Thread by @Arrogant_Twat

1/ A thread..

Every year around this time, the old grumps all come out of the woodwork to criticize #BellLetsTalk , with the same tired arguments:

- It's advertizing, nothing more
- Bell get's tax breaks to do this
- They don't really care, it's all about PR

You've seen these

2/ For whatever reason, they refuse to acknowledge that corporations can do good AND advertize, take tax credits, boast with amazing PR. They are not mutually exclusive.

Companies have budgets explicitly for charitable programmes. We get it.

3/ However, without corporate sponsorships, many (most?) charitable organizations wouldn't exist. Cancer research, women's shelters, kids help lines, summer camps for blind kids, homeless shelters, food banks. They NEED corporate help, and the corporations get a tax break.

4/ Still, raising awareness by tweeting with a hashtag, or buying a coffee on June 6 to support kids camps, or filling knapsacks with toiletries for the homeless literally takes zero or very minimal effort or time.

5/ The company I work for chooses to do this because the CEO was on the street as a kid. It's personal for him. It's personal for us. AND the company gets a tax break.

6/ Tim Hortons spends MILLIONS sponsoring kids summer camps and little league baseball, soccer, and hockey (Sidney Crosby was a Timbit!). They do GOOD. They don't have to.

7/ Bell Canada donates MILLIONS and in addition, raises significant awareness about those with mental health issues. Trying to remove the stigma is massive. If it saves one life, awesome!

8/ But when you don't want to tweet a hashtag because you're angry at corporate Canada/America/Globalism, you're just being a dick.

Talking can save lives. I know, because I am still here. This is personal.

#BellLetsTalk
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