Just published! A new, updated and expanded My Help Book BC - Victoria Edition 2016 is now available. The format is wider than the 2014 edition, with a bigger font, heavier paper and expanded from 60 to 88 pages with extra blank pages at the end for personalized notes. My Help Book BC follows in the footsteps of almanacs but with a focus on helping people find community resources for life problems and opportunities. There are also bonus sections on self-advocacy, checklists for moving, what to do if you have lost your ID and fraud prevention tips. (Read full Table of Contents here).
Copies of My Help Book BC - Victoria Edition 2016 are currently available for sale ($2.50) at Tanner's Books in Sidney and Gorgeous Coffee in Victoria. Check here to find updates to distribution locations and where to find free promotional copies.
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"Unpaid female caregiving is not only the life-blood of families, it is the very heart of the economy" Mother's Day is the big day of the year when people are supposed to buy things or do things for their mothers, or at least spare an appreciative thought for their mother if they are lucky to have a mother that they appreciate. However, there is an economic side to being a mom (or mum) and that's because the entire economy relies on new generations of being consumers born. Here's a free market think tank quote that inadvertently sheds light on this (and explains why there are often articles in the business media fretting that women aren't having enough babies): "Very often the best way to determine the contributions of people or things to an on-going process is to see what happens in their absence." —Jackson Grayson, The Illusion of Wage and Price Control, Michael Walker editor, published by the Fraser Institute (1976) Without the unpaid work of mothers and others, no paid work would be possible. Marilyn Waring in her ground-breaking book "Counting for Nothing" describes in detail how it is the very work defined under the GDP as being 'non-productive' that is the prerequisite for all other work. GETTING PAID IN HUGS But shouldn't mothers just be happy they get paid in hugs? This idea would only work if you could also pay your bills in hugs and if society agreed everyone else should also be paid in hugs. But as Ann Crittenden states: "Virtues and sacrifices, when expected of one group of people and not of everyone become the mark of an underclass." (The Price of Motherhood 2001) Society (and the environment) has a huge problem when those doing essential and beneficial work like raising children or other types of unpaid care work are financially penalized, but at the same time many harmful industries reap big financial rewards because they are considered 'productive' under the GDP (the easiest examples being the tobacco and junk food industries). The idea that your "productiveness" as defined by out-dated economic ideas determines your right to a decent life is clearly outdated. But it is not only mothers who suffer from the "unproductive" label. As automation replaces human labour with machines, more people will fall into the "unproductive" and "unpaid" category. This is why everyone from unpaid carers to those concerned about technological unemployment are saying that a universal basic income is the only practical solution to these problems. Read the full Mothernomics articlemhere. See Marilyn Waring's NFB documentary "Who's Counting" here. Carbon Monoxide is called "the silent killer" because it is a colourless and odorless gas that can be fatal in just a few minutes at high concentrations. (from My Help Book BC)
CARBON MONOXIDE (CO) SAFETY STAY SAFE – get a CO detector for your home, RV or camper. Anyone with fuel-burning or gas appliances needs linked CO alarms near furnace, bedrooms and on each floor. Learn what your CO alarm sounds like and what to do if it goes off. Keep track of when you need to replace it, keep it clean, make sure it has fresh batteries, and follow other important instructions. Get a quality certified unit. In one tragedy an entire Ontario family died because they did not have a CO monitor (CBC News). In the U.S. (2015) a slumber party fell ill due to a faulty furnace. And in the Yukon (2015), a faulty propane refrigerator would have created a tragedy if not for a CO monitor. POTENTIAL SOURCES OF CO EXPOSURE: Furnaces, gas & kerosene space heaters, boilers, gas stoves, gas water heaters, gas clothes dryers, gas fireplaces, charcoal grills, wood stoves, camp stoves, vehicles, boat exhaust, lawn mowers, generators, power tools with internal combustion engines; propane- powered vehicles. Learn signs of CO problems in the home from the BC Safety Authority website. STAY SAFE... Indoors and enclosed spaces:
Vehicles:
Home heating:
If exposed to high concentration, a victim may pass-out with no symptoms in a few minutes. CO EXPOSURE EMERGENCY: Get everyone outside and call 911. Get medical attention. Let them know it may be CO poisoning. CO EXPOSURE NON-emergency (if no one is experiencing symptoms of CO poisoning): Shut off fuel-burning or gas appliances; call your gas company; get a qualified professional to check & fix problem. See a doctor, let them know you have had CO exposure. On-going low CO exposure is bad for health, especially for vulnerable people. What are signs of on-going low CO exposure?
