Dear editor,
The CBC recently had their 32nd Food Bank Day. For almost a week CBC has trumpeted their wonderful day of helping the poor folk in our communities. Last I heard, they were closing on $700,000 in donations.
I am hearing from many local groups that food security is becoming a serious issue in all of B.C. What does this do about people who can’t afford what is already available to some in the local grocery store?
While I sympathize with those who work at food banks who don’t know what people would do without the food bank, I think our community has to look in the mirror while asking these questions:
Costs of living are going up. These increases probably won’t change. How does the community respond to people who can’t keep up financially?
What would happen if salaries of the working poor employees (usually for major corporations who get huge tax breaks and subsidies from government) were increased to at least a living wage?
What would happen to those who come to food banks if their income was increased?
What might B.C. look like if food banks went out of business for lack of need?
How come some seniors, people who generations ago made it possible to build schools and pave B.C. highways because of the work they did in the forests, mines and fisheries attend food banks?
Why are the mainline political parties opposed to decent improvements to the Canada Pension Plan so seniors don’t need to rely on food banks?
How come indeed! Am I alone in this kind of questioning?
Cliff Boldt,
Courtenay