Basic income participants paying the price

Re Ford faces court battle over ending basic income pilot project, Jan. 28

As a progressive, nonradical leftist, I believe that any basic income plan funded by the government is unsustainable and should never have been started.

People should work to make a living. Those who can’t for not finding employment or have disabilities to do so should be assisted by unemployment insurance and disability assistance programs.

It is this kind of pie-in-the-sky program that allows reactionary forces to gain ground against progressive, realistic policies.

As for those who are now receiving basic income funds, they should not be cut off immediately, but gradually, so they can make proper adjustments since it’s not their fault being part of this failed experiment. Jaime Oksemberg, Toronto

Re Judges blast province for dropping income pilot, Jan. 29

I disagree with Mike Perry’s assertion that the Ford government acted irrationally when they pulled the basic income pilot. Yes, they cut a small program that might have meaningfully improved some poor people’s lives and could have saved money elsewhere.

Yes, the government violated basic research ethics. Yes, their decision will hurt vulnerable populations. Yes, the participants had every reason to expect the program to last three years. Yes, we will now lose valuable data that might have guided future policy decisions. But this reckless behaviour and commitment to ignorance need not be irrational; it makes perfect sense if your goal is to use your power to attack poor and vulnerable people. Raj Singh, Ottawa