A Universal Basic Income Is Being Considered by Canada's Government
A Universal Basic Income Is Being Considered by Canada's Government
The Senate is studying a bill that would introduce a framework for a policy that would guarantee access to a livable income to everyone over 17.
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I'm an idiot, so please jump in here if I'm getting this wrong.
Per the article, predicted program cost is $88 billion per year. Divide by Canada's adult population of ~33 million, so, ~$2700 per person per year, minus administrative costs and bloat, so, say $2k per year.
Well, I definitely wouldn't turn down a cheque if I qualified for it, and I don't want to come off as complaining about a program that doesn't even exist yet. But, $2k doesn't sound like an amount that any person could function on. That's less than one month's rent almost everywhere in this country. It's like, a 6" subway sandwich per day. Something something middle class, I seem to remember a certain federal party saying during election time. Why not simply lower taxes in a targeted way?
In what way is this amount 'basic'? What's the point of embarking on this whole investigative song & dance over a few extra bucks per day? What actually is the minimum amount necessary to function as an individual in this country? I think I know why the government isn't investigating that question.
I'm not against UBI as a concept. This $88b program, if that number is correct, seems like it's not even worth investigating. Am I crazy?
I'm also a UBI layperson, but this is my understanding:
Basic incomes don't need to match or exceed the cost of living to provide some of their purported benefits. One of those benefits is replacing difficult to administer welfare services (of which there are some discussions in this thread). In that way the $2700 per person per year can be more efficiently allocated (towards an ideal national gross prosperity) by the individual.
This might solve issues like the infamous "welfare cliff" that have arisen from difficulties in administration.
This is interesting, and I didn't think of it this way.
But, if the only way welfare administration can be streamlined is to give everyone money, I'd feel guilty about taking it. Wouldn't be hard to find a way to spend $2k, sure, but knowing I didn't truly need it to make ends meet, while other people did, & maybe would have been helped even more if they had some of my share? Ach, it wouldn't feel right. It would be cool if the program was opt-out, and people who chose to opt out got a break in some other way, maybe on taxes that go to retirement savings. Maybe that's a horrible idea, I don't know.
Anyway cheers, thanks for explaining, I appreciate it.
The major problem is we need to nationalize a bunch of companies, take groceries for example. Were paying more than ever for the same stuff, workers wages are bare minimum and over working the staff as well so 1 person can get a multi million dollar wage? Let's put that money back into the system instead of one assholes savings account in the Bahamas where it screws over the rest of Canadians
Watch how it eventually replaces welfare and unemployment and workman's comp.
Now recalculate.
As someone permanently disabled and on CPP this scares the shit out of me. I can not physically work due to a debilitating injury but I am still quite young and have a young family. We barely get by with my spouse working and my CPP payments. I went from making over $100k/year to $14/k a year disability just for being injured. I am not poor enough to qualify for any other assistance and I am also not sick enough to qualify for any other assistance. If my income drops again we are fucked. Seriously fucked and we are fortunate because we own our own home and our own 15 year old vehicle outright. I can't imagine what will happen if this occurs.