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I cannot help
wondering how we became the most expensive city in the world. I try
not to believe what people say about our government – that it is
full of corruption. But I find myself asking: What went wrong? Where
did our money go? We have high taxes, for example, GST and PST. Of
every pay cheque that I receive, 12% goes to the government. That is
a total of $800 out of my net salary. Imagine that you work as hard
as a horse, yet a significant amount of your hard-earned money goes
to the government. Even though our basic salary is the same as other
provinces, including the USA, we pay very high rent and mortgage, as
well as high taxes, compared to these countries. Why is our country
so expensive to live in?
Vancouver is
apparently the most beautiful city in the world. Give me a break! If
only everyone knew how expensive it is to live in this ‘beautiful’
city. What makes a beautiful city is the people, but take a look
around – there are homeless people in every corner. I encounter
mentally ill people in the street every day who have no place to
live. Inconveniently, we don’t even have a public washroom in every
train station. I have noticed that business people take advantage of
the fact that the majority of the population experiences financial
difficulties - PayDay Loan centres are booming and expanding in new
locations all over Vancouver. Debt consolidation advisors have
service fees; immigration lawyers/advisors have a talent fee! They
want you to immigrate to Canada! You see, it’s all about the money,
rather than helping people.
I feel as though
our government is ripping us off. They manipulate and they brainwash,
and in the end, we all feel miserable. Politicians are in a position
of power – our money is in their hands. But I find it very
difficult to trust these politicians - just look at the state of our
economy! They ask us to vote for them in this coming election,
claiming they are ‘different’ to the other politicians. Really, I
ask? They are all the same, I’m sorry to say. A few weeks ago, I
saw a billboard posted around the street of downtown saying something
alone of the lines of "the government wants you to work hard to
support the welfare". This is not nice to hear. In fact, it is a
punch to the stomach. Why should hard working people have to support
the unemployed? And when will the government start to support the
hard workers? I believed in freedom of speech. Thank you very much for reading.
Emmanuel Noel (Speak-Easy)
Full time employee
https://twitter.com/knowellex
We went to vancouver last year for a family vacation. We took a skytrain all the way from Georgia USA.We Had a difficult time finding rest rooms. I was looking over the map to refresh myself, but I could not seem to find any rest rooms. That was terrible because my son was not feeling well and needed to go. We were all very disapointed, it definately was not a good way to start vacation. So then we were looking for somebody to assist us and we could not find any of the skytrain staff
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ReplyDeleteYes thats so very true, everything here is commercialized. They are making buisness for example, they built a very small public washroom similar to a soda machine. It was not free you had to put coins or a doller in it to be able to use it. I thought that was dumb. Why do we have to pay to use a freaking washroom? Shame on who ever came up with that idea. The government needs to wake up to what they are actually doing. Its a shame!
ReplyDeleteCities all over the world charge for dedicated public washrooms. Taxes in Vancouver are high enough. Why should citizens of Vancouver cover the cost of VISISTORS to our city with our tax dollars. We are gouged at every corner as it is. I think politicians assume everyone here is rich since English is a third national language here and even new drivers have $70.000 cars.
Deleteman, you nailed it!!!! I couldn't agree more! here goes a new Election, all politicians were so excited to run!!!
Deletebut English is our 3rd national language,? thats hilarious!
Apparently the toilet machine is open for everyone at no charge but unconfirmed.
DeleteOMG thats embarassing, everyone sees you coming and leaving the toilet machine, right in the middle of the crowd. The best thing you could do is keep smileing while you leave the toilet machine. You never know paparazi are watching you. So say cheese jk.....Seriously this is a joke all they want is MONEY!
ReplyDeleteIf only that were possible, but I believe the only charity the government would give money to is another country that does not care about us or give the money to some useless organization that will seriously not benefit our country.
DeleteIt sounds like a frustrating situation if tax money is being collected to help people who are down on their luck, yet you don't see specific evidence for help for the poorest people. I suppose a lot of that help comes from charity groups instead. Sometimes I wish we could designate a charity that would receive our tax money!
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of cities do a lot of promotion for tourism similar to what you are seeing from Vancouver, which can be a hard pill to swallow for the residents who live there, who do not feel like they are living in "the most beautiful city in the world."
