Managing the PR of BC Poverty
Poverty is a political choice made by those in power and the willingness of the public to tolerate the ongoing conditions of poverty. We need to be honest about this fact, and either do what is required to end poverty through society-wide commitment to this, or be honest about the choice we’re making in allowing poverty to keep harming so many people. What we don’t need to do is manage the PR of poverty, hiding it or reframing poverty as anything other than a political reality stemming from our political choices.
What we don’t need is this:
When the 2010 Winter Olympic Games get underway, the Campbell administration won’t just be showcasing Beautiful British Columbia. It will also be showcasing government programs that have been “undertaken to address the issue of homelessness” in Vancouver’s “colourful” Downtown Eastside. This, according to a concept paper prepared by the Crown corporation responsible for the province’s subsidized housing.
