Dear editor,

I share Lynn Hamilton鈥檚 sense of frustration, helplessness and anger at the plight of the increasing number of homeless and addicted people we are seeing on the streets in the Comox Valley (CVAG program gives resident insight into homelessness and addiction, letters Oct. 4, 2023).

I think it is good that the Courtenay Warming Centre for the homeless is located on Cliffe Ave. in Courtenay where we can all witness what we have allowed to happen.

It is also admirable that Ms. Hamilton resists the temptation to come up with easy solutions to a complex problem. But I think there is one field of inquiry that would be worth investigating.

In 2012 before she entered politics, our current Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister, Chrystia Freeland, published a book called Plutocrats: The Rise of the Global Super Rich. In it, she argued that while in the past a fair tax on the wealthy was seen as a matter of principle that would have little effect on the economic well-being of poorer Canadians, by 2012 we had reached a point where a fair tax would significantly improve the quality of life for lower-income families.

It appears that a decade later things had only become worse. According to CRA records, in a single year (2021) the wealth of the average taxpayer in the top one per cent income group grew by 9.4 per cent (over $50,000) to $579,000, while the income of those in the bottom 10 per cent fell by six per cent ($1,400) to $21,200. And the income of the top 0.1 per cent and 0.01 per cent income earners grew by 17.4 per cent and 25.7 per cent respectively.

This disparity in wealth has been increasing steadily since 1981 after having been relatively equitable and stable from 1945 to 1980.

How can a society continue to function with this growing inequity ?

Most of the uber-rich have no interest in paying more taxes that would improve services for lower-income families. As they get wealthier, their political influence grows stronger, and they lobby for lower taxes and reduced wages and services.

It has been said that 鈥淗ow a society treats its most vulnerable is a measure of its humanity.鈥� Is what we are witnessing in downtown Courtenay a measure of our lack of humanity?

Erik Taynen,

Courtenay