"Philanthropy is commendable, but it must not cause the philanthropist to overlook the circumstances of economic injustice that make philanthropy necessary."
-- Martin Luther King, Jr.
As the season of sharing is once again upon us, and so many in our midst face hunger and homelessness, we are all called to share what we have with those in need. But as Dr. King points out, we should also be asking why poverty exists in the first place, and one major factor is the greed of corporations and corporate heads who refuse to share their resources.
Why $200 million? That's the amount of deferred (unpaid) taxes owed by three corporate sponsors of the Xmas Food drive (Loblaws, Domtar and Ault Foods) added to the stock options of President Richard Currie, Weston Industries (which owns Loblaws). Perhaps if they spread this wealth around a bit, we wouldn't have so much hunger in Ontario to begin with. Both Loblaws and Ault were major supporters of the Harris Tories as well, whose cutbacks have further increased the level of human misery inthis province.
Domtar $101,000,000 (deferred taxes owing as of 1994)
Ault $45,231,000 ((deferred taxes owing as of 1995)
Loblaws $39,700,000 (deferred taxes owing as of 1994)
Richard Currie $15,000,000 (value of his stock options, 1996)
Total $200,931,000
"Deferred taxes are really tax breaks Ottawa has provided to business over the years in allowing them to write off their plant and equipment at artificially fast rates. Since the taxes are almost never paid, the money amounts to an interest-free loan from Ottawa, without any collateral required or any due date." -- Linda McQuaig, Behind Closed Doors
TAKE ACTION
1. Join Santa and the Elves at the Loblaws Corporate Hypocrite Picket Monday, December 22, 12 noon, at 480 St. Clair Ave. W (steps from the St. Clair W. subway)
2. Support the work of organizations building alternative, non-profit solutions to the crisis of hunger.
3. Phone (922-2500) or fax (922-0803) Richard Currie with your concerns. We have written numerous letters, all unanswered, to Mr. Currie, inviting a dialogue on sharing the wealth (personal and corporate) of this province.
For more information contact the End Hunger Division of Toronto Action for Social Change at (416) 651-5800.