Aa
How do you legislate for this?
http://news.yahoo.com/chicago-woman-loses-4th-child-gun-violence-050937554.html
This is the element that no legislation is going to affect. It is tragic, but this is happening in area's where gun laws are the most strict. Law abiding citizens are not running around doing this. It's criminals. It's punks. It's people with no real home life, no positive parental role models. It's people who do not live by the rules and do not play by the rules. The rules do not apply to them.
This is the element that no legislation is going to affect. It is tragic, but this is happening in area's where gun laws are the most strict. Law abiding citizens are not running around doing this. It's criminals. It's punks. It's people with no real home life, no positive parental role models. It's people who do not live by the rules and do not play by the rules. The rules do not apply to them.
Back to the question at hand. How do you legislate for this? The woman in the story lost at least one child to a drive by shooting. Is the answer more legislation that criminals won't follow?
http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm?ty=tp&tid=17
The above link has some pretty interesting crime statistics pertaining to repeat offenders. The reasoning behind posting that was to show that most criminals simply don't care.
Take guns and drive by shootings completely out of the equation. Felons of any type are highly likely to be rearrested for another felony charge (and from the stats at the above link, within 3 years). Incarceration isn't helping.
http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm?ty=tp&tid=17
The above link has some pretty interesting crime statistics pertaining to repeat offenders. The reasoning behind posting that was to show that most criminals simply don't care.
Take guns and drive by shootings completely out of the equation. Felons of any type are highly likely to be rearrested for another felony charge (and from the stats at the above link, within 3 years). Incarceration isn't helping.
We have two seasons....too freaking hot and too freaking cold...lol. Actually, that is more where I live. Toronto tends to see all 4 seasons. It does get cold in winter, but summers are beautiful, and longer then what we see in my province.
It sounds like a wonderful country. But a bit on the cold side, eh?
You know, I honestly don't know how the immigration system works entirely. Most of the immigrants I work with are refugees' which is of course very different. I do know that due to our low population (and of course the fact that our tax base is shrinking as people have less children) they do try to make it quite easy. At least that is my understanding.
The cost of living here is very high in general. Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary (where I live) are the 3 most expensive cities in Canada. The average home in my city is now about $400,000 and Toronto is a bit higher I think. These are not pretentious homes, just standard middle class. I don't know about religious schools, but everything else is expensive. Keep in mind that our average income is also higher then the US, so it does balance a bit, but still...not cheap to live here. Our economy is strong right now, so that drives everything up. I don't have to many friends who are able to stay home with their kids. The plus side is that we are a very "family friendly" country. In other words, most employers are very supportive of working families. When my son is sick, I stay home with him with no worry about it causing problems. So that is a plus.
The cost of living here is very high in general. Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary (where I live) are the 3 most expensive cities in Canada. The average home in my city is now about $400,000 and Toronto is a bit higher I think. These are not pretentious homes, just standard middle class. I don't know about religious schools, but everything else is expensive. Keep in mind that our average income is also higher then the US, so it does balance a bit, but still...not cheap to live here. Our economy is strong right now, so that drives everything up. I don't have to many friends who are able to stay home with their kids. The plus side is that we are a very "family friendly" country. In other words, most employers are very supportive of working families. When my son is sick, I stay home with him with no worry about it causing problems. So that is a plus.
I was told back in the 70's that in order to immigrate to Canada one needed either a certain amount of points, like pts. were given for College graduates, ppl coming in with money, someone who had a good job lined up and so forth. Is that still the case?
My son was looking into Toronto recently and was going to be teaching in what is the equivalent of a Jewish University. After he visited he figured that with 3 children, one with special needs they couldn't afford the childcare (and tuition due to the kids attending a religious private school) even though he was offered a very good salary and his wife who is a credentialed teacher would have worked as well.
My son was looking into Toronto recently and was going to be teaching in what is the equivalent of a Jewish University. After he visited he figured that with 3 children, one with special needs they couldn't afford the childcare (and tuition due to the kids attending a religious private school) even though he was offered a very good salary and his wife who is a credentialed teacher would have worked as well.
There is no question your gov't is far bigger then ours. And I suspect things fall through the cracks all the time here too. There is room to trim fat, but sometimes I think the problem is so big, no one wants to tackle it. I can tell you some of the welfare reform we have done in our Province though, and some of it is good, although I have issues with some of the existing policies.
You have to have an address to collect. So, if you are living in a shelter, the assumption is made that your basic needs are being met. You get a small (and I mean 10/day living allowance) and that is it.