LEARN MORE CO Safety Information:Examples of CO poisoning in the news ![]() From the Housing section of My Help Book for Victoria and Vancouver BC. (updated as of December 2014) To find most housing and rental subsidies available to BC residents check BCHousing.org (click on "Find Housing" top left corner for subsidies list). Or call BC Housing: Toll free from anywhere in BC: 1-800-257-7756 Vancouver: 604-433-2218 Victoria: 250 475-7550 Full BC Housing phone and fax numbers list MAIN SUBSIDIES For Seniors - SAFER subsidy program
For Families - Rental Assistance subsidy program For families with dependent children (under age 19; or under age 25 and in school; or defined as dependent under tax rules).
For Home Owners
Home Adaptation subsidies
Energy Efficiency programs
See more subsidy information (including for people with disabilities) at BC Housing.org ![]() CO-OP HOUSING IN BC
![]() HELP FOR HOUSING AND RENTAL PROBLEMS
![]() HOUSING COSTS IN VICTORIA AND VANCOUVER According to CMHC's Fall 2014 Rental Report, the average rent for a one bedroom apartment in Victoria is $850 per month, however, a survey of recent (Nov-Dec 2014) Craigslist ads shows the average rent for a one bedroom in the Victoria region is closer to $900/month. For Vancouver, CMHC's average rent for a one bedroom apartment is $1020, however, recent Craigslist ads show the average closer to $1100/month.
![]() 2015 update: The Victoria Car Share Co-op is now Modo Car Co-op Modo Car Share Co-op has a diverse fleet of 20+ fuel-efficient vehicles conveniently located throughout Greater Victoria. Their fleet includes fuel efficient four-door sedans, two-door coupes, hatchbacks; 1 hybrid Honda Insight, 1 Mazda B2300 truck, 1 Ford Transit Connect 2-seat utility/cargo van and 2 Mazda micro-vans. Members can make reservations for any available vehicle at any time. All vehicles have automatic transmissions and are child-seat friendly. Some have options such as bike carrying systems and roof racks. Car-sharing is good for the environment and good for your budget. If you drive less less than 3 to 5 times per week, car sharing is more affordable than car ownership. Car sharing is also convenient. Co-op staff take care of maintenance, insurance, cleaning, and vehicle replacement issues. You can book a car share vehicle for a minimum of 30 minutes, and up to a week or more. Shareholding members only pay when they drive. The closer you live to a fleet vehicle, the more convenient car-sharing will be for you. Check this map to view locations. Members report that vehicles are always in good shape; rate structure makes longer, overnight trips a better deal than renting a car; and that online bookings are convenient and user-friendly. Modo Co-op has car-share options in other cities giving people the advantage of reserving vehicles outside of Victoria. It's common in our society for assumptions about personal worth to be based on how much income someone has, what work they do, and other external measures of wealth, status, or lack thereof. People on the low-end of 'The Money Measuring Stick' constantly have to resist negative assumptions that are projected upon them. Even though most people know "The Money Measuring Stick" is completely artificial, they still have to deal with this deeply flawed measure. They either use this stick on themselves and feel they don't 'measure up' to societal norms – which are media driven and sky high compared to the actual income numbers – or they use this stick on others (knowingly or unknowingly) and make judgements based on indications of wealth and status. That is why being asked "What do you do?" can often be a loaded question. William Bratt specializes in trauma counselling and counselling for men in Victoria BC and wrote an article about how to resist being defined by our jobs. He writes: "Unfortunately, the question 'So what do you do?' is likely to fall short of inviting people to share the coolest, most interesting things about themselves. When we lead with that question, we’re far more likely to pigeonhole people based on assumptions we have about their particular line of work." In May 2014 I interviewed him to discuss the topic further. Here are some of his insights: "People respond to expectations from society; they will sometimes lie when asked 'What do you do?' to avoid having others drawing negative conclusions about their value or worth. In my experience personally and professionally that question is a big one. This question can come from a culture of competition and some people can have tremendous anxiety about answering. People are concerned about themselves in relation to other people. They know people equate who you are with how you make money. Certain occupations are privileged; mainstream society sees some occupations as more desirable and assumptions are made about people based on that. People like to be seen as having dignity and they will resist a negative assumption based on how they make money. But there are so many other aspects of our lives that this question fails to acknowledge It’s a limiting question. I try to avoid asking it." He also emphasized that people are not just affected by societal expectations, they also find ways to resist. " One fellow