6 THE VOICE, THURSDAY, NOV. 26, 2015 EDITOR ANNA DIMOFF lewpoints B.C. only one without a poverty plan n Tuesday, we learned that one in 0: children are living in poverty in B.C. awarding the province with a failing grade on the annual report on child poverty by First Call B.C. Child and Youth Advocacy coalition. At first, I thought that I had heard wrong, The statistic seemed too high for a privileged region such as our own, but unfortunately it’s true. The number of children — consid- ered “poor” has stayed relatively the same for the last 20 years. The question it raises in my mind is how much longer will we listen to shock- ing statistics and stories of children going without be- fore the province takes — significant action? As the only province with no poverty reduction strategy and some of the highest housing prices in Canada, the gap is only bound to expand and leave these children in increasingly vulnerable positions. It paints a discouraging picture when families with parents working full-time jobs are still considered to be living under the poverty line, since our minimum wage doesn’t meet the re- quirements to be considered a “living wage.” The inequality is most promi- nently portrayed by the lack of afford- able housing in Vancouver. If the work- ing members of these families are just barely able to meet the financial expec- tations to afford housing, then the rest of the basic necessities like nutritious food, warm clothing and education for their children are going largely over- looked in each scenario. The first and most important step in combatting this province-wide issue is to create a blanket policy to which each municipality can contribute efforts and initiatives toward. Alberta approached the issue this way and worked with each municipali- ty to find realistic goals based on local needs and community input. Medicine Hat became the first municipality in Canada to put an end to chronic home- lessness by focussing on a housing first approach. The city has been able to pro- vide its citizens with dignity and a chance to save money, Medicine Hat Mayor Ted Clungston said. The provincial government in B.C. needs to follow suit with the rest of Canada. Only until they acknowledge the fact that a cohesive strategy to tackle homelssness is the only way we will see movement toward progress, the problem will continue to sit stag- nant. The focus desperately needs to be shifted to place the regions most vulnerable population in a priority po- sition. OPINION ANNA DIMOFF We want to hear from you Got a different point of view? Write to us. Problems with something we've said? Let us know. Think we got a fact wrong? Tellus. Journalisin instructor Erica Bulman oversees The Voice. Email her at ebulman@langara.be.ca No guilt for holiday glut arts, eggnog, pumpkin pie and chocolates are just a few of my favourite things. My brain’s en- dorphins light up when the party invitations start arriving, with grocery stores and specialty shops display their deli- cious food and my stomach pangs with hunger and thirst for the holi- day treats. As we approach December, my fa- vourite season has Til ll vs OPINION MURRAY B. HUNT arrived: the season of sweet cream- filled food. I know it is not in good taste to arrive at a Christmas party, pull a chair up to the buffet table and start shoving food into the mouth. I can control myself and manage to move between the bar and the buffet sampling ample amounts of food and drink. I always dread running into the skin- ny individual with a tiny plate holding up the line at the buffet and hearing them complain about how the food at the table will cause weight gain. Worse yet, if this person looks at my abun- dantly full plate and makes a comment about the calories. I choose to eat what I want and do not need another person trying to make me feel guilty. The American Heart Association posted an article that suggests we should Keep a food journal to track what we are eating and why during Christmas. I am not going to arrive at my Christmas party with an oversized journal to record my reasons for eat- ing. I am there enjoying my friends, family and socialising with them. Writ- ing down what I am eating takes away the fun of enjoying the food and if I want an extra rum and nutmeg or pumpkin pie with ice cream I do not need to feel guilty about eating. Christmas comes once a year and it is a time to relax, enjoy friends and enjoy good food. I do not like to deny myself the great pleasures of food. Denying food or good drink does not compute in my brain. This once a year feast should be left out of the books, not written in a journal. Guilt should be banished. En- joy the season and happy eating. SEAN LEE photo Trans community still confined gendered inmates the right to Re B.C. policy granting trans- serve time in a correctional centre consistent with their _ self-identi- fied gender is a huge step __for- ward—but it also serves aS a re- minder that a lot more needs to be done beyond pris- on walls. Federally, the is- sue has not yet been addressed. The lack of cohe- sive federal policy regarding the dll OPINION ROSEMARY NEWTON rights of trans prisoners indicates a so- ciety where confronting transphobia is not being taken seriously. Research has proven that transgendered inmates are put at increased risk of assault and harassment; one third of trans inmates report violence, according to the Trans PULSE Project, an Ontario group which researches access to health and social services for trans communities. We need to acknowledge that trans people are one of the most marginal- ized groups in Canada. This year, public figures like actress Laverne Cox and Caitlyn Jenner have brought more representation to popu- lar culture. Despite exciting beginnings for inclusivity, trans populations in Canada are faced with higher rates of poverty and unemployment, factors that actually lead to incarceration in the first place. A troubling statistic from the Trans PULSE Project shows that between 22 and 43 per cent of transgendered people in Europe, Canada and the U.S. have at- tempted suicide. These numbers are unacceptable. When further statistics show that a quarter of trans people report being harassed by police and that despite a majority having post secondary educa- tion, many still live below the poverty line (half surveyed by Trans PULSE earn less than $15,000 annually), I think it’s time we examine the systemic dis- crimination that clearly exists in our country. Accounts of transgendered people avoiding public spaces, washrooms and even medical care based on fear of dis- crimination indicates that Canada is failing in providing basic human rights to all. Increasing rights to B.C. trans in- mates may be a sign of hope, but until the federal government and the rest of Canada catches up, it is on all of us to advocate for communities that are in- clusive of everyone. Fil fay ce) The Voice is published by Langara College's journalism department. Editorial opinions are those of the staff and are independent of views of the student government and administration. We welcome letters to the editor. They may be edited for brevity. Your letter must include your name and phone number. HOW TO REACH US PHONE 604-323-5396 FAX 604-323-5398 E-MAIL thevoice@langara.bc.ca DROP-IN Room A226 Langara College There is a mailbox at the entrance to the journalism rooms. SNAIL MAIL The Voice 100 West 49th Ave. Vancouver, B.C. VBY 226 WEBSITE www langaravoice.ca EDITORIAL STAFF MANAGING EDITOR Dustin Godfrey CITY EDITOR Owen Munro CITY DESKER Tanya Gommisso PAGE EDITORS PAGE 1 Michael Lylyk PAGE 2 Ethan Reyes PAGE 3 Tony Su PAGE 4 Xiao Xu PAGE 5 Mona Butler PAGE 7 James Smith PAGE 8 Kelvin Gawley MANAGING WEB EDITOR Sara Rabey COPY EDITORS Alex Hoegler Bailey Nicholson COPY/WEB EDITOR Jocelyn Aspa Erin Boe SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Bryan Mc Govern REPORTERS Ben Bengtson Jake Costello Scott Drake Rumana Dsouza Jason Hamilton Murray B. Hunt Sean Lee Vincent Matak Rosemary Newton Serena Pattar Nancy Plechaty Seyedmostafa Raziei Kate Richardson Anne-Sophie Rodet Mark Stuart Kevin Underhill Tessa Vikander Bridgette Watson Julia Wickham Kathryn Wu Contact us: Online at langaravoice.ca Twitter: @LangaraVoice