As a social worker, I have been frustrated by the inaction of the provincial and federal governments to remove barriers for poor and marginalized people to access essential services.
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As a social worker, I have been frustrated by the inaction of the provincial and federal governments to remove barriers for poor and marginalized people to access essential services. Specifically, the need to show government-issued identification to get help.
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You need an ID to get a new ID. You also need money to get an ID and you need a postal address to get the ID. How is a homeless person supposed to get identification? Many government forms are also difficult to complete for someone living with a mental illness or drug addiction or with a lack of education or limited English proficiency.
Additionally, many poor and marginalized people focus on their basic needs, such as keeping warm and getting enough to eat. Making sure their ID is in a safe place and not lost is not a high priority for some of them. Many also do not have access to computers or cell phones to request new identification.
Anyone in BC should be able to walk into any government office and pass a security check and get services on the spot.
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Why does the social services system have to be so broken and inaccessible to a vulnerable sector of the population?
And don’t get me started on the shameful little financial aid, disability shelter, and living allowances in Metro Vancouver, one of the most expensive cities in the world to live in.
The way the poor and marginalized are treated is a reflection of the health and well-being of society as a whole. It is time for the government to treat the poor as you want them to treat you.
Alex Sangha, Delta
Relatively easy to get a boost
I am a senior and have received two doses of Pfizer. Two months ago, I received an invitation to receive a booster shot. Since it had been less than six months since my second dose, I made an appointment for January 5. Then when Omicron arrived, he wanted to get the reinforcement as soon as possible.
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On the night of December 20, I went to the Italian Cultural Center to see if I could get the vaccine. The guard at the gate said I could come in if I had proof that I had been invited to get reinforcement. I did not have my proof of invitation with me. He said to come back tomorrow with a test.
On December 21, I returned to the ICC with proof of my appointment. I was allowed in, but no one asked to see any proof that I had been invited. They just asked me for my Care Card, they looked me up on their computer and told me to line up.
The line moved quickly. There seemed to be overcapacity, more so than when my wife received her booster a month earlier. A very kind young doctor asked me which vaccine I would like, Pfizer or Moderna. She recommended Moderna for Seniors.
When I got home, I had received an email confirming that I had been vaccinated and that my January 5 appointment had been canceled. The system seems to work well, at least for older people.
Dale Laird, Vancouver
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