I have to say how proud I am of how Canadians stepped forward to assist in Haiti. Historically when the world’s disasters occur, Canadians are near the front of the line of those giving assistance. I doubt that on a per capita basis, few nations meet our generosity.
Two weekends ago, amidst the fundraising for Haiti you might not have noticed a Grade 6 class contributing to the Stollery, the University of Alberta ringette team passing along a big cheque to the Cross Cancer Institute and the Sherwood Park Community Group raising a big chunk of change. All of it is marvellous.
Yet there are cold and hungry people living in our own city. Some even live in the parks of St. Albert year round. Not very distant from our homes, in Edmonton people live on the streets, in back lanes or anywhere they can find a place warmer than the winter winds and summer rains. Canada has more ‘working poor’ than is reasonable for a nation with all the assets that exist here. We haven’t had a geologic fault shift to bring these individuals to these places but we regularly demonstrate a lack of concern that results in hunger, homelessness, schools without books, choices between heat and light and other problems created by years of political and social tinkering without much progress. Read anything about Haiti and you’ll quickly learn about the constant upheavals throughout the political and social history of that sad country. Did we really care then? Do we really care now about those who live in Canada? When open-heart surgery is required, a simple Band-Aid won’t do. Can we quit squabbling politically and do something positive to begin to bring an end to these problems in our own country?
Please don’t tell me about those who want to live on the streets. In this country it is unconscionable that anyone goes hungry. If you can give $10 to Haitian relief and other emergency funding, give $2 to local support agencies. I tire of waiting for government agencies to catch up. Yes they should help internationally but they are obligated to help nationally, provincially and locally. When they don’t, we must. That is the essence of humanity, no matter religion, ethnic origin or colour.
Please don’t call me a Pollyanna because I’m not. If we won’t pick up our tasks, our cities will become just like Chicago, Detroit, New York and Los Angles. Are you aware milk costs more in many American inner cities than in the suburbs? Why? Because inner city residents can’t travel easily to buy less expensive suburban milk. Does that make sense? Is it the same in Canada? Unfortunately more often than not, yes.
It is certainly sad that Canada, in our efforts to bring public safety to Haiti, sent members of our RCMP to that nation. It is sadder still that some of those deployed there died in the quake. It is saddest that as aid began to arrive, the stability we had hoped to provide broke down and Canada needed to provide a military presence.
I am not a xenophobe, but I am well aware we seem to spend more time and charity outside our borders than within. It is time to pick up our own problems and begin to solve them, while we help the world. That is humanitarian.
Of course maybe it’s just me.
Andy Michaelson is a St. Albert writer and poet.
