People should work and save for what they want
Dear editor, Cowichan citizens and all the people who can think, not only listen to the lazy people and bureaucrats.
I started to work when I was 20 years old. In the morning I went to school, afternoon and evening I worked. That was in 1970 in Montreal. After a few years the company sent me to Toronto. I could not save much money because I had to pay for school. I worked in construction or any job was I could find. I got my diploma as a construction engineer. If the job was slow or even if the company closed for one year or less I found the next job working as a carpenter or sometimes painting the houses or even cleaning the property — whatever I could find. Even though I have a very good working diploma I take any kind of job; I did not wait to get my good paying job where I pay high taxes to government. One-third of my salary went to the government.
After 10 years I came to B.C. got married and payed down $100,000 for the house that I saved in 20 years with hard working. Me and my wife work six to seven days per week, including night shift and overtime. I am now retired and we are still paying for the mortgage, and pay $4,000 for house tax. I know that many people do the same like we do; still paying for mortgage, and now the government wants us to pay extra tax for people who do not want to work hard and never did, because the people who work hard all their life will have to pay for them. Not me, I am not crazy, will the government pay for my mortgage? When I was in charge of 1,200 people in Montreal and in Toronto I had a problem with real Canadian people, they want to work five days per week. I ask them to stay for overtime or work Saturday, I was told from them, let new immigrant work, we have five days, that is good enough for as.
I always ask real Canadians first. If we did not finish the project in time the company would pay a heavy fine. When the migrant received a bigger cheque than the old Canadian, that is not fair, they said. We brought immigrants to Canada to work for us so we can have good time. They forget that they were once immigrants too, or there parents were. I have a lot of people who work six month and six month employment. And then they complain “I can’t purchase house, I do not have money and the rent is very expansive”.
In Cowichan is same thing, can’t buy house, can’t rent, is too expensive. Right now is so busy in the island, it has been like that for a few years; construction is humming and so is gardening, stores, self-employment, and so on. Only the people with disabilities need help. If you go every year on an expensive holiday, purchase expensive cars, the money goes very fast. Investigate the people, why they can’t pay a downpayment for house — how much they make per year, how much they spent and for what. Thank you. For a start, they can buy a smaller house and after few years they get a larger house, same for rent, look for smaller house and not so expensive area. They always complain there are plenty of smaller houses in not so expensive areas. When I did not have much money I stay in trailer park for four years. When I save money I bought a better place with no government help.
Jozef Krampac
Duncan