Not until you mentioned it. It seems to be a substantial issue in the larger Canadian cities for a fairly long time now.

When out and about in many areas there. Usually many ask you for money. Has been my experience. This was not the situation when we lived there.

I think what I find worse is the people that are essentially living on the streets in large Canadian cities. With the general affluence so obvious around them at the same time.

In my opinion you do not want to be down and out in this economy in Canada. To me it would seem extremely difficult to really get going again. Housing and apartment rental costs have really gotten out of hand currently. Food prices have really taken off as well. For a small family rent and food only can be a thousand a week alone. In a few Major Canadian cities.

Substance abuse seems to lead to a massive amount of problems today. We got a message from a young person we know last week. I asked the wife what she thought. He was looking for help.

She said no as he was involved in the break in of our home some time back. He did not do it but it was obvious he provided details to his brother that did do it. Plus the druggies will do anything to meet their needs. Our helping will not slow him down on his self destructive course at all. In fact his only hope is to hit rock bottom first if he is not already there.

I asked the wife later if she responded at all. She told me apparently someone from his past took him in. For a few days. Couch surfing with no job as in a fit of rage he hit the wall and must have hit a stud. His girlfriend threw him out. Six pins and a plate in his right hand. Probably will be months till he can use that hand easily again to work.

Always the con. I want to go back to school. It will be some time until he can even write. Plus he has gotten to the age it would cost to go and has no money. I know he is doing both booze and drugs.

I can see no reason to label it a taboo subject. The problem may even be growing. The amount of it seems directly proportional to the amount of social programs existing in a country. Their are statistics and north America does not do too well in them.

In Canada's case the all too rapid increase in cost of keeping a roof over your head. Especially in the larger Canadian cities is becoming serious. It would take all your income to rent a minimal apartment at the minumin wage of about 11.00 per hour. Yet there are a lot of people working for just minumin wage in the larger cities. Or not much more.

We have a newer poverty issue erupting in my opinion. People have been using credit to fill the cost of living gap in. This is anything but a solution. In our family we always made a point of living well within our means. I see a current scenario where it just is impossible for many to do so right now even if they tried. Yet rather than attempting to move to areas where they still could. They mentally and perhaps financially are stuck where they are.

Also their general mental state when in those situations is not productive to changing it. I blame a lot of the newer negative changes that resulted from the 2008/2009 event that took place. In managing it they might have just kicked the ball down the road. Easy credit has dried up for the majority of Canadians. By federal mandate. The financial community is becoming very concerned about the now steadily increasing default rates as well. Yet keeping a lid on it so far. It should bring the prices of homes down but not enough to matter to those that cannot pass the financial stress tests. The majority cannot. If the trend continues we will see a lot more people bumming. Where they also have a job such as it is.

So our Canadian economy is also booming with the new job figures as well. The question remains are they paying enough to offset the newer background issues? I think what has really happened is a real fall in the standard of living for the average family has occurred. Especially for the bottom thirty percent or more in Canada. Where those of us with more income than ever seem to be able to keep more of it than ever. It is almost like our system here has broken into a financial class type situation. Many societies outside north America have worked hard at this not becoming the problem it is becoming or already has here. Where we seem to be encouraging more of the same.