Letter Health Professionals

Jen Brady, active and valued member of our BIG-NS team, has organized this open letter, signed by many healthcare professionals. It was sent May 19th to the PM, Deputy PM, and Finance Minister, calling for a basic income. Our voices are being heard! Thank you Jen. The full letter with all its signatories is pasted below:

The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, P.C., M.P. Prime Minister of Canada
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street

Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2

The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, P.C., M.P. Privy Council Office
Deputy Prime Minister
Room 1000

85 Sparks Street Ottawa, ON K1A 0A3

The Honourable Bill Morneau, P.C., M.P. Minister of Finance
90 Elgin Street, 17th Floor
Ottawa, ON K1A 0G5

The Honourable Patty Hajdu Minister of Health
70 Colombine Driveway, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9

May 19, 2020
Dear Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister Morneau, and Minister Hajdu: Subject: Health professionals support implementation of Basic Income

It has been said many times—we are living in an unprecedented moment in history. The COVID19 pandemic has brought untold challenges to Canada and to the world. However, the pandemic has also shone a spotlight on the intransigent social and economic inequities, namely poverty, that existed long before the current crisis, as well as the deep fissures in Canada’s social safety net which has been unable to redress poverty.

We write to you as a group of health professional practitioners and scholars who know all too well the toll that poverty has on the health and wellbeing of Canadians. We see the effects of poverty in our clinics, in our schools, in our communities, and in our research. The World Health Organization has called poverty “the single largest determinant of health,” and research that illuminates the consequences for human health of the material and social deprivation caused by poverty abounds. Shortened life expectancy, chronic diseases, infant mortality, addictions, and a myriad of other physical and mental health impairments are all similarly distributed across a wealth-health gradient with those among the lowest income quintiles getting sick and dying years before higher earning Canadians. For these reasons, several health profession associations have endorsed Basic Income, including the Canadian Medical Association, the Canadian Public Health Association, and the Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance of Canada. We are deeply

concerned about how we act now as a country to redress the long-standing income and health inequities that have so gravely impaired the wellbeing and human potential of our fellow citizens.

Action today to redress social and economic inequities, and the consequent poor health outcomes that unfairly burden too many Canadians, as we look to a post-COVID19 future, requires a strengthened social safety net that must include a Basic Income.1 To be clear, we call for the implementation of a Basic Income, not as a replacement to other necessary components of the social safety net, such as affordable and accessible housing, universal health care, and other social services, which must also be improved. Moreover, the implementation of a Basic Income must not be undertaken simply as a cost-savings measure. Rather, implementing a Basic Income must be undertaken with the intent of creating an effective, but also compassionate, health-affirming social safety net for all Canadians.

A question often asked is, can we afford a Basic Income? The evidence says, yes. A recently published report by Basic Income Canada Network clearly demonstrates that through progressive tax reform, Canada can afford to implement a Basic Income. What is more, research shows that beyond being a compassionate social policy that acknowledges the dignity of Canadians, Basic Income is a health policy that just makes sense. Basic Income has been shown to reduce health care costs, including an 8.5% reduction in hospitalizations. As Dr. Danielle Martin has so pointedly said, “If we discovered a drug that reduced hospitalizations by 8.5%, we’d put it in the water.” Ultimately, we cannot afford to ignore the evidence that Basic Income is an effective poverty reduction measure that will improve the lives of Canadians, and thereby, improve the vitality of communities across the country.

We compliment all levels of government and political parties on their hard work that has steered Canada through the unprecedented challenges and uncertainty that COVID19 has unfortunately brought to the doorsteps of Canadian households, communities, and businesses small and large. The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) has proven to be vital to keeping many Canadians from slipping into poverty. However, prior to the pandemic, many Canadians were already living on the brink of, or in poverty, and it is with this in mind that we urge you to work toward restructuring the CERB as a long-term solution to poverty and its consequent social and health inequities.