who had retired from a long and successful career, started to worry he would lose value in the eyes of his mate. His act of resitance to this feeling was to take on a lot of handy work and renovations around the home." "Younger guys feel a lot of pressure to be seen in a certain light in society. There's a bias in our culture that we need to make money in ways that we are passionate about, but most people in the world are not so fortunate to do that. Work doesn’t have to be this grand 'vocation as calling'. It can be a means to an end. People can work to be able to do something they are more passionate about." I also interviewed a young 'millennial generation' retail worker for his experience with the 'What do you do?' question: "It really bothers me when I’m meeting someone for the first time and they immediately ask ‘So, what do you do??’ I find that question rude. I understand it is a conversation starter, but if someone you just met within 30 seconds wants to know what you do for work….They may as well ask me what kind of car I drive, how big my house is, or just ask to see my bank account. It comes down to money: everyone is curious how much money other people are making. It is impersonal. I can see the eagerness in their eyes waiting to be ...impressed? ...disappointed? ...happy they are doing better than me?" "I’m now at the point where being asked 'What do you do?' instantly makes me want to end the conversation. Most of the time when people ask, it isn’t coming from a good place, it's something used to judge you based on how ‘good’ your job is (or god forbid you don’t have one) or so they can brag about what they do for work. If someone is genuinely interested in getting to know me, then why not ask, ‘so what kind of stuff are you into?’ or ‘what do you enjoy doing?’ Later on if I feel like opening up, I can talk about what my ‘slave title’… oops I mean ‘job title’ is. Don’t get me wrong –I’m happy for anyone who has a job that they are proud of and wanting to share right away– but it does not mean that everyone you meet is in the same position. Perhaps my feelings on this will change once I have a job that I am proud of and reflects who I am and what I’m interested in. But most people aren’t working their ‘dream job’. It should be up to them if they want to share information about their work, they should not be put on the spot to explain. It doesn’t surprise me that people choose to lie about their profession–- I say, the people asking that question too soon deserve to be lied to. For many people what they do to make ends meet isn’t a happy story -–and it isn’t what defines who they are." Conclusion: The question of "What do you do" is often just another way to rank people with 'The Money Measuring Stick'. And it is clearly time we tossed this tendency to equate personal worth with monetary worth into the (rather full) dustbin of embarrassing human history. It is a harmful, artificial and inaccurate attempt to gauge someone's value as a person. Using it on others is superficial and simplistic. But using 'The Money Measuring Stick' on ourselves is dangerous because money, jobs, and status are external sources of self-worth, and all external sources of self-worth are fleeting and unreliable because they can easily and unexpectedly be lost. What's not superficial and artificial? Asking people what makes them happy; what are their hopes and dreams for themselves or humanity; what do they have a passionate interest in; what are their skills and hobbies; what do they like learning; what are their favourite books, art, movies, music; who are their mentors; are they part of a movement to make the world a better place? There are many, many more interesting ways that we as humans can relate to each other than blunt competitive assessments of subjective wealth. We don't need to use a money measuring stick when there are infinite possibilities instead. Related readings:
To Have or To Be by Eric Fromm Somebodies and Nobodies - Overcoming the Abuse of Rank by Robert Fuller Married to the Job by Ilene Philipson Wages by John Armstrong The Manly Mythology of Work The Theory of the Leisure Class by Thorstein Veblen Keeping Up Appearances (TV Tropes) - TV comedy series "So, what do you do?" an article that interviews young women in Vancouver about 'job shame' because they have jobs they hate. Revenue Canada's most recent Income Statistics* show there are 12 million people in Canada with incomes between $0-$25,000 per year, 7 million from $25,000 to $50,000, 6 million from $50,000 to $100,000, and 2 million with $100,000 per year and over. (Number of people rounded to millions). Because the information is from tax filers, it does not include dependent children or non-tax filers. (Also see "Notes" at bottom of page). *Canada Revenue Agency (PDF) Income Statistics 2013 (2011 tax year); Final Table 2 for all Canada; All returns by total income class. Data were taken from income returns and related schedules filed by individual for the 2011 tax year. For more detail see "Income Class in Canada in 13 Groups" Chart (bottom of page). Note: groups are $0-24,999, $25,000-49,999, $50,000 - $99,999, and $100,000 and over. The data label was not done in this way in order to make