Habituated…

It’s amazing how quickly we become accustomed to things. At first the wonder of the long summer days with sunlight till well after eight is a marvel but it quickly becomes the norm and we soon forget about the cold winter bite and shortened days. How at first my head would nearly double over trying to fathom how someone can balance a TV set on their head while riding a bicycle I now barely even notice them whizzing by even when they brush my shoulder. Acustomization, habituation, just plain getting used to the nature of things it’s really quite strange. Maybe that’s why I have found it a bit difficult to find something to write about lately (besides being even busier than before). Everything just kind of seems more normal now.

About a week ago I did see something very new though and that has been really thought provoking for me. While out and about I saw a glimpse of the Live 8 concert on one of the TVs facing the street. I stopped to observe a bit and it got me thinking. Bono, Geldof, Madonna, and other pop stars standing together challenging our officials to make some real change. It is all so new so invigorating so empowering. Then more recently the G8 summit and the “outcomes and initiatives” they are putting forward.

So I really wonder what the Live 8 concert will actually achieve. I hope that it will be more than just a great free concert and a lot of people getting together with good intentions. Good intentions are great and a place to start but what we need is action. After all 20 years ago we had a similar movement with Bono replaced by Bob Dylan called Live Aid. But twenty years later most people will agree that the gap between the poor and rich has widened and that many countries (especially in sub-Saharan Africa) are worse of now than they were 20 years ago.

On the face of it, making poverty history seems a straightforward task. We the people standing together will force our politicians to make change, real change that will actually help. Like making trade fairer (i.e. by removing agricultural subsidies for example), relieving the debt and delivering more and better aid. We will do this by standing together and one way we can show our solidarity could be by wearing the white “make poverty history” bands. But simply wearing wristbands is not going to do anything and it could fall into just a new fad of looking like you care. We need to use the power that all of us have to make change. Our voice is one of the most powerful weapons we have in the fight against poverty.

Oh yeah around 30 years ago Canada (amongst several countries) agreed to commit 0.7% of our GDP to international aid. We have yet to come through on this promise to our impoverished bothers and sisters around the world. Right now Canada is at around 0.3% one of the lowest actual values of the countries that have promised. Why have we never come through? There are probably a bunch of different reasons but one is definitely that we didn’t use our voice to let our politicians know that we support this idea and that if they want to stay in power they better perform the will of the people.

So now about 4 days ago we have once again “agreed” to certain initiatives to help the poor (through the G8). But promises are not action. We need not get accustomed, not fall asleep. Certain things should never become common place. And we need to continue to apply pressure to make more change.

The responsibility is on us each one of us as an individual and collectively to make poverty history. I know I feel the weight on my shoulders and I hope that I always will. I hope to never get used to the burden to always do what I can in what ever way I am capable. There are many different things that each one of us can make change we just need to have the will to look for how we can best make a difference and follow through with it. There is much work to be done in Canada that could have a huge impact to many more people than I will by coming to Ghana. One is by not forgetting our promise and not letting our elected officials forget these promises and let them know the repercussions if they do not follow through. One way we can do this is by signing the Make Poverty History petition at www.makepoveryhistory.ca and emailing our members of parliament to let them now how we feel. Canada will be coming to an election soon probably within 12 month this is a great time to keep the pressure on. We can also speak with our friends and family and ask them to do the same (that’s what I’m doing now). We can also become more educated in the issues and learn. But we must remember not to get accustomed to it and to keep persistent. This will take time but if we stick it through we can make change at home and abroad.

There is no doubt that the issues are complex and the road will not be easy but we can do our part by starting to use our voice more and reminding those in power what we want.

Take Care and God Bless,
Jason

ps. I think I figured out how to add images so next week hopefully I will upoad some things in the mean time maybe pass the word a long and start creating some pressure back home. Keep up the good work everyone.