No money = no food or adequate shelter (or if food, nothing healthy as fruit and vegetables are unaffordable compared to Kraft Dinner and zoodles)
No food or shelter= crime
Crime = school dropouts
School dropouts = no educated young people which in turn, breeds more poverty.
More poverty = less hope.
Repeat vicious cycle.

Is this what Canada wants? Less educated people running around gangbanging because there is simply no other way? Hookers and homeless beggers in the streets? Addiction?

The big factor in all of this is simply a greedy and uncaring government. It is more feasible to sit on welfare then work a minimum wage job. That is the bottom line. Atleast with welfare you do not need to try and afford child care. Even with subsidized daycare, $100 a month when you bring home maybe $700 is a lot of money. Might as well stay on welfare. You make the same amount. EVERYTHING is increasing in 2008. Yes, the governent dropped the sales tax to 5%, but lets see, transit has increased from $2 to $2.25. Hydro, water, and gas are all increasing. Fuel is increasing. Rent is increasing. Food is increasing. How many more children need to feel this burden? How many more struggling mothers and fathers need to feel this burden? I know that the premier will certainly not feel the sting of his children being left behind when it comes to extracurricular activities. But it is ok for those of us who have not had a fortunate upbringing.

Education is power. Give kids the incentive to study, show them that there is more to their life then the crime ridden ghetto of the North End in Winnipeg. Show them that this country cares about them enough to say “enough is enough”. Raise minimum wage. Help the struggling student. Give awards and bursaries and grants to these kids who need it. Truly and really need it. Develope programs for sports or arts. The solution is obvious, and this country CAN afford to do something. We are not third world on paper. Give the same educational opportunities regardless of race and creed. Aboriginals are offered free post secondary. Guess what? There are poor white and black people too. Poverty does not have a color. Stop treating it as such.

I live in fear for myself and family. I should not have to simply because this province does not offer any way out. Change is something so easily talked about. Actions speak louder then words. I see minimum wage increasing to $8.25 this month. Whoopee. Inflation has increased to the equivalent of double the minimum wage. So, I am not overly excited about it. Who am I though really? An uneducated, poor, single mother on welfare. Just like the rest of us.

Note before the judgement is passed, I am not of aboriginal decree.