(ಠ_ಠ)РаОÑа
2014-06-29 21:49:57 UTC
Looks like an idea whose time has come. In Europe, as well.
___________________________________________________________
The Canadian Press - Sunday, June 29, 2014
Are Canadians worth $20K a year, guaranteed?
MONTREAL -- A group of academics and activists is trying to drum up
interest in an ambitious plan to provide every Canadian with a
guaranteed minimum level of income -- whether or not they have a job.
Rob Rainer, a campaign director for the Basic Income Canada Network,
envisions a country where everyone is assured a minimum of $20,000
annually to make ends meet.
"For many of us, we think the goal is no one should be living in
poverty," Rainer said at a conference on the issue over the weekend at
McGill University.
"That's essentially what we're striving to achieve."
More than 100 speakers and participants were on hand for the conference,
which focused on the merits of a guaranteed minimum income
that would either replace or exist alongside existing social programs.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The idea is hardly new -- the Canadian and Manitoba government conducted
an experiment with the issue in the 1970s -- but it has enjoyed a
resurgence lately.
Switzerland is expected to hold a non-binding referendum this fall on
whether to guarantee every citizen an annual income of Cdn $35,900.
<<==== !
And in the United Sates, the idea has supporters on both sides of the
political spectrum.
Proponents on the left argue it represents an opportunity for greater
redistribution of wealth, while those on the right see it as a chance to
cut back on bureaucracy and return control to people's lives.
The two sides disagree, however, on whether there would be accompanying
tax hikes and whether other social programs would remain place.
Almaz Zelleke, a professor at New York University, said guaranteed
income has rarely had this much attention in the United States since
President Richard Nixon tried to introduce such a program for families
in the 1960s. That effort was ultimately thwarted by Congress.
At the conference, Zelleke gave a presentation laying out how a
guaranteed income could be offset by taxes and work from a practical,
fiscal standpoint. But even she admitted it would be a challenge to get
such a plan on the agenda in Washington, D.C.
"To be very honest, it's not on the agenda of any mainstream political
party in the United States," she said in an interview, but added a
recent surge in media attention has, helpfully, "generated discussion
among people who understand that there are problems with the welfare state."
In Canada, the town of Dauphin, Man., was famously the subject of a
government pilot project where residents were provided with a guaranteed
minimum income from 1974-1978.
The goal of the program, which cost $17 million, was to find out whether
providing extra money directly to residents below a certain household
income level would make for effective social policy.
The community's overall health improved and hospital rates declined
during the period, according to a 2010 study by Evelyn Forget, a
professor at the University of Manitoba.
Former Conservative senator Hugh Segal, who officially resigned from his
post this month, argued for years in favour of the idea, saying it would
provide more effective services at a reduced cost.
Quebec's new minister of employment and social solidarity was also once
a prominent advocate.
Francois Blais, a former political science professor, published a book
in 2002 called "Ending Poverty: A Basic Income for All Canadians,"
though Philippe Coullaird's Liberal government has made no commitments
on the issue.
At the federal level, Rainer conceded it's far from the agenda of the
current Conservative government, but said there's a "little bit of
traction" among opposition parties.
Liberal Party delegates passed two resolutions related to guaranteed
minimum income at a meeting in Montreal this year -- a move Rainer
called "pretty significant."
The Green Party also endorses the notion in its party platform.
"The idea is not new, it's not really radical," Rainer said, pointing
out that seniors and families with children receive a form of guaranteed
income from the government.
"Where it does become more radical is when you get into the area of the
working age population, and the idea that people should receive some
income whether they are in the labour market or not. That's a fairly
radical idea in our culture, because most of us were brought up to
believe that in order to survive you have to work."
Read more:
http://www.ctvnews.ca/business/are-canadians-worth-20k-a-year-guaranteed-1.1891794#ixzz364BvVZyd
___________________________________________________________
The Canadian Press - Sunday, June 29, 2014
Are Canadians worth $20K a year, guaranteed?
MONTREAL -- A group of academics and activists is trying to drum up
interest in an ambitious plan to provide every Canadian with a
guaranteed minimum level of income -- whether or not they have a job.
Rob Rainer, a campaign director for the Basic Income Canada Network,
envisions a country where everyone is assured a minimum of $20,000
annually to make ends meet.
"For many of us, we think the goal is no one should be living in
poverty," Rainer said at a conference on the issue over the weekend at
McGill University.
"That's essentially what we're striving to achieve."
More than 100 speakers and participants were on hand for the conference,
which focused on the merits of a guaranteed minimum income
that would either replace or exist alongside existing social programs.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The idea is hardly new -- the Canadian and Manitoba government conducted
an experiment with the issue in the 1970s -- but it has enjoyed a
resurgence lately.
Switzerland is expected to hold a non-binding referendum this fall on
whether to guarantee every citizen an annual income of Cdn $35,900.
<<==== !
And in the United Sates, the idea has supporters on both sides of the
political spectrum.
Proponents on the left argue it represents an opportunity for greater
redistribution of wealth, while those on the right see it as a chance to
cut back on bureaucracy and return control to people's lives.
The two sides disagree, however, on whether there would be accompanying
tax hikes and whether other social programs would remain place.
Almaz Zelleke, a professor at New York University, said guaranteed
income has rarely had this much attention in the United States since
President Richard Nixon tried to introduce such a program for families
in the 1960s. That effort was ultimately thwarted by Congress.
At the conference, Zelleke gave a presentation laying out how a
guaranteed income could be offset by taxes and work from a practical,
fiscal standpoint. But even she admitted it would be a challenge to get
such a plan on the agenda in Washington, D.C.
"To be very honest, it's not on the agenda of any mainstream political
party in the United States," she said in an interview, but added a
recent surge in media attention has, helpfully, "generated discussion
among people who understand that there are problems with the welfare state."
In Canada, the town of Dauphin, Man., was famously the subject of a
government pilot project where residents were provided with a guaranteed
minimum income from 1974-1978.
The goal of the program, which cost $17 million, was to find out whether
providing extra money directly to residents below a certain household
income level would make for effective social policy.
The community's overall health improved and hospital rates declined
during the period, according to a 2010 study by Evelyn Forget, a
professor at the University of Manitoba.
Former Conservative senator Hugh Segal, who officially resigned from his
post this month, argued for years in favour of the idea, saying it would
provide more effective services at a reduced cost.
Quebec's new minister of employment and social solidarity was also once
a prominent advocate.
Francois Blais, a former political science professor, published a book
in 2002 called "Ending Poverty: A Basic Income for All Canadians,"
though Philippe Coullaird's Liberal government has made no commitments
on the issue.
At the federal level, Rainer conceded it's far from the agenda of the
current Conservative government, but said there's a "little bit of
traction" among opposition parties.
Liberal Party delegates passed two resolutions related to guaranteed
minimum income at a meeting in Montreal this year -- a move Rainer
called "pretty significant."
The Green Party also endorses the notion in its party platform.
"The idea is not new, it's not really radical," Rainer said, pointing
out that seniors and families with children receive a form of guaranteed
income from the government.
"Where it does become more radical is when you get into the area of the
working age population, and the idea that people should receive some
income whether they are in the labour market or not. That's a fairly
radical idea in our culture, because most of us were brought up to
believe that in order to survive you have to work."
Read more:
http://www.ctvnews.ca/business/are-canadians-worth-20k-a-year-guaranteed-1.1891794#ixzz364BvVZyd