Canada's Uncertain Future for Society

     After reading through many blogs, and continuing to look for new issues affecting those in poverty, I have come to a few conclusions. First and foremost, this complete lack of local food available is truly harming our Canadian society. We see people living in serious poverty willing to go to a fast food place to eat because the food is cheaper then at the grocery store. The healthy food is truly more expensive, and for those who are concerned with their diet, looking to keep an organic or allergy-free deit, is looking to pay two to three times the amount for the same type of food. Many people today have serious allergies and food intolorences to specific food or added ingredients, and most of the people living in poverty ignore their doctor's suggestions when it comes to eating because they aren't able to afford the food (HealthLinkBC report). I know a few people who live as duel income families, and yet their children's dietary needs often leave them looking to find extra side jobs in order to maintain the bill payments. Poverty is no longer who is hungry or on social assistance, but also those with a job who can no longer afford to live life in a sustaining way.

     This year's Canadian government fall budget statement reports that "the Commision to Promote Sustainable Child Welfare completed its work in Sept. 2012". They also intend to continue their work with the Children's Aid Society and look for more supporting resources. However, when Social Assistance is mentioned, they simply state that they are refroming the system to better suit those it was designed to assist. I am unsure how this statement is suposed to be understood, as there seems to be many large misunderstandings in how people feel they should be helped and how the government feels they should be helped. Their over-powering neo-liberal views on how people should live seems to be a very narrow-minded point of view, and is currently seriously harming the health of our country.

     We have learned that people in our own wealthy country are living in under-developed conditions, and are being poisoned from the land and water they are trying to live off of. These terrible conditions aren't even being considered as we look into the future of our great country, as our Prime Minister has recently announced that 90% of our fresh waterways are no longer going to be protected by the government. In this very same document it is stated that the farming we do have is going to be looked into more intensly, with the farmers themselves being held responsible for the many new rules and regulations (C 45 Jobs and Growth Act 2012. pg.6). These two actions by the government would not only ensure that living conditions across the country become much worse, but also farmers would be less encouraged to continue by the lack of support the government is offering.
    
      I often wander the internet for interesting ads lost through the years, and this one has a larger meaning to me now then it ever has before. I found it on through Google Images, and it was an ad printed in roughly the late 1930's. The message is pretty clear. I am seriously confused as to why they didn't listen, as I am sure today's world would look much different if they had.

Elizabeth M.

References:

http://www.healthlinkbc.ca/kb/content/major/te7016.html

http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/budget/fallstatement/2012/chapter1.html

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/472259-c-45-jobs-and-growth-act-2012.html