the chart simpler to read. The chart does not include dependent children and non-tax filers. These groups are included in Statistics Canada's chart on income class in Canada, however their chart obscures the size of each income group. (see 'Notes' section below). The chart above is broad because it is meant to serve a broad purpose. This income chart is an antidote to the wall-to-wall advertising and media images that create the poisonous perception that all but a very few people are living the high life. This perception contributes to a sense of failure that many young people (and others) feel because they have a low income. These skillful commercial images make people feel that having a low income is abnormal, when in reality, it is other way round. In addition, seeing real income numbers will hopefully help counter the perception that the democratic majority is very well-off and therefore should govern as if everyone has, or could have, a $100,000 a year job, a house, and a car (or two). From an environmental point of view, people in the lowest income groups should feel a sense of pride because they do the least damage to the planet: they have the smallest homes (if they can afford a home), drive the least amount (if they can afford a car), take the most public transit, fly the least, consume the fewest resources and have the smallest ecological footprint.** It isn't easy being green but we can at least take pride from this fact. Income Class in Canada in 13 groupsNotes:
The chart above shows income groups in 10,000 increments such as $10-$20K and $20-$30K and so on. This was done for ease of reading but has created an inaccuracy of '1' for each category because Revenue Canada (CRA) income categories end in 9 (e.g. $5000 - $9,999, $10,000-$14,999 etc.). In the chart above income groups include the lowest number and 'up to' the highest. E.g. $10,000 up to $20,000. This is not a completely scientific representation of the numbers. But size of the bars in the chart are accurate and are what people need to see in order to compare sizes of income groups in Canada. Population of Canada is 35 million. Total number of people in chart is 26 million (because it excludes dependent children and non-tax filers). There may also be a small number of wealthy people in the $0 income group for various accounting reasons. Stats Canada also has an income chart using these CRA data and they include dependent children. However, their chart is confusing. Instead of showing how many people are in each income class, they show how many people are at a particular income level "and over". For example, you can't easily find out how many people are in the $10,000-$14,999 income class. Instead they tell you how many people there are with incomes of $10,000 and over. They also do not provide as many income groups as the report from the CRA. **The key factor in environmental degradation is not numbers of people, but the activities those people are doing, and it is economic factors that drive and determine those activities. For more information, read Vanessa Baird's important "No Nonsense Guide to World Population" or this article describing why blaming population for environmental harm is popular but pointing to economic factors is not. Related information:
The digital divide can be broadly described as the gap between those with good access to the internet and those without, or, more precisely: "consumer disparities in access to information and communication technologies." * This gap, not surprisingly, is biggest for those who have the smallest incomes. A 2012 Statistics Canada survey (CANSIM Table 358-0152) shows that in Greater Victoria the top income group of $87,000+ (per year) has 98.4 percent internet access and 1.6 percent without. The lowest income group of $0-$30,000 has a significant 27 percent without internet access. A similar but slightly smaller gap exists in Metro Vancouver. The lowest income group has 20.9 without internet access compared to 9.5 without for the highest income group. Canada-wide it is 5 percent without access for highest income group and 38 percent without for the lowest income group (attributed to more rural/urban differences). Larry Gagnon is a long-time volunteer with "Find a Computer A Home" in Victoria which has been providing low income people in Victoria with good quality donated used computers for the last 20 years. Recently he's seen a drop in requests for free computers (which have become more affordable), however, the bigger problem is lack of affordable home internet service. This is evident in the number of people who use public computers at cafes, community centres, job centres, and libraries. "There is heavy usage of public computers all the time, all day, and at all branches," says Kate Pollock of the Greater Victoria Public Library who tracks of public computer use for the GVPL (available to library card holders for one hour at a time, and a maximum of two hours a day). She emphasizes: "It's our mandate to bridge the digital divide and provide equal opportunity for information access for everybody. The internet is part of that." Greater Victoria Public Library stats: As a one-day snapshot of public computer use, on Friday, April 25th there