The media noticed the contradiciton this week of King Stephens wife and his Exchequer lobbying for literacy while cutting funding for literacy programs. Of course one is voluntary, the other is state sponsorship. Harper, wife reading from different pages
When asked about the cuts to adult literacy programs, Mrs. Harper refused comment. However, Treasury Board President John Baird, who announced the cuts, suggested that his government would rather spend more money teaching children how to read and write than try to help illiterate adults.
He actually said what???
"his government would rather spend more money teaching children how to read and write than try to help illiterate adults."
That means 42% of Canadians get left behind, because thats how many adults in Canada are functionally illiterate. Of course that is what the Tories are counting on to get them a majority government. They know from history that when people read they learn and when they learn they create revolutions. Books and reading are dangerous in the wrong hands.
Ironically the intertwining between social welfare and the voluntary employment sector has become so integral to civil society it to got hit in the cuts. Of course the moral of this story is don't believe what neo-cons tell you but what they do.
Volunteerism takes funding hit
Surprise and disappointment. Those were the emotions expressed yesterday as people in Portage la Prairie’s volunteer community reacted to the Conservative government’s announcement it will cut $9.7 million from Canadian Volun-teerism Initiative over the next two years.
“I’m surprised. It’s probably one of the smallest parts of the budget. If the government doesn’t encourage volunteerism, it must be encouraging higher-paying jobs,” he said, adding without people donating their time, community organizations will require more staff or will be forced to increase workloads for existing employees.
He added choosing to diminish support for CVI means the government isn’t looking at the larger picture.
“What they don’t get is that the volunteer sub-sector is a vital part of the economy, not just in Canada, but across North America,” said Lapointe.
Mary Lynn Moffat works for Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, and became aware of the cuts to CVI at the Rotary meeting.
“Obviously, it’s not what you would expect. Volunteerism is so important in our community and the country .... We can’t survive without our volunteers.”
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