Then as now inflation and the cost of living are very much front of mind. In This edition of Remember This? The Timmins Museum: NEC looks back on social concerns brought to council by a delegation of single underemployed men looking for redress in times of need.
The recurrent and difficult topic of homelessness and want faced the community in 1932. The Porcupine Advance reported that “there are now vast numbers” of unemployed single men in the community who were not receiving any relief whatsoever and were forced to beg to keep from starving. This put these folks in a double bind since this was a criminal offence and contrary to bylaw to beg on the streets.
Mayor Drew pointed out to the delegation of men assembled before council that none had been refused relief (in the form of meal tickets of a value of 5 cents per day, that’s $1.03 in today’s money) who refused work. Relief Officer Dunn, who was advocating on behalf of the men, snapped back and stated very plainly that a poverty wage doing menial work such as cutting wood for 85 cents a day (which is $17 in today’s money) was simply not enough to get by. Dunn went on to state that council was not to blame for the situation but pressed them to use their influence to have industry shoulder some of the weight of the unemployment issue.
After a tense exchange, the delegation of men in council chambers left after they were told: “…The town did not intend to burden the taxpayers with the keep of those who refused work”. The men left the council chambers, no doubt crestfallen, their leader returning later to inform council the men with no other recourse, were willing to do the work.
The Timmins Museum: National Exhibition Centre regularly provides TimminsToday readers with a glimpse of the city’s past.
Find out more of what the Timmins museum has to offer here and read more Remember This columns here.
