The Importance of Collective Work…by “Diamond Wisdom”
Aug 2nd, 2009 | By Diamond Wisdom | Category: Campaigns (incl.) Grassroots
It is said, that “Where there is no vision, the people parish”. Look around the many neighbourhoods in the Greater Toronto area. We, the people are increasingly divided by income, ethnicity, class, age, religion, disability, and sexual orientation, regardless of the protections afforded to us by human rights legislation. Our Human Rights protections are increasingly eroded or ignored when implementing changes to government programs that effect the most vulnerable among us. It seems that Canada day is the only day that we collectively reflect on our sense of unity, then; we suddenly forget about it by July 2nd. The situations of the working poor & those on social assistance divide us. Unionized and non-unionized work places and opinion on them divide us. Wake up people; the time has come to stick together, because poverty affects us all!
The terms economic downturn & recession are fresh on our minds, and increasingly, they are on the minds of more among us. Compared to other recessions, what makes this one unique is that more members of our middle class have suffered the devastating effects of job loss, with little prospect of finding a comparable position in the current market place. Sadly, government programs aimed at stimulating economic growth focus on helping the corporate elite first before the people who are most affected. Many are older workers, who not only face educational deficits, but also find themselves competing with younger workers and new graduates. Non-unionized employees are left with nothing when their employers shut down and declare bankruptcy. Unionized employees have their collective agreements ignored through lockouts, are then fired and replaced with lower paying workers. I understand that this recently took place with Cadillac Fairview maintenance employees were are able-bodied and on disability leave at the TD Centre in Toronto. Many workers find themselves having to apply for Employment Insurance or social assistance for the first time. They are shocked to find out how difficult it is to obtain these benefits, and secondly how difficult it is to survive on these programs once the hurdles of eligibility have been cleared. The process strips the person of their assets and dignity. It also treats the applicant as being guilty until they prove themselves innocent. This is backward thinking that needs to change.
It is so easy to make assumptions and criticize when one is ‘’on the other side of the fence’’ looking in, especially when they don’t see the full picture. Any one can find themselves in this situation. The reality is that the Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Programs benefits do not reflect the true cost of shelter and basic needs, and the food bank of the 80’s is not in a position to help the client of the 2009. I was surprised to hear Minister Deb Matthews admit publicly that there is no justification or criteria used to set these low benefits. Sadly, the social safety net is already in tatters, and we are facing a large population of seniors in the coming years who will rely on income support programs. Many will acquire disabilities that accompany the aging process. Many have not had the good fortune to be able to save for retirement. So if you think that addressing poverty now is something that you can ignore, think again. At some point in your life time, you will apply for a social program, but will they be there for you to access and under what conditions?
If people don’t have the means or opportunity to better themselves, then how can they move forward with their lives? The impact always boils down to economics. If the people don’t have incomes to support local business, those businesses fold & the government loses tax revenue. It costs money to get on transit; get to the doctor; or to purchase medicines that are not covered by current social programs. The bottom line is that it costs money to afford the necessities of life! When did we forget how important these elements were to life?
We must harness our collective energy, whether we belong to a professional association, religious organization, community group or political party, your voice is important. Our poverty was created through policy. The poor don’t need your small change, we need systemic change.
Submitted By: Diamond Wisdom.-ODSP recipient and advocate for poverty reduction and human rights, July 2009
