Basic income is the idea that people will have enough money to live (food and shelter) regardless of their employment status. Manitoba tried this decades ago and it worked, but was cancelled for political reasons. A basic income is needed now more than ever since robots are going to take all the jobs. Plus, inequality is growing at an alarming rate and we need policies that help stymie this growing disparity in wealth.
Let’s hope this trial run in Ontario is another success!
The general concept is that the government would ensure that all citizens have enough income to cover basic needs. One option for such a program is for the government to set a basic amount, such as $18,000 a year, and people whose income is less could receive payments to bring them up to that level.
…
“We will be testing the potential of a basic income to determine if it will provide more consistent support to clients, streamline the delivery of income support, and achieve savings in other areas, such as health and housing supports,†Ms. Jaczek said.
This seems like a lot of bullsh*t to me. The Ontario Liberals have been in power for 13 years and have been cutting welfare (which they still call “Ontario Works” from the ‘workfare’ Mike Harris era) and disability benefits on a yearly basis: eroding them with inflation.
Welfare benefits are actually 20% less than what they were when the Harris/Eves PCs were in power, which they cut by 22%. The Liberals have also been cutting additional benefits, like eye-care and funding to help people move and get appliances, etc.
What does a single person on welfare make a year? $6000? Someone on disability? $11,000? Now they are talking about a basic income of $18,000? It’s complete nonsense.
How about restoring benefits to levels they were at the end of the Harris era and pegging them to inflation? Oh, that would take an actual commitment, and actual money that would be better spent on corporate tax cuts. Clearly I’m being outrageous for even suggesting such a thing!
As long as progressives keep buying Liberal empty talk, that’s all they are going to get.