We echo the Canadian Council of Young Feminists - Senator McPhedran's Youth Advisory, and Basic Income Canada Youth Network, the Anglican and Lutheran Bishops, and Canadian Senators that have called upon the federal, provincial, and territorial governments to expand the entitlements available to Canadians in need of a Basic Income.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Brady
Registered Dietitian
Assistant Professor
Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, NS

1 We use the term Basic Income here in line with the Basic Income Canada Network and the principles it has outlined (https://www.basicincomecanada.org/), but acknowledge that basic income is referred to as Minimum Livable Income, Minimum Basic Income, Guaranteed Basic Income, Basic Income Guarantee and Universal Basic Income elsewhere.

Kori Kostka
Registered Dietitian MHSc (c.) Toronto, Ontario

Barb Anderson
Professor and Director
School of Nutrition and Dietetics, Acadia University
Wolfville, NS

Janette Leroux
PhD (Health Promotion)
Research Associate, Geographies of Aging Lab
Queen’s University

Elaine Power, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, School of Kinesiology & Health Studies
Head, Department of Gender Studies
Queen’s University, Kingston, ON

Ilene Hyman, Ph.D.
Adjunct Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health
University of Toronto
Toronto, ON

Laurel Burton, RD Population Health Dietitian Prince George, BC

Liesel Carlsson
Registered Dietitian
Assistant Professor, School of Nutrition and Dietetics
Acadia University
Wolfville, Nova Scotia

Gail Hammond, PhD, RD
Instructor, Faculty of Land & Food Systems University of British Columbia
Vancouver BC

Irving Rootman, PhD
Adjunct Professor, Health Promotion School of Public Health

Jenna van Draanen, PhD MPH Postdoctoral Fellow
BC Centre on Substance Use University of British Columbia

Elizabeth McGibbon, PhD, RN Professor
Faculty of Science, St. Francis Xavier University

Antigonish NS

Nadia Pabani, RD, MScAHN, CDE Diabetes Dietitian
Regent Park Community Health Centre Toronto, ON

Dana Olstad PhD, RD Assistant Professor
Cumming School of Medicine University of Calgary

Nicole Selman, RD
Registered Dietitian
North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit North Bay, ON

Mary Ellen Prange, MHSc RD Co-Chair Food Insecurity Workgroup Ontario Dietitians in Public Health

Amy MacDonald, MScFN, RD Huron Perth Public Health Clinton, ON

Jennifer Black, PhD RD
Associate Professor
Faculty of Land and Food Systems University of British Columbia Vancouver, BC

Marie Traynor MSc, PHEc, RD
Registered Dietitian and Home Economist Member - Ontario Dietitians in Public Health Brockville, Ontario

Vanessa Hurley, MHSc, RD
Public Health Nutritionist
Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit Barrie, Ontario

Connie Van Bellinghen, RD
Registered Dietitian
Member - Ontario Dietitians in Public Health

Danielle Labonte, MAN, RD
Registered Dietitian
Member - Ontario Dietitians in Public Health Smiths Falls, Ontario

Kathleen Earl, RD, CDE
Registered Dietitian
Country Roads Community Health Centre Rideau Lakes, Ontario

Jessica Savard, RD Registered Dietitian Brockville General Hospital

Kathryn Forsyth, RD Public Health Dietitian Grey Bruce Health Unit Owen Sound, Ontario

Mikaela Horton, MHSc(c), RD Registered Dietitian CommuniCare Therapy Kingston, Ontario

Rachel Wong, MPH, RD
Registered Dietitian
Member - Ontario Dietitians in Public Health Belleville, Ontario

Kelly Ferguson, MScFN, RD
Registered Dietitian
Member - Ontario Dietitians in Public Health Woodstock, Ontario

Carolyn Froats-Emond, RD
Registered Dietitian
Member - Ontario Dietitians in Public Health Renfrew, Ontario

Melissa Hardy RD, CDE, CSSD, IOC Sport Nutr. Dip.
Registered Dietitian, South East Grey Community Health Centre

Markdale, Ontario

Renee Young, RD
Registered Dietitian, Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Center
Owen Sound, Ontario

Catriona Hippman, PhD, CGC Certified Genetic Counselor Clinical Assistant Professor University of British Columbia Department of Psychiatry Vancouver, BC

