Basic Income Roundtable with Leah Gazan - Sept 11, 2024

Описание: Leah and a group of basic income experts discuss Bill C-223, An Act to develop a national framework for a guaranteed livable basic income, which will be voted on in parliament in September.

Bill C-223 calls on the federal government to create the first national framework for a guaranteed livable basic income (GLBI). Within one year of the bill passing, the Minister of Finance would be required to present a report that:

First, determines what constitutes a GLBI for each region of Canada;
Second, establishes necessary health and social supports to complement a GLBI; and
Third, creates a national framework for a GLBI that is available for all people over 17 years old, across Canada, regardless of citizenship or immigration status; that does not require that people participate in education, training, or the labour market; and, that does not result in decreased services or benefits that support individuals’ exceptional health or disability needs.

Simply put, Bill C-223 would require the federal government to come up with a plan for how to implement a GLBI that upholds the human dignity of all people in Canada. If passed, Bill C-223 will put significant pressure on the federal government to implement a GLBI by demonstrating the possibility of the program and its potential to make significant steps toward eradicating poverty.

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Evelyn Forget is an Officer of the Order of Canada and Distinguished Professor of Community Health Sciences and Economics at the University of Manitoba. She is author of Basic Income for Canadians: from the Covid-19 Emergency to Financial Security for All.

Sid Frankel is a senior scholar in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Manitoba and a member of the executive of the board of directors of the Basic Income Canada Network. He is also chair of the board of Basic Income Manitoba, and a member of the National steering Committee of Campaign 2000 to End Child Poverty.

Damon Johnston is President of the Aboriginal Council of Winnipeg, an organization that is a voice of Advocacy for the urban Indigenous community in Winnipeg, MB since 1994. He is also Co-Chair of the National Urban Indigenous Coalitions Council, a collective of 20 urban Indigenous coalitions comprised of varying numbers of historic Urban Indigenous charitable and not-for-profit agencies established in Canada over a period of 70 years.

Ben Earle is a transformative leader in the nonprofit community services sector, dedicated to driving innovation and positive change. He has extensive experience in community and social policy planning and development and currently works as both the CEO of Feed the Need in Durham, a community food organization in the Greater Toronto Area, and the General Manager of Basic Income Canada Network.