What should we think of a politician who has finally decided to spend a month on $610 “to experience firsthand what life is like being on welfare.”
Jagrup Brar, after being an MLA for seven years, drawing a six-figure income, perks and ongoing increments, and with all the statistics at his disposal on the cost of living, has decided to spend time with those on welfare.
He wants to know after paying $375 on rent, $40 on bus pass and $20 on cellphone how welfare recipients stretch their dollar to survive. Nobody is going to hear anything new.
Brar’s decision has amazed me. He is neither a student nor a social worker doing research on whether the monthly welfare amount is enough to get by. He is well-educated, a Canadian university graduate, and a former executive director of the Surrey Self Employment and Entrepreneur Development Society (SEEDS).
Jagrup Brar helped train new entrepreneurs in developing and launching successful small business ventures.
Any welfare recipient can tell you what Brar is going to say after one month – that it is very hard to get by with $610.
Mr. Brar, you don’t stand outside the house to know the cold temperature when you have a barometer.
You want to do something? Hand over $20,000 to the food bank. I am not impressed.
Shan Rana