You hear it all the time about people without money.
"They're just lazy."
"They should just get a job."
The subtext is: poor people deserve to be poor.
If they just tried harder or made better decisions, they'd make it.
But 4.9 million Canadians live in poverty.
Is it really what they deserve?
The job market is like a game of musical chairs.
And since we depend on employment to stay out of poverty,
it's like playing over hot coals.
Traditional 40-hour week, full-time jobs, are becoming scarce.
Meanwhile, automation is removing chairs from the game.
Cars can now drive themselves.
But it's not just taxi and truck drivers who should be worried.
It's baristas,
lawyers,
writers,
accountants,
doctors,
musicians,
even animators like me.
All sorts of jobs will be done in part or entirely by machines,
and humans just can't compete with their speed or cost.
It should be great that we have more time,
but the rules of the game make it an economic nightmare.
We made these rules,
and we have the power to change them.
What if we all had a Basic Income?
It would be an income sufficient to meet basic needs,
and live with dignity, regardless of work status.
It would reduce stress and insecurity,
and let people focus on the work most important to them,
and to us all.
It would be a floor placed over the hot coals.
Now some people worry that we give out money
with no strings attached,
people might stop working all together.
Maybe they'll spend it all on drugs or alcohol,
or just play video games all day.
But why not look at the evidence?
Experiments and programs providing direct cash transfers have been conducted all over the world.
They show that as people's economic security improves,
they continue to work.
More start their own businesses.
Crime rates drop.
Health outcomes improve.
More people finish school,
and people are able to stay housed.
Economists from across the political spectrum support different forms of a basic income.
It won't solve everything,
but it's the key to making other programs and services work better.
When people are desperate,
crime goes up,
education rates drop,
and healthcare costs rise.
By investing in a Basic Income,
we head off these problems before they start,
and won't have to worry so much
when our jobs can be done by machines.
Please add your voice to the growing movement for Basic Income in Canada.
and start conversations with your family,
friends,
colleagues,
and elected representatives.
It's time for a Basic Income Guarantee.