Even pandemics have silver linings and COVID-19 has at least one: a sharper focus on income disparity and widespread poverty in Canada.
With this awareness comes quickening footsteps of reluctant officials and an ongoing pros and cons debate over one concept, a guaranteed annual income.
What critics, which include social justice advocates, a puzzle to me, need to consider is that a guaranteed annual income is one tool dealing with poverty, not the only tool.
Even the recent B.C. experts panel, two years in the making, is not out right rejecting a GAI. As Hugh Segal points out the three-person panel seems to have themselves “bumping into each other while coming around the corner” in a report of 65 recommendations.
The report does a couple of things: It recommends updating and expanding existing social support programs and it points out that a GAI is not affordable by any one province and would need federal financial help. Note: The MinCom GAI in Manitoba in the1970s proved that.
We need to remind ourselves that we already have successful federally administered and financed GAI like programs (old age security, guaranteed income supplement for seniors and the child benefit once known as the family allowance). There is no need to establish a new layer of government administration. The B.C. report for some reason suggested a new multi-program system, which of course is costly to any government.
Basic income guarantee promoters, supported by studies, have said that the Canadian tax system already used to determine eligibility for many existing programs can be used to determine GAI need. What is necessary of course is to establish a realistic poverty line or ceiling.
We also need to remind ourselves is that too many Canadians are living in crappy housing or none at all, are not eating enough food good or bad, are foregoing medications and dental work, are excluded from their communities because they simply cannot afford to participate and further more cannot enrich the culture of our society for the same reason, being poor.
We need to remind ourselves that at some point in our lives we won't be able to work at a job and that many of these pay too little to live on. We are an illness, a mental health-related crisis, an injury or job cutback away from becoming destitute.
So, why not a guaranteed income guarantee program?
Long-time activist Edith Perry lives in Millview, P.E.I.
