Survivor, Canadian edition

Kym Fleming

How much do you think your life is worth? Surely to God it's worth more than a cheque for two grand, a firm hand shake, and a smile. Mine is worth much more, my friends and family's can't be priced.

Unfortunately, residents of Walkerton are not only victims of contaminated water, but are getting screwed over once again in Canada's "you're just another number category". In a recent settlement, residents were offered a 'whopping' cheque in the amount of $2000 for their pain, suffering, and deaths they were subjected to, because, whoops, they messed up.

Ironically, the number tags they pulled off during their emergency room waits during the E. Coli outbreak, have resurfaced and have once again been handed to each and every resident. Please wait in line, don't talk when not spoken to, and oh yeah, forget about the whole ordeal and buy yourself a nice dinner with your buy-out. Save the waitresses tip for yourself, and don't drink the water.

After witnessing hefty settlements in other parts of the country, ehem, courtesy of the leader of the Canadian Alliance, it certainly makes me wonder which part of the national agenda is open for the well-being of it's citizens, or if there even is one.
Our politicians make mega-salaries, hockey players make millions, our government sends millions to foreign nations in their time of catastrophe.

Yet when it comes down to paying tax-payers for their near death (could've been avoided if they knew what they were doing) situations, once again, there's a nice cozy spot set aside on the back burner. I can feel that Canadian pride burning inside.