It's good to see others writing to the TorStar. 

Jeff's letter serves as good intro for raising a couple of points concerning
a GAIA. 

First, if the GAIA were administered through the tax system as a refundable
tax credit, rather than paid out and then returned (if applicable) at tax
time, then it wouldn't be the case that every citizen, regardless of other
income, would receive the GAIA. Instead, every citizen whose annual income
fell below a certain threshold would receive the GAIA. While this approach
would delay the implementation of a GAIA by up to a year or more, it would
likely be more palatable to the average working Canadian.

Second, to suggest that a GAIA might create a disincentive to work raises a
red flag which has no basis in reality. and the suggestion that the desire
to work has something to do with "human goodness" only muddles this
non-issue further. 

There is not one person in poverty I know who doesn't contribute to the
community to the extent he or she can. And there is not one, but for those
exhausted by decades of work and ready to retire, who doesn't WANT to work. 

"I really enjoy waking up in the morning and getting dressed up nice. It
makes a whole difference to my wellbeing throughout that day. I’ve learnt
that I need to get a job in the morning hours. I want a routine: shower, get
dressed, go to work. That’s real important to me that it work out that way"
(Policies of Exclusion, Poverty & Health: p115).

People want to work not because of any fundamental human goodness, but
because working a) brings us together b) in a common cause and c) helps us
feel good about ourselves. We work out of human need, because we're social
animals, not because we're fundamentally good (which I would dispute). 

The greater issue, which is separable from discussion of a GAIA, is what
'work' means.

Ocean, WISE Coordinator
http://www.wise-bc.org/

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