If you are in a home, the amount you get depends on where you live. So, if you live in subsidized housing you get less then in market rental. It's also divided. So, you get what's called a core shelter allowance for rent/utilities, and that is often direct paid to landlord. The rest is dependent on how many children you have, their ages, your ability to work (able to work gets less then unable to work), and any special needs ie: diabetic with a special diet.
If you are able to work, you have to prove you are looking. They will send you letters of must attend trainings and job fairs, that sort of thing. If you don't comply, your cut off.
Amount paid pays the basics, if that. And I do mean if that. Food, shelter and that is about it.
The idea is to motivate people to get back to work. My issue is that even with daycare subsidies, childcare here is so expensive (my husband and I pay $1071/month for 1 child). Housing is also very expensive here (the average 1 bedroom apartment is from 900-1100/month). There is not nearly enough subsidized housing. People migrate here though, and stay here because this is where the jobs are. So it's tough if you are low income.
You have to have an address to collect. So, if you are living in a shelter, the assumption is made that your basic needs are being met. You get a small (and I mean 10/day living allowance) and that is it.
If you are in a home, the amount you get depends on where you live. So, if you live in subsidized housing you get less then in market rental. It's also divided. So, you get what's called a core shelter allowance for rent/utilities, and that is often direct paid to landlord. The rest is dependent on how many children you have, their ages, your ability to work (able to work gets less then unable to work), and any special needs ie: diabetic with a special diet.
If you are able to work, you have to prove you are looking. They will send you letters of must attend trainings and job fairs, that sort of thing. If you don't comply, your cut off.
Amount paid pays the basics, if that. And I do mean if that. Food, shelter and that is about it.
The idea is to motivate people to get back to work. My issue is that even with daycare subsidies, childcare here is so expensive (my husband and I pay $1071/month for 1 child). Housing is also very expensive here (the average 1 bedroom apartment is from 900-1100/month). There is not nearly enough subsidized housing. People migrate here though, and stay here because this is where the jobs are. So it's tough if you are low income.
I wonder how big the scope of government is in Canada compared to here? Obviously our population is many times larger, so it would seem semi logical that government would be as well... but we have departments within departments with numerous "supervisors"...... It gets pretty convoluted and things fall through the cracks.
"we do believe in a high level of accountability from clients too."
Well said! Accountability is just what is needed here.
Well said! Accountability is just what is needed here.
That's awesome, adgal.
I will say it again...we have a lot to learn from our Northern neighbor.
I will say it again...we have a lot to learn from our Northern neighbor.
Non profit. They are run very efficiently, at least ours is. We have to account for every single dime spent as all of our money comes from private donation, corporate donation or gov't. (about half for some programs). Our level of accountability is very high...we not only have to show what we did with the money, we have to show outcomes..in other words, what the long term impact of whatever program is. So there is a lot of follow up and an awful lot of checks and balances. I would never ever think that having a for profit company do something like this is a good idea. We as staff do get paid, but admin costs are relatively low, especially when compared to gov't. I think we also do a better job of forming relationships with clients and getting to the crux of the issue. Our mandate is to move people to independence. The way most welfare programs are run now, it becomes a vicious cycle. Once you are on the system, it can be extremely difficult to get off of it. In our city, almost all the housing programs are run by agencies now. It works....we do believe in a high level of accountability from clients too.
Are your private agencies "for profit" or nonprofit?
Yes, you are right adgal. It is one of the reasons I get so steamed when people talk about the welfare system as if *all* the people in need abuse the system.
We all know of those ppl who took the hand up and bettered themselves. We often just focus on the people who abuse the system.
Private agencies are an idea but probably more expensive...just don't know enough about it to have any answers.
We all know of those ppl who took the hand up and bettered themselves. We often just focus on the people who abuse the system.
Private agencies are an idea but probably more expensive...just don't know enough about it to have any answers.
THere is a flip side to this that is also very upsetting. When someone manipulates the system, defrauds the system or takes a subsidized home they don't need, someone who truly needs the help is losing out. First off, it gives those legitimately struggling a bad name as assumptions are made (human nature), and it takes money or affordable living away from them. That makes me crazy! The private agencies do a pretty good job of catching them - we do all the time. Sometimes I wonder if welfare and other programs like that wouldn't be better run by private agencies. Just a thought.
It is easy to make assumptions about a person's beliefs based on some political views. I too am guilty of that, but thinking beings have an array of beliefs and sometimes they may even be contradictory.
That is the beauty and challenge of being human, imo.
That is the beauty and challenge of being human, imo.
