A letter to the Editor

[SlowPoke]

Bill Mayberry

Yes I went to QE park 79 - 83

Well done Pete... I couldn't remember his name.

He never frightened or annoyed anyone, I don't ever recall him approaching people for money either.

 

I don't remember much from the QE/Bronte days but your name rang a bell.

Another name that rings a bell... "Secret Ecritts" (sp?)

 

"Good times, bad times, You know I had my share...." - Zeppelin

 

-Brian

[BITEME]

Well done Pete... I couldn't remember his name.

He never frightened or annoyed anyone, I don't ever recall him approaching people for money either.

 

I don't remember much from the QE/Bronte days but your name rang a bell.

Another name that rings a bell... "Secret Ecritts" (sp?)

 

"Good times, bad times, You know I had my share...." - Zeppelin

 

-Brian

 

that old guy would give us his last nickle to put in the plate when we were kids at sunday school

he was a character used to drop his drawers on the bus when it started to get really cold to get thrown in the can for the winter

he comes from a family with ALOT of money never wanted anything to do with it

he was a Master Boat Builder in Bronte (SLATE SCHOONERS)

 

Seems you have alot of information well you might remeber Ecritts sidekicks Suchi and Wazzer

[SlowPoke]

Seems you have alot of information well you might remeber Ecritts sidekicks Suchi and Wazzer

Those names don't ring a bell. Fortunately for me, Ecritts never got close enough to introduce his sidekicks!

I bet there are some people reading this thread wondering what the heck? It's probably best that we keep the past in the past! lol

-Brian

[pigeonfisher]

Most everything in this thread is the fairly typical "public chauvenistic" response. Deano has an interesting point.

 

Just a suggestion or maybe actually a comment. Complaining without looking for an answer to the root problem is nothing more than a carp session, generally won't get you anywhere. If you have the time to formulate the opinion and print it; you should consider spending equal or more time looking for ways to fix the problem.

 

By-Law'ing things away is as good as trying to "inspect quality" into your product. If people care you will get quality, if people care you will spend the time to solve the problem...

 

I am getting pretty sick of RANTS... Society needs to stop "Ranting" and start fixing!

 

The thing is they learn young from schools, scouts, hockey and other things. You can't go to the mall or any store without seeing these kids with there parents trying to raise money for one thing or another. If the kids in hockey, his parents should have enoygh money to send them to play games, or on a trip or whatever. It's seems it's OK to teach kids to beg (I mean raise "money") for privileges, but not good for the hungry ones. Kind of mixed messages if youask me.

[Guest lundboy]

I think these guys do have a job... They are working for someone, collecting money on the corners. There are just TOO MANY of them in Toronto all standing in the concrete lane dividers on city streets. All of the signs they carry look or say almost the same things and their clothes and general health appear to be in good order. One corner in particular seems to have a rotation of guys on it, seems to be one guy Monday & Tuesday, another Thursday and Friday etc. But usually the same 3.

 

Just seems WAY TOO ORGANIZED to me, to be independent random panhandlers.

 

My feeling is that these people are not true people in need. They are doing the real needy people a dis-service by projecting the wrong image. There are truly needy people out there that can't get the help and are persecuted by the by-laws that prevent them from getting people to donate to them.

Edited June 2, 2007 by lundboy

[John Bacon]

...What Raf said...

 

Don't you remember that story of the lady who faked being ill in downtown T.O. to panhandle, and then she would drive away in her BMW?

 

Tony

 

 

Thats not true at all! . . . she had a chauffer

 

 

I do agree that a by-law banning pan handling altogether would a positive step. Those that truly need help can make use of the shelter system where they can be provided with aid that will help them get back on their feet instead of just surviving day to day.

[Mike the Pike]

Great thread Peter.I have to agree its time people get off their asses and work.

 

Many people forget we live in one of the best countries in the world.

 

Problem is alot of young people want to make $25 dollars an hour their first Job.

 

I got out of high school skipped college and had no Idea what I wanted to do.First Job in 1984 I made $5 an hour in shipping for Micron hockey skates.

 

I eventually got into the Printing trade and earned a decent living.Today I am in sales selling supplies to printing companies.

