Flip the Coin

Below is an e-mail forward I got from my mom, and my response to it. I don't know if she sent it to me expecting my sympathy or if she was trying to bait me, but I hope it was the later, since her church has undoubtedly sponsored more than its share of refugees over the years.

SUBJECT: Canada Pension

It is interesting that the Federal government provides a single refugee
with a monthly allowance of $1,890.00 and each can also get an additional
$580.00 in social assistance for a total of $2,470.00. This compares very well
to a single pensioner who after contributing to the growth and development of
Canada for 40 to 50 years can only receive a monthly maximum of $1,012.00
in old age pension and Guaranteed Income Supplement. Maybe our pensioners
should apply as refugees! Lets send this to all Canadians, so we can all
be ticked off and maybe we can get the refugees cut back to $1,012.00 and
the pensioners up to $2,470.00 and enjoy some of the money we were forced to
submit to the Government over the last 40 or 50 years. Please forward to
every Canadian to expose what our elected politicians are doing to the
over taxed Canadian.

REPLY:

It is interesting that a Canadian Pensioner has lived his or her entire life in a nation free from civil war and political persecution. This compares very unfavourably with a refugee, who has not had an opportunity to contribute to the growth and development of his or her nation, and who in fact was forced to flee that country leaving everything they know behind forever. Maybe we should be thankful for the opportunity to be Canadians and share our good fortune with those unlucky enough to be born in less affluent and more tyrannical parts of the world.