All the major parties have considered a guaranteed annual income at one time or
another. The Conservatives proposed it back in the '60s, as did Milton Friedman
in the US. I saw Charles Murray of the American Enterprise Institute give a
provocative talk this fall about a GAI. Of course, the amount these people are
willing to give is pathetically small (in Murray's case, $5,000 per adult per
year is supposed to replace the entire welfare state). And pilot experiments
that have been done in Canada, the US, and elsewhere have failed largely for
this reason.

Among more progressive people, some elements of the NDP have proposed a GAI as
an alternative to policies like the minimum wage and social assistance (but not
a replacement for national public programs like health care). John's suggestion
may be another way to go.

As I wrote several weeks ago, I am supportive of a guaranteed annual livable
income (so long as public health care and education systems are retained and
public childcare developed). But two questions remain, which I'll repost (John
and a couple others responded the first time round):

1. How do we set GLI levels? Specifically, can we create a GLI that is high
enough to eliminate poverty, while at the same time not so high that it reduces
work incentives and risks economic collapse?

[I think the answer lies in some combination of civic education, active labor
market policy (i.e., job (re-)training), and faith in human goodness. But I'm
not sure this will satisfy all critics.]

2. Assuming we can agree on an appropriate GLI level, what do we do with other
related policies? I suggested that the GLI would replace the minimum wage and
social assistance. But what about employment insurance and public pensions?
Would these be retained or modified? If you advocate complete replacement of
all social policies, how do you build in legal protections to prevent future
(reactionary) politicians from tampering with the GLI?

If we can develop good answers to these questions, then I think we can safely
start the revolution. :-)

Jeff



Quoting "Kalda, Robyn" <[log in to unmask]>:

> The Green Party seems to be developing an interest in this and in guaranteed
> income generally.  I read some of Elizabeth May's comments in the paper
> today, and they're hosting  "A Conversation on Poverty and Guaranteed Income"
> in Vancouver on January 21. Registration seems to be free, appropriately
> enough.
>
> http://www.greenparty.ca/page332.html?&MMN_position=194:194
>
> Robyn Kalda
> Health Promotion Information Specialist
> OPC Health Promotion Resource Centre
> [log in to unmask] (NEW - please change your address book)
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Social Determinants of Health [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of GRETA
> DOUCET
> Sent: Wednesday, January 17, 2007 4:16 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [SDOH] I'm getting sooooo frustrated with the system
>
>
> Hi List Serve members,
> I haven't been around for a while..but then again, I have been here for a
> fairly long time (Alive I mean). Has anyone in Canada done an analysis of
> what it would cost to provide everyone with a living income versus spending
> so much time and energy trying not to do so?
>
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