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Duking it out for dollars

Something feels amiss. Telus recently ran a contest where people could vote online for their favourite of three Squamish charities.

Something feels amiss.

Telus recently ran a contest where people could vote online for their favourite of three Squamish charities.  

Saturday it was announced Howe Sound Women’s Centre won first place and was awarded $10,000 from the telecommunications company.

Squamish Helping Hands Society took in $5,000 and Squamish Environment Society received $2,500.

Kudos to Telus for giving out such large sums that will undoubtedly be a big help to these most worthy local causes.

But there is something inherently uncomfortable about this contest and about several other public charity donations I have covered lately (often called “grip and grins,” because the resulting photo inevitably features a grateful charity worker or less-fortunate individual, grinning awkwardly while shaking the hand or holding the cheque of the generous benefactor).

In the case of this contest, a Hunger Games-esque image comes to mind of vulnerable women and children (representing Howe Sound Women’s Centre) battling it out in a ring against hungry low-income people (representing Helping Hands Society). In this fantasy battle, the winner of the cage-match is helped by the rich overlord – er – corporation. Meanwhile, the injured eagle (representing the Environment Society) doesn’t even get in the ring, but perches off to the side hoping some scraps escape the dueling, needy humans.

I exaggerate for effect, obviously, but you get the point.

When charities compete for aid, it seems to me it is time to reassess our values as a society.

Iglika Ivanova, a senior economist and public interest researcher with the left-leaning think tank Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, argues that more than charity, what is needed to help B.C.’s most vulnerable is a government-led, and accountable, comprehensive anti-poverty plan. I would add that we need a societal shift in how we think about our most vulnerable. If instead of being judged on how shiny our facilities and how dazzling our recreational activities, Squamites judged their community on the well-being of the most vulnerable among us, how different would our choices and demands on our elected officials be?

Until we address the systemic reasons for the issues facing those in need of these charities, I guess we will just have to settle for watching them duke it out for corporate dollars.

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