I do think tekos view is radical for her and I hit the floor right after NG.
There is subsidized housing a few blocks from my apartment. A few years ago a youngster was shot and wounded out front. Last year, someone broke into one of the apartments and killed the woman who lived there and her boyfriend who was a drug dealer.
If you have been convicted of a felony you are not supposed to live there, but how can they enforce that?
It is really difficult.
When one of my student was talking about her lovely new apartment she was getting because she was pregnant, a girl who had no skills to speak of and no interest in learning I felt very angry. That is clearly enabling.
Maybe dorms would be a better solution until they could earn enough to pay rent.
I hate being a hard nose but even though I do not believe this is what is taking down our country (like I believe bailing out the banks takes it down) it is more an illness we propagate with people who look are social vampires.
If you have been convicted of a felony you are not supposed to live there, but how can they enforce that?
It is really difficult.
When one of my student was talking about her lovely new apartment she was getting because she was pregnant, a girl who had no skills to speak of and no interest in learning I felt very angry. That is clearly enabling.
Maybe dorms would be a better solution until they could earn enough to pay rent.
I hate being a hard nose but even though I do not believe this is what is taking down our country (like I believe bailing out the banks takes it down) it is more an illness we propagate with people who look are social vampires.
"not that I believe that subsidized housing should be chucked. However there should be some serious modifications." So true........
I know someone who was in subsidized housing with 2 small children and had someone living with her who was making *very* good wages and could easily have paid rent someplace. Problem was, he was married to someone else, so he stayed in the subsidized housing until they were turned in. Those two are now married and still trying to scam the government. Yep, we need modifications.
I know someone who was in subsidized housing with 2 small children and had someone living with her who was making *very* good wages and could easily have paid rent someplace. Problem was, he was married to someone else, so he stayed in the subsidized housing until they were turned in. Those two are now married and still trying to scam the government. Yep, we need modifications.
I don't really think your belief is so radical. I have seen too many teens get pregnant so they can get out of the house into their "own" apartments.
It is a problem with our system, not that I believe that subsidized housing should be chucked. However there should be some serious modifications.
It is a problem with our system, not that I believe that subsidized housing should be chucked. However there should be some serious modifications.
Very well said.............
OMG.........
I agree.
*thud*
:0)
I agree.
*thud*
:0)
We see alot of families who have made social programs their way of life. You can always tell...people that find themselves going through a tough time will tend to stay on it as short a time as possible, vs. those that it's the family career. Seriously.
We have changed our welfare system in our Province. It's now called Alberta Works. If you are fit and able to work (you require a Dr.'s affidavit otherwise) you are expected to show up for employment fairs, training, etc. etc. otherwise they can and will cut you off. Now, we have a lot of jobs available out there, so that works here. It's a good thing...you have to prove you are doing everything possible to find work.
We have changed our welfare system in our Province. It's now called Alberta Works. If you are fit and able to work (you require a Dr.'s affidavit otherwise) you are expected to show up for employment fairs, training, etc. etc. otherwise they can and will cut you off. Now, we have a lot of jobs available out there, so that works here. It's a good thing...you have to prove you are doing everything possible to find work.
Or the amount of divorce for that matter, or how about the siblings that now have other siblings and they all have different fathers, none of which live in the home. I am a strong believer in birth control. And in this sense I cross over party lines too because, if welfare, housing, food stamps and medical were not so readily available to anyone with children, basically encouraging this type of lifestyle, one has to wonder if it would still be going on in such great numbers.
Where I came from, having a baby outside of marriage usually meant you spent the rest of your life working two jobs to raise them and make ends meet and if you were lucky, put them thru college. Now it seems the state aid takes care of all those inconveniences for them. There has to be a middleground I think.
Where I came from, having a baby outside of marriage usually meant you spent the rest of your life working two jobs to raise them and make ends meet and if you were lucky, put them thru college. Now it seems the state aid takes care of all those inconveniences for them. There has to be a middleground I think.
What changed is that society no longer disapproves of unmarried people having children.
Im not sure there is a solution at this point, and that is a scary thought. Can you just imagine how much worse this is going to get over time if something doesnt happen to intervene. I think everyone brought valid points and I have racked my brain trying to figure out what changed over the years. Maybe its the breakup of the family unit, divorce is commonplace and children are being raised with little guidance from both parents, and they are growing up angry with no or very little structure or discipline or sense of responsibility for your actions. But I feel like there is much more to it than just that.
You must join this user group in order to participate in this discussion.
You are reading content posted in the Current Events . . . Group
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
