The poor are always with us, but must they invade Rosedale, the poshest neighbourhood

in Toronto and possibly the province?

About 150 low-income, disabled or homeless residents marched though the upscale area trying to get across the message that they are unfairly treated and provoked some tut-tutting.

The demonstrators argued it was time they took their story to the doorsteps of those they say benefit most from Liberal government policies and pushed empty shopping carts to symbolize they cannot afford groceries.

The hot spot was when they burned an effigy of Premier Dalton McGuinty outside the home of financier Gerald Schwartz, an odd sort of Liberal who attends party fund-raisers, but flaunted his wealth by demolishing a house next door, that others would feel privileged to live in, to expand his already huge mansion.

Courtly former Lieutenant Governor Hal Jackman, a financier from old money who lives across the street, told this writer that this size home was excessive. These are some of the names that give Rosedale its cachet.

The only other inflammatory note from a marcher was a comment that the poor lack necessities, while "bastards like this can live in every kind of luxury."

But this was more than offset by a storeowner, who said the marchers were hooligans and an indelicate act should be performed on them with a screwdriver - hardly a shopkeeper one would want to accuse of giving the wrong change.

A newspaper said social activists staged the demonstration to promote themselves and gave the poor a bad name.

Letters in newspapers mostly took the hostile theme that the demonstrators refuse to work and expect those who work to keep them. One said they were spitting in the face of a society that helps them, instead of being grateful. Another said they implied that those who provide better homes for themselves take money that should go to the poor.

One countered defensively that the better-off get tax breaks that help them keep money, but deserve them. Another sniffed that the demonstrators would have been more useful if they had protested in a city park and picked up litter there instead of bothering the inhabitants of Rosedale.

None conceded that the demonstrators had any justification for marching through this neighbourhood close to downtown, which is home to many who are wealthy, including business owners, chief executives of banks and stock brokerages, senior lawyers, entertainment celebrities and medical specialists.

They fail to recognize that when the poor venture into such surroundings, the contrast draws more attention to their cause.

When the poor complain on these streets that the province pays a single person on welfare only $536 a month and requires employers to pay a minimum wage of only $7.75 an hour, this seems particularly miserly amid such comfort.

Some, not all, in this area earn 30 or 40 times as much and deserve to earn more, but it is difficult to justify earning 40 times as much.

Many also have tax advantages including running cars, dining out, playing golf or taking vacations as a business expense by attending professional conventions conveniently held in Las Vegas or London or finding other work-related reasons for visiting attractive destinations, which are benefits denied the poor.

Entrepreneurs in business often create jobs for others, but they do it primarily for their own gain, not to help anyone else.

Doctors have help from the public to get into their lucrative profession, because the province spends hundreds of thousands of dollars training each of them.

When business wants to get its views heard by politicians, it donates thousands to their parties, whispers in their ears at dinners and hires people inside them to promote its interests.

Doctors' organizations hire some of the most expert professional lobbyists and constantly remind their members to keep up the pressure.

The poor cannot afford such aids to getting their voices heard, so should anyone begrudge them going where they can to get a better hearing - even to swanky Rosedale?