new drinking and driving laws in BC

I feel bad for anyone who’s job or company is in jeopardy. And I am sorry for the employees of restaurants and bars that may lose their job due to the new laws. By the same token I almost laughed aloud hearing restaurant/pub/bar owners complain that their businesses were suffering so much with the new laws. I am thinking you’re suffering doesn’t begin to touch that of a family that has lost a child/loved one to drinking and driving.

I think it’s great rides are being offered now; why did you wait? The deaths didn’t matter, but your bottom line does?? When I used to go to Foxes for wing night with adults, sat in the bar, drank alcohol and then wanted an ice water from the tap, it was free. If I went with my family didn’t drink alcohol we had to pay for the water. What was that all about? If you drink booze the water is free, if you don’t you have to pay???? No other place I had ever gone to for wings EVER charged me for water, and I’ve been too many. Your staff didn’t care when I complained about paying for water; apparently it was a “management decision.” For the record that policy seems to have changed; but what were you thinking?

For years we have all heard of people being killed, killing others due to drinking and driving. Did this increase the drinking establishments vigilance in clients being “over served.” From the many people I have seen leaving restaurants/drinking establishments apparently “over served” only applied to those not able to walk without falling over. How many times have we read in the local paper that an accident/death due to drinking and driving occurred right after people left Roosters? How many innocent victims have to die before the drinking establishments take some responsibility? And just before everyone gets all up in arms over the whole "being responsible for our own behaviour" bit. Yes, we as individuals need to make sure we don’t drink and drive, we need to make sure we don’t get in a car with someone who has been drinking and driving but there is an accountability on the business end as well. There is not enough people being cut off when they’ve had too much to drink. There is nothing to encourage people to be the designated driver as there once was. As the person who is usually the “designated driver” I get to pay as much for, or even more for my pop, as my friends do for their drinks. I mean really, how much does it cost a restaurant/pub for soda syrup? Perhaps more people would be willing to be the designated driver if there was some sort of accomodation on the establishment’s part. Maybe that would have been more cost effective in the long run than what is happening now.

How about the constant promotions for “2 for 1” highballs, or drink specials. I am not thinking you’re concerned about the family budget and so are trying to make it so husbands and wives can have a cheap date night. It’s to bring more people in, and keep them staying. For the life of me I can’t even understand why “drink specials” are even allowed. Why on earth do we encourage people to get as much booze as possible for as little money as possible. Most of us, after the tipsy point, aren’t really aware of how much we’ve had until we are slurring our words, and staggering. At this point most of us no longer worry too much about how much we’ve had and we want more. Even worse, in our own minds we are “ok” to drive.

Perhaps if these same establishments had been more pro-active, more concerned about the ravages of drinking and driving it wouldn’t have got to this point. I am not thinking that any family that has lost a loved one due to drinking and driving would be very concerned about your profit margins. Who knows, maybe their loved one would still be alive if anyone had had the moxie to do something about this beforehand.

Already I have heard that a “watered down” version is being suggested. That is how much influence alcohol has on our society. How sad is that, people and businesses complaining that they can’t drink more than one or two when they are out. Truly, my heart bleeds for you…..

tired

Sometimes you just get so tired. The problem is when you are physically tired, emotionally tired, mentally tired, tired of humanity or shall I say the lack of. Tired of bureaucracy, of government, of systems that seem to be set up to hurt the ones they are supposed to represent. Tired of having faith in mankind, of believing that people will do the right thing. Tired of banging your head against the wall over and over again, and even though you now have a gaping hole in the back of your head still no one gives a rats patootie. Tired of having to fight for what is right;and not understanding one iota why no one seems to get it.
That's when you have to look back over your day and find something/someone to believe in. It could be simple gratitude that at 7:24pm you have lived to see another day, because even it's been lousy tomorrow will be a new start. A new day. A day of possibility. Even if you are in the lowest place you could ever be there is always something, no matter how seemingly small or insignificant that we can do to make it better.