Sabrina Lopresti, MPH, PhD (Nutrition and Metabolism), RDH
Registered Dental Hygienist
Edmonton, Alberta

Claire Bowley, RD, MPH Public Health Dietitian KFL&A Public Health Kingston, Ontario

Megan Weber, RD, CDE
Community Dietitian & Certified Diabetes Educator
North Lanark Community Health Centre Lanark, ON

Lauren Kennedy, MScFN, RD, CDE Registered Dietitian
Peterborough Public Health Peterborough, Ontario

Alison Ross, PhD (Health Studies) Professor, Centre for Health Sciences George Brown College
Toronto, ON

Karen Briand RN., MN., CPMHN (C) Assistant Professor
Rankin School of Nursing
St. Francis Xavier University Antigonish, NS

Carolyn Preston, MSW, RSW
Family Support Specialist
Family and Community Resource Centre Alberta Children's Hospital

Dr. Charles James (Jim) Frankish
Endowed Professor Emeritus, School of Population & Public Health (Retired)
Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia; 2206 East Mall Vancouver BC V6T 1Z3
778-987-9205; frankish@mail.ubc.ca

Donna Halperin, PhD, RN Professor
Rankin School of Nursing St. Francis Xavier University Antigonish, NS

Gerry Kasten, RD, MSc FDC Lecturer, Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC

Maya K. Gislason, PhD Assistant Professor Faculty of Health Sciences Simon Fraser University Burnaby, BC

Mélissa Cardinal, RD Public Health Dietitian Eastern Ontario Health Unit Casselman, ON

Emma Van Rooyen Health Promoter Berwick, Nova Scotia

Christine Johnson, MSc., PDt.
Health Equity Lead, Science & System Performance,
Public Health, Healthy Communities 23 Bay St., Suite 2N
Antigonish, NS B2G 2G7

Laura Needham MPH, RD Public Health Dietitian Grey Bruce Health Unit Owen Sound, ON

Doris Gillis, PhD, PDt.
Senior Research Professor, Department of Human Nutrition
St Francis Xavier University
Box 5000, Antigonish, Nova Scotia

Rebekah Nitschmann
Registered Dietitian & Certified Diabetes Educator
Rideau Community Health Services Smiths Falls, ON

Kendra Patrick, RD
Registered Dietitian
Member - Ontario Dietitians in Public Health North Bay, ON

Erica Diamond, RD Registered Dietitian Peterborough Public Health Peterborough, ON

Cathy Tubby BScN RN,
Nursing and Admin Supervisor
Whitewater Bromley Community Health Center Beachburg, ON.

Ellen Holmes RRT, RCPT(P), CRE, CCSH Registered Respiratory Therapist/Certified Respiratory Educator
North Lanark Community Health Centre, Lanark, Ontario

Nathalie Savoie, MBA, RD
Registered Dietitian and Chief Executive Officer Dietitians of Canada
Boucherville, QC

Lindsay Dawson, MScFN, RD
Registered Dietitian
Member - Ontario Dietitians in Public Health St. Thomas, Ontario

Shari Laliberte RN, PhD
Faculty, Nursing, School of Health Sciences Vancouver Community College
Vancouver, B.C.
Unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil Waututh peoples

Laura Abbasi, RD, MScN
Registered Dietitian
Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
Member - Ontario Dietitians in Public Health Port Hope, ON

Angelina Hui, MPH, RD Registered Dietitian

Member - Ontario Dietitians in Public Health Toronto, Ontario

Genevieve Zizzo, HBSc., MOMSc. Manual Osteopathic Practitioner Full Circle Health Network Kingston, Ontario

Bridget King, MHSc, RD
Registered Dietitian
Member-Ontario Dietitians in Public Health Sudbury, ON

John Ross MD FRCPC
Emergency Physician
Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine Dalhousie University, Halifax Nova Scotia

Karen Lawford, RM, AM, PhD Registered Midwife, Aboriginal Midwife Assistant Professor
Queen’s University, Kingston, ON

Laura Dias, RD
Registered Dietitian
Timiskaming Health Unit
Member - Ontario Dietitians in Public Health Temiskaming Shores, ON

