[homeles_ot-l] Are there no prisons, are there no workhouses? A Toronto Christmas Carol, 2008

[Lynne Browne]

FYI…a modern re-telling in a poster from Michael Shapcott, 

Lynne Browne

 

A Christmas Carol in Toronto (2008)

 

IN Charles Dickens’ classic novel “A Christmas Carol”, Scrooge is approached by two gentlemen seeking to raise a charitable fund for a Christmas meal for poor people in Victorian London. Scrooge asks three questions, and then suggests that the “surplus” people should simply die. 

Here are Scrooge’s questions, and some contemporary answers, from Toronto in the first decade of the 21st century: 

 

ARE there no prisons,” asked Scrooge. 

 

 The number of homeless admissions to adult jails in Toronto grew by 68% from 296 in 2001 to 496 in 20041. 

 

AND the Union workhouses, are they still in operation?” 

 

 Toronto’s hostels provided 1.377 million bed nights of emergency shelter (3,770 per night, 365 days a year) in 20082. 

 

THE Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour?” 

 

 Toronto Police issued 10,584 tickets under the Safe Streets Act to people asking others for change, in 2007 – up 288% from 20043. 

 

I HELP to support the establishments that I have mentioned: they cost enough: and those who are badly off must go there,” says Scrooge. “Many can’t go there, and many would rather die.” “If they would rather die, they had better do it and decrease the surplus population…” 

 

 The poorest one-fifth of Toronto men has a standardized mortality rate 54% higher than the richest one-fifth4. The rate of premature death for poor women is only slightly less: 34% higher for the poor than the rich. 

 

Coordinator, Alliance to End Homelessness (ATEH)
147 Besserer Street, Ottawa, ON K1N 6A7 
Cell 613-513-6647, 613-241-7913 ext 205

HYPERLINK "mailto:lbrowne at ysb.on.ca"lbrowne at ysb.on.ca, 

www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca  

   _____  

From: hhno-on-owner at povnet.org [mailto:hhno-on-owner at povnet.org] On Behalf Of Michael Shapcott
Sent: December 23, 2008 11:03 AM
To: nhhn-can at povnet.org; hhno-on at povnet.org
Subject: [hhno-on] Are there no prisons, are there no workhouses? A Toronto Christmas Carol, 2008

 

Happy holidays to all and, in keeping with the situation, please find a Toronto Christmas Carol with answers to the three questions posed by Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens’ classic story: A Christmas Carol. 

 

-          Michael

 

 

* * *

 

Michael Shapcott, Director of Community Engagement

The Wellesley Institute, 45 Charles Street East - #101

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4Y 1S2

Telephone - 416-972-1010, x231

Mobile - 416-605-8316

Facsimile - 416-921-7228

HYPERLINK "http://www.wellesleyinstitute.com"www.wellesleyinstitute.com

 


No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG.
Version: 7.5.552 / Virus Database: 270.10.0 - Release Date: 22/12/2008 12:00 AM



No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG. 
Version: 7.5.552 / Virus Database: 270.10.0 - Release Date: 22/12/2008 12:00 AM
 
  
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://list.web.net/lists/private/homeles_ot-l/attachments/20081223/f5288e78/attachment-0001.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: christmascaroltoronto2008.pdf
Type: application/octet-stream
Size: 698348 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://list.web.net/lists/private/homeles_ot-l/attachments/20081223/f5288e78/attachment-0001.obj>