From pipe dream to prospect:
the pandemic is making a case for a universal basic income
“Marinescu said the pandemic is driving a new wave of industrial automation as companies try to function without workers.
…
Six million Canadians have been suddenly thrust into what is effectively a basic income program and they're seeing that it works for what it's meant to do — something to fall back on and give you time to figure out what you're going to do next in a way that's more dignified and avoids the stigma and inefficiencies of applying for social assistance," he said.
"I think now we have a chance with basic income to have a shorter recession and a more inclusive recovery that helps everyone adapt to the new reality."
Evan Dyer
Senior Reporter
Evan Dyer has been a journalist with CBC for 18 years, after an early career as a freelancer in Argentina. He works in the Parliamentary Bureau and can be reached at evan.dyer@cbc.ca.
.
“…The Canada emergency response benefit (CERB) that has become Ottawa's main non-EI support for people hurt by the pandemic resembles a UBI in some respects. It's designed to catch people who work in the "gig economy," so it covers many who would be missed by conventional EI.
CERB is not really universal, however, and it's set to run for only four months. The hope is that, by the time the program ends, the country will have returned to business as usual, more or less.
A 'business-friendly' approach to income supports
.….”
check Policy Options of Basic Income Canada Network to see how we can pay for it.
