Story and Video by TWCA intern, Maju Tavera
This is the continuation of a fictional story. Read Act I here and read Act II here.
Laura and Zoë are in the supermarket, while they are lining up to pay their groceries, they are having this conversation.
Laura: Hey Laura, I’ve been thinking about my last “excursion” to the city budget presentation that my councillor made 2 weeks ago. At one point she said to us “nobody wants to pay taxes, right?” and I have to say that I was shocked by that comment.
Zoë: Why?
Laura: From my point of view, we really need to embrace paying taxes— that is part of our duty as citizens. My problem is when the distribution of that revenue is so unfair. If I pay my taxes it’s because I expect that it will contribute to a better life for all of us. I don’t agree with what the city council is doing, but I think that what my councilor said was wrong.
Zoë: Well I think that is the way that many politicians talk, they know that people are really dissatisfied with the fact that they pay so much but they don’t see anything good, actually everything is getting worse. I went to TWCA’s Engagement Civic Café in the beginning of February. Even though the weather was terrible, it was impressive to see a full room with people coming up to speak about their concerns about the city budget and share their ideas of how the city can distribute it or look for new sources of revenues. Also Kara Santokie from TWCA put on the table the gender disadvantages that women have to face everyday just with a simple question “ Who do you think uses the TTC more, women or men?”
Laura: Yeah, I saw the video; it was great to hear our voices there.
Cashier: Do you need bags?
Zoë: No thanks.
She packs her groceries and pays her bill, while Laura is preparing to do the same thing.
Zoë: I have to run but I would love to talk to you next week about the poverty reduction strategy, I hope we can coincide somewhere.
Laura: Sure! You know it could be in the train station, lining up for groceries or for the bus, basically everywhere.
Zoë: That’s right, see you soon!!
Laura: See ya!
