Food For Thought

On November 6, Arnold Abbot was arrested in Fort Lauderdale for violating a city ordinance – feeding the homeless in a public place. This law was passed and enforced because people with businesses do not want the homeless hanging around their area. This is not a new thing. In the 1930s in Canadian cities, Department stores such as Eaton's and Simpson's prevailed on Ottawa to open labour camps in the outback for the same reason. But, new or old, one thing is for sure, it's the same old system.

Engineering and construction giant, SNC-Lavalin plans to lay off four thousand workers next year, including one thousand in Canada. The Montreal based company claims this is to help the company grow. To quote CEO, Robert Card, "It may be ironic, but it's a growth move. We have a target to become a $15 billion company in the near future and that's going to generate jobs." Imagine how gratifying that must seem to those about to be laid off in the 'near future'.

Notes on a Florida vacation – we crossed the Ontario-Michigan border at Sarnia to avoid Detroit, a city that we bypassed on the way south. Even passing through the outer Western suburbs, the devastation of a system that simply abandons people and infrastructure when not wanted, was very evident. The amount of empty, abandoned, rotting buildings resembles the aftermath of a bombing and was enough to bring one to tears. John Ayers.