Shirley Burdock,
Health Promoter
Nova Scotia Health Authority Kentville, Nova Scotia

Michelle Amri, MPA
PhD Candidate,
Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario

Dr. Valerie Ross
Asst. Prof. Emergency Medicine Dalhousie University

Dr. Courtney Howard,
Emergency Physician, Yellowknife, Clinical Associate Professor, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary

Gary Bloch MD CCFP Family Physician Associate Professor University of Toronto

Claudia Chaufan, MD, PhD
Graduate Program Director Health
Associate Professor Health Policy and Global Health
York University

Ellen Buck-McFadyen, RN, PhD Assistant Professor Trent/Fleming School of Nursing

Chantal Bélanger, RD
Registered Dietitian
Member- Ontario Dietitians in Public Health Sudbury, ON

Alyssa Rumford, MHSc, RD
Registered Dietitian
Member - Ontario Dietitians in Public Health Sudbury, ON

Michelle Lim, RD
Registered Dietitian
Member - Ontario Dietitians in Public Health Sudbury, ON

Larry Phillips, MA Health Promoter New Minas, NS

Jen Jamieson, PhD
Associate Professor
St. Francis Xavier University, NS

Tracy Woloshyn, RD
Registered Dietitian
Member - Ontario Dietitians in Public Health Newmarket, ON

Jackie Kachuik, RD, CDE
Registered Dietitian
Carleton Place and District Memorial Hospital and Queensway Carleton Hospital
Ottawa, ON

Barbara Wiktorowicz MSW Retired Health Centre Manager Toronto, Ontario

Melissa Verch, MAN, RD
Registered Dietitian
Member- Ontario Dietitians in Public Health Brockville, Ontario

Monique Beneteau, MA, MIR Health Promoter Peterborough Public Health Peterborough, ON

Janet Dawson, MSc. Health Promoter Peterborough Public Health Peterborough, ON

Theresa Couto, RD
Registered Dietitian - Member of Primary Care Dietitians Association
Kingston, ON

Erin Reyce, RD
Public Health Dietitian
North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit Member - Ontario Dietitians in Public Health North Bay, ON

Sarah Hergett, M.Ed., MPA, RCT-C
Health Promoter and Private Practise counsellor Licensed- Nova Scotia College of Counselling Therapists
Member- Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association
Wolfville, NS

Rhonda Atwell
African Nova Scotian Services Consultant - Public Health
Halifax, NS

Jillian Roach, RSW Social Worker Sydney, NS

Natasha Osmond, RD Registered Dietitian Sydney, NS

Marcie McKay, MA (Community Psych.) Health Promoter
Sydney, NS

Peggy Vassallo, MBA (Community Economic Development)
Health Promoter
Sydney, NS

Heather Plumridge (Bachelor of Science Nursing)
Public Health Nurse
Licensed - Registered Nurse

Member of the Nova Scotia College of Nursing Sydney, NS

Karen Roundpoint BSCN
Social Determinants of Health PHN Summerstown, Ontario

Karen MacKinnon, RD Public Health Nutritionist Port Hawkesbury, NS

Jacqui Gingras, PhD Department of Sociology Ryerson University, Toronto

Mackenzie Wright
Health Promoter, Public Health Port Hawkesbury, NS

Gwenyth Dwyn, MA Health Promotion Wolfville, NS

Dorothy Bennett
Community Health Board Coordinator Antigonish, NS

Connie Ross-MacDonald
Community Health Board Coordinator Victoria and Inverness County, NS

Dr. Robert Cushman
Acting Medical Officer of Health Renfrew County and District Health Unit

Meredith Bessey, MScAHN
PhD Student
Dept. of Family Relations & Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph
Guelph, ON

Laura Reid, MEd,PDt Dietetic Educator
St Francis Xavier University Antigonish, NS

Nicole Cameron, RN
Youth Health Co-ordinator Nova Scotia Health Authority

Bronwyn Coyne, RD, MAdEd Kamloops BC

Dr. Peter Littlejohn
Retired family physician
Board member, Ally Centre of Cape Breton New Waterford, Nova Scotia