ReplyDeleteWell, they say the grass is always greener on the other side, but sometimes people move somewhere and get fed up the way you are, when they spend a lot of money on taxes and don't see the "beauty" that the ads are promising. It can be a bummer for sure.
Unfortunately, people in lots of cities are taking out "payday loans" and other high-interest loans, and just digging themselves into debt. I think part of the problem is that people (understandably!) have such distrust of the banking industry these days that they end up hurting themselves in the end because they don't build up any savings accounts. It takes a HUGE amount of discipline to save money without a savings account. Meanwhile, they run out of money before the end of the month, and they take out a short-term, high-interest loan, and then the real trouble begins. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteGood luck to the people of Vancouver--and people everywhere!--who are trying to save a little money for their futures.
I is sad that the economy is going in that direction and people are considering to go in such major debts.
DeleteWell said. We work hard to earn the money we do, but we don’t get to spend the money we’ve earned, our own money, because the government thinks they can do a better job spending it for us??? Doesn’t make any sense. It’s like we’re being punished for working hard. The government needs to be more accountable for the ways they’re spending our money. Politics now is all a popularity contest – I look around at all these politicians smiling and waving and making promises, but what are they really doing for us? I feel like there are no real options, no politicians who are willing to do the work and be upfront and honest about what they’re doing. Freedom of speech, right on.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree and the government does not even spend the money wisely that it all goes to waste anyway.
DeleteI hear you about what makes a place beautiful – the homelessness really gets to me, too. The government needs to do something about the rate of homelessness in our city. These people need real help, not handouts or cover-ups. The correlation between mental-illness and homeless is really discouraging. We should be focusing on how to raise everyone up, not trap them into loans they won’t be able to pay, profit off their desperation. All these major corporations glorified by the media, billboards and signs and commercials everywhere telling you to invest your money with this person or that person, always about the money… it’s gotten out of hand.
ReplyDelete@Jess Twang - very good point here and calling all Politicians / Government of Canada! wake up and listen of what people say!
Delete@jamesHolder WoW! VANCOUVER my home grown city ;)
ReplyDeleteA very wide and Good article you have here
It is a beautiful Place ... Recommended .
The most beautiful city is not in my top criteria. it is to be with less crimes, less homeless and with people with less stress.
ReplyDeleteI rather live with peaceful environment, no negativity, - affordable place to live. in other country like in the U.S , cities like Colorado, Oklahoma with your one year income, you can buy a house, while in Vancouver it takes 3 years or more to save money and buy a house.
Great Article! with great point of view. Not everyone sees the beauty in the city, there are people who sees only the bad things causing them to leave or not even arrive.
ReplyDeleteThis article really made me want to visit real soon!
Thank you ;)
No spam is allowed here. if you want to promote your product or site, go somewhere else. thank you.
ReplyDeleteThat toilet machine built in the street is the most ridiculous and stupid thing I have ever heard. We are paying our taxes dollars for this, why would we pay for using the toilet? it's clearly how corrupt our government is. I would suggest to demolished these toilet machines - this is a joke for all Canadians.
ReplyDeleteElection is coming soon, and so as all politicians are hoping to get a seat, while manipulate everyone with their promising speech.
ReplyDeleteOne politician came back hoping to win this election, in spite he has a history of being dishonest. Wow! unbelievable - I wonder how much you earned per year being a politician?
ReplyDeleteLet's just home that humanity comes to their senses and realize that saving money saves an economy.
ReplyDeleteWell if you are in the most expensive city, I bet there is a reason why they can charge for bathrooms because they can.
ReplyDeleteI have to dis agree with you Ben because if a city is making so much money already, there is no need to keep chocking it out of the people.
ReplyDeleteI know Jason but you can do so much more to give back to the city with new features to the city when charging for such things like a washroom.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I believe we can solve this issue really easily by just going back to the Free washroom. Why bother arguing about it if it is such a political issue.
ReplyDeleteBrian you are making this sound way too easy, but when it comes to politics, it is never easy and it ends up to always be a fight.
