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Letter: Tent city residents are taxpayers too

Re: Donna Mason’s letter to the editor: Sept. 5, Put tax payers before tent city
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Camp Namegans tent city at Regina Park. Travis Paterson/News Staff

Re: Donna Mason’s letter to the editor: Sept. 5, Put tax payers before tent city

I have to take issue with Ms. Mason’s assertion that tent city residents do not pay taxes. They do, every time they spend what little they have on anything but food.

Secondly, Ms. Mason seems to be advocating that only those with money and resources should have a say. I’d like to point out to her that one of the main reasons we have representative government is so those without money and resources can have a say in how they are governed.

The tent city residents, and the people advocating for them, have every right to demand government action on homelessness, and to protest.

This is not an oligarchy. People who, for whatever reason have fallen through the cracks, still have every right to equality under the law.

Perhaps is Ms. Mason doesn’t like that idea, she should move to some country where only those with money and power have a say. In the meantime, this is Canada, and everyone gets a chance to have a say, whether they have the dough ray me or not!

Will Webster

Saanich