Pan-handlers and druggies in Canada

It's such a contrast to live in Canada versus living in Singapore. In Singapore, you never see beggars on the streets. It's illegal. You also don't have drug users out in the open, because that's also illegal. I used to think you only see beggars and drug users out in the open in third world countries.

Well, guess what, they're a part of life in Canada. These are just two data points but emblematic of a whole different philosophy.

When I go to downtown, there are pan-handlers at every intersection, with a plastic cup in hand walking up and down the rows of cars soliciting money. To me, that's really annoying. They are just asking for money without doing anything. In Jakarta, they play a song on the guitar or have silver paint on their bodies (not that I like it). But the idea is, they are offering something, whereas in Canada, nothing. Just straight out asking for money. I don't know if they are homeless, but these people look like normal functioning adults. It has become like their job or something.

In Singapore, we just make this illegal. In Canada, I suspect that there'll be some argument made for human rights. Some argument about freedom and respecting each individual's right to do what he or she wants. But my counter-argument is that the pan-handler is not respecting the drivers as well. The drivers might as well be a flock of sheep just waiting to be sheared. Just money machines. Kind of respecting the pan-handler's right to not respect the drivers.