For Immediate Release - 17 June 2020
BASIC INCOME GOES VIRAL: ESSENTIAL FOR PANDEMIC RECOVERY, SAYS NEW REPORT
Work is not enough to guarantee Canadians basic security. It never was. The only way to deal with this harsh reality is for one of the world’s richest countries to guarantee a basic livable income to everyone, regardless of employment status. This is a key conclusion from the report Rethinking Work and Income Security in the 21st Century: The Case for Basic Income and Work.
This report, organized by the Ontario Basic Income Network, was the result of a gathering of Basic Income (BI) supporters months before the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit. CERB has guaranteed income for many – but not all – Canadians.
“If BI had been in place when the pandemic arrived, there would have been a lot less scrambling to hastily construct and then fix holes in the ‘emergency’ income security measures,” said Jim Mulvale, part of the organizing team and a member of Basic Income Manitoba.
Another key conclusion of the report was that it is finally time to sever the link between personal security and a job. “The trend towards precarious and low wage work will only get worse as our economy reopens and employers look to cut costs,” concludes the report.
Basic Income Manitoba supports the findings in this new study. “This work puts to rest the common myth that basic income is a work disincentive. A basic income program has positive socio-economic impacts on both workers and households. It also recognizes the importance of unpaid work, like community service, artistic developments and academic endeavours,” said Sid Frankel, member of Basic Income Manitoba.
About Basic Income Manitoba
Basic Income Manitoba is a non-profit, non-partisan organization educating, promoting, and advocating for a basic income in Manitoba. We believe everyone has the right to live a life with dignity. Basic Income Manitoba is led by a volunteer-run board of directors and works like a community of supports. For more information visit basicincomemanitoba.ca
Read the report here.
Visit the Cases for Basic Income pages
For more information please contact:
Sid Frankel, Board member, Basic Income Manitoba
(+1) 204-295-3749 [email protected]
Jim Mulvale, Co-facilitator, Ontario Basic Income Network and member of Basic Income Manitoba
(+1) 437-488-9600 (mobile) [email protected]
Chandra Pasma, Policy analyst and Basic Income Canada Network Advisory Council member
(1+) 613-866-2928 (mobile) [email protected]