live off social assistance programs you'd see it's not this easy life many make it out to be.
Truenorth, Hecate, Xelebes among others are understanding and have the ability for empathy and to sympathize with others. Maybe try having the tiniest bit of compassion for less fortunate and working poor in your Canadian community.