On the Nature of "FACT" (Mississauga Musings)

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POVERTY IN MISSISSAUGA

Yes, I know.

When you read, "Poverty in Mississauga" you went, "Whaaa? What Poverty in Mississauga"?

Much like bowel movements and that drunken, abusive uncle on their side of the family, Poverty is something Mississaugans just don't talk about.

You'll certainly find no hint that Poverty in Mississauga is of any concern at the City of Mississauga website.

Here. Take a look.
Mississauga City website

Lots of smiley faces, the advertisement "Fun City" with a smiley sun and a smiley Rogers TV "City Report" reporter all on one smiley page.

The glowing-relentless-Mississauga-cheer beaming from this "award-winning website" masks the fact that the people who often need municipal government services the most can't afford easy access to them.

Poverty is a fact in Mississauga.

Before going further on the subject of Poverty, it's vital that we nail down what the word "fact" means. Anyone keeping any sort of track of politics at any level of government knows that politicians and bureaucrats can --and will-- say anything.

So much of what they say is devoid of fact.

The dictionary defines "fact" as:

Main Entry: fact

3: the quality of being actual : actuality [a question of fact hinges on evidence]

4 a: something that has actual existence [space exploration is now a fact] b: an actual occurrence [prove the fact of damage]

5: a piece of information presented as having objective reality
— in fact : in truth

REPEAT:

5: a piece of information presented as having objective reality
— in fact : in truth

Here is a Mississauga fact about Clarkson/Lorne Park:

Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Canada, 1996; 2001.

• The average family income in Clarkson/Lorne Park was $117,550 in 2000, an increase of 30.8% from the average family income of $89,900 in 1995.

Here is a Mississauga fact about Malton:

Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Canada, 1996; 2001.

• The average family income in Malton was $50,700 in 2000, an increase of 11.2% from the average family income of $45,602 in 1995.

Here are two Mississauga facts based on the two prior Mississauga facts (that is, if my math is correct)

FACT: In 2000, the average family income in Clarkson/Lorne Park was 2.3 times as much as the average family income in Malton.

FACT: Between 1995 to 2000, the increase in average family income in Clarkson/Lorne Park was 2.75 times greater than the increase in the average family income in Malton.

One last fact about "Poverty in Mississauga" today.

FACT: When you type in the word "Poverty" into the mississauga.ca search engine, you will only get 3 "hits". They are as follows --and feel free to follow the link for each one:

Habitat for Humanity Information & Recruitment Meeting 12-MAY-05 Events

The End Poverty Concert 09-MAR-07 Events

Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) 17-SEP-03 Article

POVERTY -- FOR MORE INFORMATION courtesy of the Social Planning Council of Peel