 

Like Peter says you have to start somewhere to gain expeirience.There are alot of jobs that don't pay well but how many of us started in that place and time.I believe we can all say we started at the bottom of the ladder somewhere in time.You pay your dues and with time move on.

 

My Dad grew up poor he taught me at a young age if you want something you have to work for it.

 

I recently spoke to one of the evening cleaners at our Company he came over from Elsalvador 5 yrs ago he absolutely loves Canada.Today he has a home here in my hometown.He said when he arrived in Canada it did not take him long to find work.He said in Elsalvador it can take up to one year to find a job.

 

I agree with CCMT some people have had rough times mental health ,drugs ,abusive parents etc.....

 

BUT I must say it again we live in one of the best countries in the world if you want to work you will find work.It is the land of opportunity.Canada

 

God helps those who help themselves.

 

Too many excuses .Time to get out and work.

 

Great topic Peter.

[Tarzan's Jane]

I have mixed feelings. Many years ago while living in Vancouver...I went to an outdoor rock concert with another girlfriend. We spent all our money and did not have any for the bus fare home. We had to "beg". It was the hardest and most humiliating thing I have ever had to do. I gave up and told her that she would have to do it on her own. She did and after about 30 minutes we had enough for bus fare each.

 

I worked for the Elizabeth Fry Society in Ottawa for 10 years counselling women in conflict with the law. Had a client who would put on old clothes, running shoes with holes and a very light jacket (winter time) - she would sit in front of a busy downtown goverment building early in the morning with her head down and a hat at her feet. People would bring her hot coffee, muffins etc...and within 1 hour or less she had enough to get her that hit of cocaine.

 

I was tempted to do the same and pay off my mortgage sooner...but the Vancouver memory is still there.

[ehg]

Hard call to generalize everyone...we dont know their situation...how they got there, what obstacles they faced if they tried to get out of their situation, their mental state etc.... I suppose unless you've been there, you cant really relate.

 

I would concur with the above statement.

Having lived and worked in downtown Toronto for last 20 yrs. i've seen plenty of beggars.

A very small percentage are scammers.

Most are truly in need of some kind of help. Whether you can help or not is your choice.

 

Yelling at them to get a job or flipping the bird to a young person perhaps from a broken home

is only a channeling of your own personal resentment.

 

No use kicking someone when they are down.

 

ehg

[holdfast]

Getting back to the original thread. There is absolutely no reason that a person with all their digits and of sound mind should be begging. Especially healthy young people. Like :Fisherman stated:, should blame the twits that give them money. By the way most of the lazy beggers also consider you a sucker for giving them money. Heres the solution, walk by and tell them to get a job. You would be surprised by the comments that come back at you. Tells me that theyre not that incapacitated. I know, I used to love giving a piece of my mind when walking down St Catherines ST in Montreal. Didnt bother me at all especiall after I spent 6 months on my belly looking for trip wires and mine fuzes. Yea it really bugs my ass when I see crap like that and they're crying to get people outside this country to fill jobs. Great thread, I love to fish as well as Rant

[Gerritt]

ehg, makes a VERY valid point here... how do you know that that young person asking for money is not from a broken home and experianced years of physical and mental abuse? or even worse sexual misconduct from the people they are supposed to be able to trust? Perhaps that person on the street is undergoing Mental and Emotional challenges that prevent him/her from trusting anyone with a position of authority based on previous abuse and life experiences. It would make it hard to trust the "Man"

 

 

Something to think about before you go telling someone to get a J-O-B

 

Gerritt.

[Gerritt]

Funny.... just found this article... perhaps your not alone?!?

 

http://www.winnipegsun.com/News/Columnists...02/4228448.html

 

 

Gerritt.