were 743 sessions (each session is a separate person's log-in) throughout the GVPL's ten branches (a total of 644 online hours). In one month (March 2014) there were 22,578 sessions all ten branches: the busiest being Central downtown 9,573, then Saanich 2,122, Esquimalt 1,751, Nellie McClung 1600 and Oak Bay 1,600. For the year of 2013, there were a total of 247,610 sessions system-wide. Source: Kate Pollock, Customer Service Coordinator, Greater Victoria Public Library. Lack of internet access is a huge barrier for people who need to find help online or who need to apply for jobs, programs or benefits. Less obvious but more poignant is the impact on isolated people who might also lack transportation or mobility and who are desperate to stay in touch with friends and family. And politically, the digital divide is a double democracy whammy: lack of access to information (being informed) and lack of ability to give information (having your voice heard). Larry from 'Find a Computer A Home' gets many phone calls from grateful people who want to let him know what a huge difference having a computer has made in their lives. The most commonly stated benefits are: a) it helped them find employment; b) it allowed them to stay connected with family; c) it allowed them to learn practical computer skills and d) it gave them enjoyment of learning. A digital divide however, is not just lack of computers and internet access. There are other less obvious barriers to online access:
During the development of My Help Book, the most frequently asked question was: “why are you publishing a paper guide?” This reflects the widely held assumption that everyone has easy access to the internet and it shows how the digital divide is mostly an invisible problem –especially when other social problems are more visible and urgent. That public computer terminals in libraries are full to bursting from opening time to closing time demonstrates the size of this invisible problem. More Resources and Information:
*Digital Divide definition: "consumer disparities in access to information and communication technologies based on age, gender, race and socio-economic characteristics and geographic location." Seçkin, G. (2010). Digital Diversity or Digital Divide: An Exploratory Research on Age, Gender, Race and Income Characteristics of Online Health Information Users. International Journal of Diversity in Organisations, Communities & Nations, 10(1), 99-116; cited in 'Closing the Digital Divide and Its impact on Minorities' (PDF). Written in 2014, updated 2016 ![]() Thank you to Aristocraft Hairstyles for sponsoring 40 copies of My Help Book 2014 to the Burnside Gorge Community Centre. Aristocraft is a bright and spacious hair salon with three experienced, creative and friendly stylists –including a barber– who offer a wide range of affordable haircare services for men, women and children. New owner Debbie Textor took over Aristocraft three years ago and has completely modernized and remodelled the interior of the former barbershop. Along with energy and enthusiasm she brings 16 years of experience – and occasionally her friendly four-legged client greeter, Sam. Walk-ins are accommodated whenever possible, however, making an appointment is advised –especially with owner/stylist Debbie (who is often fully booked). Aristocraft offers: Adult, Seniors and Children Hair Cuts, Perms, Colours, Highlights, Touch-ups, Conditioning Treatments, Up-do's, Creative Styles, Beard Trim/Neck Touch Up and Military Cuts. For appointments, hours, and price quotes, phone: 250-388-5825. Ample parking (back of salon). Aristocraft Hairstyles | 680a Gorge Road East, Victoria BC | Phone 250-388-5825 ![]() Thank you to sponsor Security House Accounting Services for sponsoring and donating 40 copies of My Help Book 2014 to 1Up: Single Parent Resource Centre. Security House Accounting Services provides bookkeeping, accounting, and tax preparation for individuals and small businesses. Their friendly and efficient staff pride themselves on providing exceptional customer service. They offer convenient records pick-up and deliveries as wall as help for seniors who prefer to have someone from Security House come to their home, instead of going to the Security House office. Their services include affordable personal tax returns; fixed-fee monthly bookkeeping services, and accounting and business consulting. They also have a "Shoebox Organizing Service" to organize and summarize receipts, invoices, bank and credit card statements, and anything else that has piled up (no pre-sorting necessary). Owner Colleen Hoggarth, originally from Ontario, has over 25 years experience in accounting and management as well as providing management for a real estate investment company. She is an active member of the e-Women's Network, Westshore Women's Business Network, and Peninsula Women's Network. Check out the many tax tips on Security House's facebook page and the Security House blog including their list of important dates for tax season. Security House is a member of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce. Contact Security House 250-590-5162 766 Hillside Ave, Victoria, BC V8T 1Z6 |
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