MLA Welfare Challenge
Today, Friday, January 20, Jagrup Brar has less than $10 for the rest of the month. This is less than $1 a day.
The MLA Welfare Challenge was issued in 2011 by Raise the Rates, a coalition of community groups and organizations concerned with the level of poverty and homelessness in British Columbia. The purpose of the Challenge is to highlight the depth of poverty which 500,000 people across BC have to endure.
Jagrup Brar, MLA for Surrey-Fleetwood accepted the Challenge to live on $610 for the month of January. He is spending half the month in Surrey and half in Vancouver. While his experiences are not the same as people on living on welfare as he was in good mental and physical health when he started and he knows it will end after a month, none the less he will live on $610 and discover how little money that is. He is also meeting many other people on welfare and in poverty and learning of their experiences.On the website you’ll find Jagrup Brar’s blog, facts and information about welfare and poverty in BC, a blog by a Downtown Eastside resident about Jagrup’s experiences, as well as some videos and links to media coverage.
We invite you to explore the website, share it with friends and contribute yourself.Jagrup Brar accepts the MLA Welfare Challenge:
As a councillor for my tribe I see and hear the stuggles for my people. We live on a remote island and rely on the BC ferry for transportation, and at close to $10 per person and $20 for vehicle, this makes it very difficult for people to get what they need. They can’t just go walk down the street and pick up groceries because we do not have a store on our island. I wish our MLA would do what you are doing and come to our island and survive on a welfare cheque.
I will keep updated on your story and hopefully you have read my post.
Thank you,
DennyJack
Penelakut tribe councillor