Basic Income Now Officially Liberal Party Policy

[inanna]

05/30/2016 4:10 pm EDT

Efforts towards a guaranteed basic income are now official policy of the Liberal Party of Canada — though not necessarily that of the federal Liberal government.

Delegates to the party’s convention last week voted in favour of a grassroots resolution declaring that the Liberals, “in consultation with the provinces, develop a poverty reduction strategy aimed at providing a minimum guaranteed income.”

Under a minimum guaranteed income, or basic income, governments would replace numerous benefit programs such as employment insurance or Old Age Security with a single, regular paycheque to all households, regardless of income or status.

Proponents say the policy would reduce inequality and provide a measure of financial security for households at a time when many jobs are being lost to technological change. Opponents fear such a policy would create a disincentive to work — though what research exists suggests this would not be a major problem.

Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/05/30/basic-income-canada-liberal-party-policy_n_10210380.html