Happy Thanksgiving

I am thankful for so many things, most I forget to be thankful for and take for granted. My faith, my family, and my friends. My country; one that allows me to "be free" without prosecution. One which allows me the opportunity and the freedom to be the best I can be, only limited by my own priorities, efforts as opposed to not being "allowed" to. A medical system that yes, has flaws, but has served my family and I well. That has never turned us away due to lack of coverage or money.A pastor, religious leader if you will, that allows me to have doubts, questions surrounding my faith. That accepts us for who we are as imperfect humans and doesn't judge us or banish us for being different/sinful/unholy or anything else that gets us tossed in other areas of the world and here. Thankful that because of all the challenges I and my family have faced I am not so ignorant to the plight of others, and have learnt to not be so judgemental, self-righteous. Thankful that we have made it through so much, and come out the other side. Hopefully we have learnt to be better, more empathetic, compassionate people.
Thankful that I don't have cancer like so many others I know. That my children are still alive, unlike so many other parents I know. My heart goes out to you all. I don't know how you find the strength and I have nothing but incredible admiration and respect for you and your families. You are the heroes as are so many that have lost so much and have so much to deal with.
I hope that we can all find something to be thankful for; if nothing else, we are here, we are able to type and read and have access to a computer.

The Misconception of Income Assistance

I was sent an e-mail the other day about how much better life was for people on welfare, it was called "JOE LEGAL vs. JOE ILLEGAL." It has been a fallacy for many years that people on Welfare bring in big bucks. I was so frustrated because people pass around e-mails that give a false impression of what "life on welfare" is like. We need to wake up, we need to be ashamed that we have the highest Child Poverty Rate in Canada. People on income assistance barely have enough to survive and most are requiring welfare through no fault of their own, as was the case with someone I know whose "partner" left her with their two yr old son. She had no job, as she stayed at home to be with their child. As well she had barriers to employment due to developemental disabilities. When she asked for assistance she was told she wouldn't even be able to apply until she completed a 2 week job search, and "it was too bad she had a small child at home, she would have to find someone to watch him while she looked for work." Once she finished the job search she could apply, it was about a month long process. What was she supposed to do until then, "not their problem." I couldn't believe we as a province, as a country would treat a single mom like that so I went down to the Welfare office myself and was told exactly the same thing. I was also told that no one was allowed to help them out with shelter or food.If Welfare happened to come by and saw that they had more groceries than they should, the worth would be "estimated" and the difference would be deducted off their cheque. If we helped with renting a place that cost more than the shelter allowance they would be taken off of income assistance.
As a single parent with one child you recieve $570 for shelter, and $375.58 for ALL other expenses food, clothing, heat, electricity, transportation,phone.If you don't believe me please feel free to look at the tables on the BC Government website http://www.eia.gov.bc.ca/mhr/ia.htm. And if you want to see how "easy" it is to live on this, take a look through your local paper, find a place to live for the amounts shown. Then try to feed/clothe/transport/heat/provide electricity for your family on the amounts given as well. You won't be able to find anything. Just try it, put yourself, your kids in their shoes. You go tell the children they don't deserve a safe place to live, enough food, clothes, coats, and shoes. Two parents, two kids on welfare; $401.06 for all their expenses, and $570 for shelter. $971.06 to support a family of four. Just where do you think they are going to live for $570 a month?
Even worse for people on disability. I mean even if you choose to continue to "blame" people on welfare, how about the ones that are disabled. I mean they have jumped through all the hoops and had Doctors sign page after page of special forms to "prove" they are disabled. They get a whopping $282.92 for all their expenses, $375 for shelter. Could we treat them any worse? It's like kicking them when they are down. They are disabled for goodness sakes, they have enough challenges already never mind trying to find a place to live for $375.
There are people in our churches, our schools, our community that cannot afford to put food on their table, and it's not because they are "buying gas (they can't afford a car,) alcohol/cigarettes,and going to the casino." There is no "government subsidised lunch" in all the schools for welfare kids, I know because I work in the school system. I'm sure there are a lot of examples of how this person, and that person works the system and takes advantage. There always is, but it's not the norm. And the people, kids that are struggling to exist don't deserve to get painted with the same brush.
The whole purpose is to help people get back on their feet, not to feel like they are worthless. Most importantly these children have the right to a healthy, safe, positive environment.
A good reflection of society is how we treat our most vulnerable. How many times do we have to hear that we have the highest child poverty rate in Canada before we start giving a damn.