Andrew Thomas MD MPH Family Physician Bowmanville, Ontario

Phoebe Lee MHSc, RD Community Dietitian Toronto, ON

Lisa Simon, MD, FRCPC
Associate Medical Officer of Health Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit Barrie, ON

Christine Post, MA
Health Promoter Peterborough Public Health Peterborough, ON

Mary Pat Cannon
Public Health Nurse Peterborough Public Health Peterborough, ON

Lindsey Mazur, PHEc, RD, MSc (candidate) Registered Dietitian
Winnipeg, MB

Cordell Neudorf, MD, MHSc, FRCPC Public Health Physician and Professor University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, SK

Kay-Raining Bird, Elizabeth Speech-language Pathologist and Professor Dalhousie University
Halifax, NS

Miranda Burgess, RD MPH Registered Dietitian
Grand Bend, ON

Rosana Salvaterra, MD, CCFP, MSc, FRCPC Medical Officer of Health
Peterborough Public Health
Peterborough, ON

Lindsay Goodridge, MPH(c) Nutrition and Dietetics
Dalla Lana School of Public Health University of Toronto
Toronto, ON

Patricia Williams, PhD
Professor, Department of Applied Human Nutrition
Director, FoodARC - Food Action Research Center
Mount Saint Vincent University
Senior Research Scholar, Healthy Populations Institute, and Adjunct Professor, Dalhousie University
Former Canada Research Chair in Food Security and Policy Change (2007-2017) and Registered Dietitian (1989-2017)

Wendy Benson, RD, MPH Consulting Nutritionist Calgary, Alberta

Rachel Hilts, P.Dt (c) Dietitian (candidate) Halifax, NS

Harrison Blizzard, RD, IOC Sports Dip. Dietitian
Blackfalds, AB

Laura Creek Newman, RD Dietitian
Winnipeg, MB

Josette Doucette, RD Dietitian Mississauga, ON

Vincci Tsui, RD Registered Dietitian Calgary, AB

Kiely Landrigan, RD Registered Dietitian Vancouver, BC

Tammy Frederickson, RD Registered Dietitian Vancouver, BC

Meaghan Boddy, MPH, RD Registered Dietitian Toronto, ON

Britney Benoit, RN PhD
Assistant Professor
Rankin School of Nursing, Faculty of Science St. Francis Xavier University
Antigonish, NS

Deanna Leahy, MPH Health Promoter, Peterborough Public Health Peterborough ON

Sharlaine Murga, MPH(c) Nutrition and Dietetics
Dalla Lana School of Public Health University of Toronto
Toronto, ON

Lori Short-Zamudio, RD Registered Dietitian
Port Perry, ON

Maria Ricupero, MHSc, RD, CDE Consulting Dietitian
Toronto, ON

Dr. Vera Etches, MD, MHSc, CCFP, FRCPC Medical Officer of Health
Ottawa Public Health
Ottawa, ON

Michelle Plumridge, RD Registered Dietitian Sydney, NS

Jill Worboys, RD Public Health Dietitian Kelowna, BC

Dr. Jong Kim MD MSc FRCPC
Medical Health Officer - Northeast HSDA Northern Health
Fort St John, BC

Kady Hunter, MPH, RD Registered Dietitian Nelson, BC

Samantha Buttemer, MD, MSc, CCFP Resident Physician, Public Health and Preventive Medicine
Queen’s University

Kingston, ON

Kevin Lam, MD
Resident Physician, Family Medicine University of Toronto
Toronto, ON

Sarah Lesperance, MD
Resident Physician, Public Health and Preventive Medicine
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Jeff Gustafson
Resident Physician, Family Medicine University of Toronto
Toronto, ON

Katrina Lehenbauer, MPH Health Promotion Specialist Kelowna, BC

Edward Ellis, MD, MPH, FRCPC (Public Health Preventive Medicine)
University of Ottawa School of Epidemiology and Public Health

Ottawa, ON

David Moore MDCM, MHSc, FRCPC (Public Health and Preventive Medicine)
Professor
Department of Medicine