ReplyDeleteFor all Gods' sakes, it fucking economics 101 (at least from any economic school worth a damn; ya know, the kind that don't pretend that wealth is shat from a unicorns ass on Mount Olympus). Mimimum wage needs to be abolished. In Australia the minimum wage is 15-16 AUS$, but normally you get paid $20 per hour.
ReplyDeleteI worked retail back home in the States before I moved up here, and worked the same job for 6 years, when I moved I was only making 9.60/hr and couldn't afford not to live with a roommate.
DeleteEducation isn't the issue. The market for people WITH an education is the issue. I know people who have degrees in Engineering, Computer Sciences, and Technology, and they can't find work because everyone wants "Experience". Until companies are willing to hire, it'll stay bad.
Minimum wage in Britain is £6.18 which is $9.56, which makes a minimum wage of $15 seem pretty high. Our minimum wage should be as high as possible, and people don't understand the dangers of lowering it until it's too late.
ReplyDeleteincome tax time, why dont we cheat? have i ever in my life lied on my tax returns? Yes and got away with it. Do i feel quilty - NO!!
ReplyDeleteDo those people who stash away or hide millions of dollars feel guilty? Of course they
don't. That was many years ago and frankly I needed to work under the table to make ends
meet. Of course you can't continually cheat, because you could get caught.
Minimum wage should not exist. Government should protect freedom, not force people to pay other people some arbitrary minimum amount for any given service. I should not only be able to work for $1 per hour without my employer being punished, I should have the freedom to pay $1 to do a job, or even do it without any economic exchange. This is the land of the free, let's make it that way and keep it that way. I don't need a government bureaucrat telling me my time is worth $9/hour.
ReplyDeleteWages are fine where they are at! go to school and get a degree if you want anything higher than minimum wage! if anything, the cost of leasing an apartment should be alot lower. it is almost impossible to live on your own in this day in age at 10 an hour without a couple roommates... or getting a shitty studio apartment and eating cup of noodles for every meal because both checks go all to rent and utilities.
ReplyDeleteTaxation system is a must for welfare. It may some people do not feel the effect or return of taxes they paid. But trust me, no one of us from the same nationality will "eat" the money for his personal needs. A country has many needs to handle inflation. And taxes is frequently used for this. Capital or macro sectors usually have many needs. Also the infrastructure. But not everyone know how is it work. The higher the tax, the more "capitals" to invest for welfare.
ReplyDeleteRana Dikrama. You don't know the fact about corruptions. They have a chance to do this. Let me ask you, who will keep himself stay calm if someone has a chance to get money quickly and easily. You are right taxes are used to build infrastructure. But The most important thing is the birocracy, the law. So the welfare is not implication of high taxes. But more of clean government.
DeleteYes. That's two different topic. And we cannot talk the extraneous factor. Clean government is the assumption. The economic rules saying, the more money is belonged to people, the more what they can buy. So does a country. It needs are plentiful. Higher taxes are same with infestations for our descendants.
DeleteIm from Germany , a working student visa. I find here more expensive than in the Europe and America , its like double the prices.
DeleteWell that started in 1986, the expo to the world. They brought cash, supply and demand, prices rose and there you have it. Now what it isnt (fuck you) its what are you going to do about your personal situation. How about education? A little secret /Rhonda Byrne good old aussie. MORE THAN ONE WAY TO SKIN A CAT CRYING PISSING WINING AND MOANING ARE NOT IN THE RULE BOOK. How about all the younger folks that spent years and dollars detting educated there not sitting on there arses there working for what ever they can. Stand up and be counted quit bitching it only helps you focus on shite wich attracts more shie shite in shite out what a revolution that is
ReplyDeleteTalking about this coming BC Election, the two opposing NDP and Liberals that are currently bashing each other are BOTH making the same promises that they made - and failed to deliver - four years ago. I am talking about the same old promises to "improve the economy" and "change for the better". If these parties didn't change anything then, there is certainly no reason to believe they will change anything now.
ReplyDeleteVancouver would be less expensive if it became more profitable for builders to build upward rather than outward through elimination of height and minimum setback restrictions, maximum automobile parking of 0, integration of residential and commercial use of land, decreasing development charges to 0 for infill and increased for low density, basing property taxes on the value of land alone (green party policy) rather than land and building and eliminating land transfer taxes.
ReplyDelete