[holdfast]

Glad you found some thing to prove me wrong. Kudos for you. Nice read but I don't buy it. Again, the original thread is clear about those that take advantage of the disadvantage. I DONT CARE ABOUT YOUR PROBLEMS. If you are not mentally or physically incapacitated, we as people should not be giving in to giving them money. IE a crack head money for a fix. A young teenager money because he or she had a falling out with their parents. Do you want to hear about my rave about welfare. Especially single moms. Waste of tax money

[Fisherman]

Ohhhh yaaaa, those young ones that can't keep their clothes on and just have to try out the reproductory organs to see if they work...and then dump the surprising results on the working stiffs. You hatch 'em, you pay for 'em. I hatched mine and paid for them. Can't work on welfare..you better have 2 broken legs. For all that science and medicine has invented, they should come up with a one shot birth control pill thats good for 10 years, from 13-23...fore both genders. You want to "beg" for money, push the broom while you doing so..

[Tarzan's Jane]

This topic is so close to my heart for many reasons and therefore is difficult for me not to comment. I try to keep my personal life private but sometimes you just gotta speak up. I too was a single mom. Yes I was a recipient of "welfare". The goverment/tax payers supported me and my son for 4 years. I qualified for a partial grant and enrolled in a 2 year Diploma Program. I never needed the goverment's assistance again. The sentiment I wish to convey is this....

 

I made a mistake and I needed help. I had absolutely no assistance given to me outside of the goverment (and I refused to ask). It was no picnic believe me. And the silent and not so silent judgements placed on me and the negative predictions placed on my son were hard to take but the hardest and most challenging struggles for me were...washing the cloth diapers in the bathtub and hanging them up to dry because I could not afford pampers or the laundry mat, and opening the fridge to see a single pickle in a jar .... those were my biggest challenges.

 

We all have a story...in my teenage years I was the most judgmental person you could meet. Life had to knock me down in order for me to truly have compassion for the not so fortunate.

 

I just want to say thank you for helping me. My son, who "they" (mostly professionals) believed would amount to nothing but yet another "welfare bum", is a hard working, brave and dedicated Police Officer with Peel Regional Police. He risks his life everyday for all of us. Sometimes I look back on life and those oh so lonely hard days were my "schooling". I have not been embarrassed nor ashamed about that segment of my life for a very long time. I have a richer understanding of what "hardships" mean and how one has to find their way.

 

By the Grace of God go I.

[GbayGiant]

[Moosebunk]

Come on up for a visit. I'll show yas what "organized panhandling" can do for an entire society.

[gussser]

Just because 1 person benefits from somethimg doesn't make it right. WELFARE If someone"needs to relieve themself" & goes in the pool, they benifit. The rest of the people in the pool don't. At one time aid was provide by churches. Very few cheaters benefited. Give the "job" to gov't to provide aid & cheaters abound to get the free ride. As for the panhandlers: just tell the to "get the h--- out of here, this is my side of the street" They usually scramble away thinking your working that side.

[pigeonfisher]

This topic is so close to my heart for many reasons and therefore is difficult for me not to comment. I try to keep my personal life private but sometimes you just gotta speak up. I too was a single mom. Yes I was a recipient of "welfare". The goverment/tax payers supported me and my son for 4 years. I qualified for a partial grant and enrolled in a 2 year Diploma Program. I never needed the goverment's assistance again. The sentiment I wish to convey is this....

 

I made a mistake and I needed help. I had absolutely no assistance given to me outside of the goverment (and I refused to ask). It was no picnic believe me. And the silent and not so silent judgements placed on me and the negative predictions placed on my son were hard to take but the hardest and most challenging struggles for me were...washing the cloth diapers in the bathtub and hanging them up to dry because I could not afford pampers or the laundry mat, and opening the fridge to see a single pickle in a jar .... those were my biggest challenges.

 

We all have a story...in my teenage years I was the most judgmental person you could meet. Life had to knock me down in order for me to truly have compassion for the not so fortunate.

 

I just want to say thank you for helping me. My son, who "they" (mostly professionals) believed would amount to nothing but yet another "welfare bum", is a hard working, brave and dedicated Police Officer with Peel Regional Police. He risks his life everyday for all of us. Sometimes I look back on life and those oh so lonely hard days were my "schooling". I have not been embarrassed nor ashamed about that segment of my life for a very long time. I have a richer understanding of what "hardships" mean and how one has to find their way.

 

By the Grace of God go I.

 

Thanks for your input. Glad to hear that "the system" helped you and your son on to a better life!

[Gerritt]

here here Steve!

 

Gerritt.