We need to do better!

It was announced on the news that in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, 49% of residents are $200 from declaring insolvency, and 30% are already there. That leaves 20% of residents that have enough money to live comfortably. Manitoba and Saskatchewan are in line with the Canadian statistic of 50% of people are $200 from insolvency. 

Homelessness is a result of not having enough money to afford a home. In the cold of January, I think of those living on the street. The new 2024 Canadian statistics are staggering, and almost hard to believe.  

• On any given night in Canada, between 30,000 and 35,000 people are homeless.
• Toronto has the highest population of homeless.
• 66.7% of homeless people are males.
• 33.10% of homeless come from Indigenous communities.
• 86% of homeless shelters are in Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, and Alberta, and 40% of them are in Ontario alone.
• The annual cost of homelessness for our country is over $10 billion.
• There are around 50,000 hidden homeless in Canada on any given night. These people have no permanent housing and are staying with relatives or friends.
• 22% of the people experiencing homelessness are 13-24 years old. They go to live on the street because of a family conflict, neglect, or poverty. Young people who have been in foster care are more likely to experience homelessness. 26% of young homeless identify as LGBTQ+.
• Around 1.7 million Canadians have experienced insecure housing or homelessness.
• Some homeless have a permanent job without a permanent home. Not all homeless are unemployed. Research indicates that many homeless people actively look for permanent employment.

Domestic violence in Canada is increasing every year. There were horrible mass murders of families in 2024. One man came home to the death of his wife, best friend and four children. One child was only 2 months old. The family had moved from Sri Lanka to Canada for a better life. Sri Lanka is known as being one of the most violent countries in the world. 

A referee has made a video about the treatment of young hockey referees. It has gone viral. Calling a hockey game from the stands and screaming at the ref, is not new behavior. It has always been that way, but I wonder if it is getting worse. Kids that are passionate about hockey dream of being a referee. Once that happens, many are leaving the ice broken and in tears.  

I feel that this blog could go on and on with issues. I haven't even touched on health care, education and policing. In all my wisdom I feel we need to focus on one problem at a time. Pour our knowledge and resources into it and then move on to the next. By fixing one thing, the others will have a trickle-down effect and start to repair themselves. I have no clue as to what problem I would ever pick to start with. I feel we need to do better in so many aspects of the world right now. Let's begin with one of my favorite lines, "knowledge is power" and move on up from there.  

Today is "Bell Let's Talk Day"

1 in 2 youth don't get the help they need for their mental health!