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We'd noticed there seemed to be a lot of homeless people in Toronto, noticeably more than we're used to seeing in the UK. Many of them looking like they also had mental problems. So we mentioned this to the guide on the Toronto tour we did, he said it was 'a lifestyle choice', and that the welfare system was ok, hmm. We heard a similar comment from one of the guys on the train, he reckoned there was help 'if they wanted it'. Then, having seen many, many more people living on the streets in Vancouver, we asked the bloke who led our walking tour. HE also claimed it was 'a lifestyle choice' on their part. Well, it's a very popular one, very hip! It seems EVERYONE wants aboard this particular bandwagon! They must have featured it in all the trendy magazines as the 'next big thing'! But just maybe the welfare system actually isn't that good, and lots of people 'fall through the net', and it just makes the rest of society feel better to claim it's 'a lifestyle choice'. We're surprised at Canada, and I can't imagine it's going to be any different in the USA.
On a lighter note, we were having breakfast yesterday and the young lad in the coffee shop asked where we were from, 'Liverpool, UK', he was surprised, 'Liverpool is a PLACE? I thought it was a soccer team!'. We explained that most 'soccer teams' are named after their city of origin, 'you mean Stoke City is a place too, as well as a soccer team?' I don't think he even believed the story about the Arsenal!
Everyone, but everyone, keeps asking us about the R***l W*****g, and most people are surprised when we say we're not interested, and would gladly see every last one of them executed (only joking, or am I?). According to Canadian and US TV, everyone in Britain is LOVING it, and having 24-hour street parties, drinking tea and eating scones and cucumber sandwiches, and doing the Lambeth Walk, all the way down the jolly old Mall. Enjoy! We've also seen on the news that Thatcher, Major, Cameron, Viscount Osborne, and Cleggy are all invited, while Blair and Brown are not. Battle-lines well and truly drawn, I'd say!
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Sylvia good to read your blog jeff, never noticed it when we were there tho. enjoy your time there, speak soon luv from all in dunbarxxx