When GG sir started this great website some 14 years ago (let us assume 2002, the same year that I landed in Canada), things were a lot different. The economy was good, housing boom had just started and labour jobs were available in plenty (same as with IT and Finance). We had Blue Lobster, Jake3D, Mercury, SS etc.. who were sucessful in their professions (IT and Labour) and were advsing people day and night.
Now in 2014, we are living in a broken economy where even white people (source : redflag deals) are not able to find jobs. A 4 hour labour job gave some 20 responses in a few hours in Kijiji in 2009. People are crying for jobs. In this situation, Canada is still brining in the same number of people and they are stuggling for livelihood (barring IT/ Finance) and they looking to people who can teach them to survive. BL/ Jake 3 D, SS, Chandresh are not at all advsing people of the real situation in 2014 and hence me and some other dedicated people are advising them.

The key is to save your hard earned money that you have brought from your home country. Every Desi need to do it. Food banks have lots of food and it is one of the areas that Immigrants are not fully able to tap it, owing to ill advise by some people even on this board. Food bank is for people who donot have a job and for those who donot want to spend their hard earned money. Anyways, it is up to the desi's to use it. Till now, Canadian govt. is not doing significant help to immigrants, who get cheated big time once they land due to faulty advise and I home me and my team will be able to guide new immigrants to be in the right direction..

Please also be free to advise people as you may seem fit. Let the readers make the final call.

Murali The Krishna

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I am a Gents and not a Ladies.

Quote:

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Originally posted by tamilkuravan

Food banks have lots of food and it is one of the areas that Immigrants are not fully able to tap it, owing to ill advise by some people even on this board. Food bank is for people who donot have a job and for those who donot want to spend their hard earned money. Anyways, it is up to the desi's to use it.

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Thanks Feb,
Even otherwise, Food banks throw away vegetables (which are still fresh) and breads on Friday evening. Rather than going to the Garbage, it can go to some Desi's stomach.
I am not advising people who are rich and in plush IT jobs but rather poor desi's who have sold their estates to give to the immigration consultants and come here only to find that cold awaits them. They eat into their nest egg and then get in trouble with their spouses when they are not able to find work.
While in Canada, I have helped countless immigrants by transporting the furnitures to them after selling it to them (mind it for $ 10, $ 5 so that they know the worth).
In some Salvation army offices, they keep food stuffs at the desks for any one walking in (It is even there in Square one shopping centre near a walmark entrance). Bread they will give one or 2 per family per day and some stuff, you can take as much as you like.
Also some gently used stuff (books/ shoes / handbags) can be found for free pick up at selected locations.
As said before, in Canada, you canot get free rent, free TTC, Free hydro (unless it is part of the rent), free laundry etc... So use only what you can.

Hope people will stop being judgemental and let it help those who have no options.

Murali The Krishna

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I am a Gents and not a Ladies.

Febpreet, I am not aware that people with nice savings and pensions are resorting to food banks for temporary "out of work" situation. Morally, the food banks are not meant for such persons, and if I am donating to these food banks, it is for very unfortunate people who cannot afford food, for any reason, may it be monetary or other social needs. Knowing this, I will stop donating to the food banks and stop going to those places to volunteer, a thing which I recently did hoping that I was helping the really needy ones.

It is morally unethical to go to a food bank, as TK puts it - "for those who do not want to spend their hard earned money." That would mean that even people like me should go there since my money is also hard earned, and not hardly earned. Being frugal is different from taking needy people's share.

As for new immigrants - my advice is - if you think you can't survive or you have been cheated (which is so silly to say - since the Canadian govt did not go to their house to offer PR, and in today's world with internet, it is not difficult to find the way Canadian govt "cheats" foreigners), atleast you have the option to go back where you came from. These people do not want to go back since they know that the place where they came from they are cheated day in and day out by their own people and so they are better off in Canada with all the hardships. Canadians who have no other country to go to since they belong here, do not have that option.

Or else, fight - fight hunger, fight fashion, fight the cold, fight physical desires and survive on what you are able to earn - but do not take from the needy and fragile. Most people on this forum know that I personally did not get a job for 5 years after coming to Canada - but I did not resort to such silly and unethical things. How would TK feel if the person who he is advising asks TK to give his food to that guy and TK go to sleep without food?

And Mr Murali the Krishna - years 2000 - 2005 were bad too - I know that since I did not get a single interview in those years, forget about jobs. It is purely your stars or your experience and qualifications. So many people in my circle are still getting great jobs, even without trying, and recruiters call them regularly.

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Chandresh

Advice is free – lessons I charge for!!

I completely agree with you, Chandresh. Food Banks are for needy and hungry. Even when you're a new immigrant and struggling with the job market and the dwindling cash flow. In my personal opinion, I would rather go back to India than resorting to die with hunger here. If it's a temporary situation, then I am all for the Food Banks as their basic purpose is to feed the hungry. On the other hand, if it's the potential long term situation, then for an immigrant (especially from Indian well off background and a mortgage free house back home) the recommended solution is to go back. I wouldn't waste my precious time, just for the heck of clean and empty air.

There are lots of resources in this country which are grossly under utilized .... in fact most of the tax paid institutions have a lot of potential for efficiency .... Looking at the examples of some politicians / Mayors etc. ..... they burn taxpayers money .... Dalton Mc Guinty , Brampton Mayor just to name a few ....

In front of those examples , using these food banks is actually a grace .... ( though I have never used them and would discourage those who earn well from using them ) , but do not see anything wrong in using them in case one needs them ..... consider it recycling ...

There are tons of locals staying here squandering welfare money from the Govt and smoking pot .... go figure ...

I m not in favor of abuse but agree with one thing ... share your opinion and let the reader decide .... who knows there may be some who may actually have to resort to using these food banks .

For others , well you can simply pass the post and thread.....

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Fido.

If someone says that the years 2000-2005 were bad then what about 2009-2014? The last 5 years are one of the worst in the history of Canada. The saving grace is Second career which offers upto $ 28,000 for education and food. A lot of people (incl. me) were benefited by that. In my case I was fired from my job in Feb 2009 (peak of recession). I got the second career (though cheated by a desi) and when the economy started showing a shoot, I got a job in Feb 2010 (just when my Second career / EI) ended.
I am not sure why people say that food banks are for the homeless and desititute. Canada does not have much homeless and desititute . The homeless are 90% pot somokers. Genuine people are very less. Food banks have a lot of food for distribution and food banks do not depend on individuals. They depend on large corporations for food.
As Fido says, let this post help people who are on the brink of poverty and who want to save their Indian hard earned money. A lot of people come after selling their properties/ goods in India.

Murali The Krishna

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I am a Gents and not a Ladies.