Basic income would address many community issues
The time has come.
Urgent times call for creative solutions. Our economy is heading in new directions, leaving many Canadian adults behind. We are feeling this locally with closures at Sears, General Motors and General Electric. We learned last month that 62 per cent of Peterborough workers are precariously employed, meaning they have temporary, part-time and contract work.
It is hard to have a vibrant local economy when more people are living from paycheque to pay heque just to keep a roof over their heads. As pointed out in recent opinion pieces and editorials in The Peterborough Examiner, the situation is already critical for the most vulnerable people in our community. They are barely surviving under the crushing stress of poverty.
Canadians adults need an income floor, from which they can make the changes necessary to succeed. Our most vulnerable deserve to have their most basic needs met. The movement for a basic income guarantee is growing and has received considerable support from Peterborough politicians and community organizations.
A basic income guarantee opens up opportunities for individuals to go back to school, find a new job, create art or start a business. It allows community members to have the supports in place to participate as citizens in our community, such as volunteering or taking care of a loved one.
Canada has responded to the needs of its citizens in the past with comprehensive guaranteed income programs - the Guaranteed Income Supplement for seniors and the Canada Child Benefit for children. The time has come to complete the circle of a stable floor for all with a basic income guarantee for all Canadians.
Susan Hubay, co-chair, Basic Income Peterborough Network