University of British Columbia Research Scientist
BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS

Thierry Arseneau, MD
Résident en santé publique et médecine préventive, PGY3,
Université Laval

Anson Dong, MD, MBA
Resident Physician, Family Medicine University of Toronto
Toronto, ON

Noam Berlin, MD
Palliative Care Fellow, Family Medicine University of Toronto
Toronto, ON

Wanda Martin, RN, PhD
Past President
Saskatchewan Public Health Association Saskatoon, SK

Susan Stock MD MSc FRCPC
Specialist in Occupational Medicine and Public Health/Preventive Medicine
Quebec Institute of Public Health (INSPQ)
& Department of Social & Preventive Medicine, University of Montreal School of Public Health Montréal, QC

Yipeng Ge, MD BHSc
Resident Physician, Public Health and Preventive Medicine
University of Ottawa
Ottawa, ON

Carol Fenton, BHSc MD MSc FRCPC Medical Health Officer, Interior Health Kelowna, British Columbia

Ariane Courville MD MSc FRCPC
Specialist in Public Health and Preventive Medicine
Direction de santé publique Gaspésie - Îles-de- la-Madeleine
Gaspé, QC

Julian Gitelman, MD
Resident Physician, Public Health and Family Medicine
University of Toronto
Toronto, ON

Dr. Ceinwen Pope, MD
Resident Physician, Public Health and Family Medicine
University of Toronto
Toronto, ON

Yassen Tcholakov MD MSc CCFP Resident Physician, Public Health and Preventive Medicine
McGill University

Montreal, QC

Perry Kendall, CM OCB FRCPC
Clinical Professor
UBC School of Population and Public Health Vancouver, BC

Joanna Dowdell, MSPH (candidate) Health Researcher
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Toronto, ON

Anita Ely, BSc, BTech, CPHI(C) Specialist Environmental Health Officer Salmon Arm, BC

Franco A. Rizzuti BSc MD
Resident Physician, Public Health & Preventive Medicine
Cumming School of Medicine-University of Calgary & Alberta Health Services- Calgary Zone, Calgary, Alberta

Dr. Sajida Afridi, MBBS, MPH, MBA, FRCPC, Dip ABPM, Dip ABAM
Public Health Preventive Medicine, Addiction Medicine

Clinical lecturer-University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta

Dr Marie-Jo Ouimet, MD, MSc, FRCPC
Public health and preventive medicine physician School of Public Health
University of Montreal
Montreal, Canada

Paul R Gully MB ChB (UK), FRCPC Retired Public Health Physician Victoria, BC

Dr Robert Carlin, MDCM, MPH, CCFP, FCFP Family Physician
Assistant Professor, McGill University Montreal, Qc, Canada

Dr Keeve S de Villiers, MBChB, MBA, CCFP Family Physician,
Clinical Lecturer, University of Alberta dept of Family Medicine, Bonnyville, Alberta

Donald Cole MD, MSc, FRCP(C)
Occupational, Environmental, and Public Health Medicine Consultant
Emeritus Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario

Luc Bhérer MD
Occupational Medicine Specialist Laval University
Québec, Qc

Joanne Bazak-Brokking, OT
Occupational Therapist and Case Manager PATC- Peterborough Regional Health Centre Peterborough, ON

David-Martin Milot, MD
Public Health and Preventive Medicine Specialist
Professor, Université de Sherbrooke Longueuil, QC

Rabia Bana, MD, CCFP
Family Physician / Public Health & Preventive Medicine Resident
McMaster University
Hamilton, ON

Nancy Saunders, P.Dt. M.Ed. Registered Dietitian Ormstown, QC

CC. Dietitians of Canada nathalie.savoie@dietitians.caOntario Dietitians in Public Health executive@odph.caNurses and Nurse Practitioners of BC info@nnpbc.com Association of Local Public Health Agencies loretta@alphaweb.orgBasic Income Canada Network info@basicincomecanada.org

check Policy Options of Basic Income Canada Network to see how we can pay for it.

Check our letter writing page for actions you can take.