Local Group Highlight
Basic Income Waterloo Region (BIWR)
The Council for the City of Kitchener recently passed a motion asking the Ontario government to partner with the Federal government to establish a universal basic income. BIWR wrote a letter to the Councillor who proposed the motion thanking him for his initiative and support for basic income.
We also wrote to the Mayors of the City of Waterloo and the City of Cambridge requesting that they propose similar motions in support of a Basic Income Program.
We have completed a Fact sheet entitled, "Basic Income for Economic Recovery and Wellbeing". The document is meant to clearly and concisely convey to the general public what a basic income is and why we need it now more than ever. It will be posted on our Facebook page and Twitter.
We had an Op-Ed published in the Waterloo Region Record clarifying the difference between a Universal Basic Income and income-tested models. It also has a home on the website.
We are planning to do some Strategic Planning for our group with the help of a Masters of Social Work student who has been working with us during the past year.
Carol Stalker
Facilitator's Corner
Our C-Team Minutes note that our monthly Newsletters will be shorter. Newsbits may be published if there are items or activities you should be made aware of.
Please look at our website frequently as new items are being posted almost daily. The website provides all sorts of information for Everyone. It will help in your discussion within your group or with your friends and acquaintances.
The extensive media coverage during the pandemic makes the work of OBIN increasingly important. We have been remarkably busy as you will note from our website. Minutes are a great way for you to keep up-to-date as to how the C-Team and affiliates can work effectively together.
We would welcome a volunteer to act as the regular Recording Secretary for our meetings. It is not an onerous task and it can be an interesting way to be the first to learn what OBIN is working on. Please contact me by email or phone if you can spare 3 or 4 hours per month.
Joe Foster
613 724 5910
External Relations
Planning is going strong for Lobby Day in Ottawa on October 20th. Given the current realities of COVID, we are planning to take Lobby Day on-line and will be drawing from all the expertise and documentation that is being developed through the ‘Case for Basic Income' Series. So far, we are working with individuals and institutions representing the sectors: Food Insecurity, Health, Arts, Women, and Work. We are starting work on the case for a Basic Income for Criminal Justice.
We are also in the final stages of putting together a compendium of research which indicates the potential for cost savings in sectors if basic income – income security – is adopted.
OBIN is also very happy to be a part of the newly formed Canada Coalition – a group which represents basic income advocacy organizations and individuals from across the country. The ability to share information and help each other with our work has been truly uplifting!
Barb Boraks
Internal Relations
The last month has felt scattered to me both because of the circumstances that we are all living through but also because of all that has been going on in the basic income movement. The local groups that I have been in touch with are busy with ongoing projects and planning for the future. Two local groups have utilised OBIN's offer to use our Zoom account for local online meetings. That offer remains open for any local groups or groups of individuals who want to talk basic income. Contact me to take advantage.
We are planning another Cross-Ontario Checkup for June 18 at 7:00 p.m. I will be sending out an email blast on June 15 with the Zoom details. The last Checkups have been very informative with lots of diverse conversation. I would like to urge any of you wanting to join the conversation to mark it in your calendar.
John Mills
Special Projects
As the Special Projects Coordinator, I have worked with Barbara Boraks, External Relations and Chloe Halpenny, Basic Income Canada Youth Network on the 'Making the Case: Basic Income for Women'. We had almost 40 people (female leaders from various sectors across Canada) attend the Zoom call and a few members of the Senate of Canada were in attendance. Next steps include future meetings to resurrect the feminist movement in Canada using a Basic Income as a unifying platform. I have also written a rebuttal, now available on the OBIN website, to John Milloy’s piece on National Newswatch, debunking some of the myths associated with people and poverty, and how we can move past erroneous stereotypes to make progress on Basic Income in Ontario.
Tracy Smith-Carrier
New OBIN Website Launched in April
The new OBIN website was launched in April this year. The suggestion to move to an “all in one” software application was discussed by the C-Team over the course of a number of months.
Based on those discussions and recommendations by Saul Bottcher, our volunteer Webmaster, NationBuilder was chosen.
NationBuilder gave us the opportunity to amalgamate our website, database and email contact functions into one software program. Signing up at the website as a supporter sends your contact information to the database and the email contact program pulls email addresses and names from the database to send out our emails to you, the affiliate. A seamless process for the most part.
Web content management is being handled by Sharon Zoschke and Joe Foster, Facilitator for OBIN. John Mills is currently managing the new version of the newsletter. Collaborations with all members of the CTeam result in recommendations and contributions of vital Basic Income information that gets posted to the website. The Facebook team, Adam Zvric and Tiffany Cece and the website content team work closely to share information.
Looking for Resources to Inform your Basic Income Advocacy?
The OBIN website has new material added almost every day. Visit frequently, keep track of the evolution of implementing a Basic Income in Ontario and Canada, and as an affiliate, backed by the most up-to-date information, policies and strategies, strengthen your position as an advocate of Basic Income.
A significant part of our website is the Resources section. Here you will find a number of entries featuring reports and articles on Basic Income policy ideas and expert opinions. In the sub-menu tabs at the top of the page are links to pages on a specific topic, for example, Basic Income and Youth. Another page which is growing on a daily basis is the Videos page. A number of videos have been grouped on the page featuring individuals who have a body of work in Basic Income research, webinars, Ted Talks, and community conversations. UBI Community Chat features two Ontario Basic Income advocates discussing various Basic Income topics with guests and each other. Why not check it out today, you might just find the resource you have been looking for!
Send a Letter to Your MP!
A recent letter from OBIN affiliates to their local MP’s and cc’ed to the Prime Minister and his team has been posted in the Lobby Day page of the Take Action section. Please download, personalize and send the letter to your local MP. More directions are on the page. We have heard from politicians that the more letters sent, the better - so please, take the time to send a letter to your MP today!
Help us Reach 1,000 Members!
Please share the website address with your network and friends and encourage them to sign up at the site to become a Basic Income Ontario Network affiliate. One of our objectives in spreading the word on Basic Income is to have 1,000 registered supporters by October 1st. Please, help us to grow the movement of supporters calling for a Basic Income in Ontario and across the country!
Sharon Zoschke
Website Content
Follow us on:
Ontario Basic Income Network
www.obin.ca