Liberals are considering a guaranteed income for all Canadians

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

This idea could work. You get rid of welfare, EI, CPP, OAS and a whole bunch of other social programs and just replace it with one. Of course some of those are provincial so it would require the co-operation of all 10 provinces so the idea is likely dead before it starts.

I also think that that minimum income should be tax free. If it was $20K, the first $20k of all taxpayers should have a 0% tax rate.

 

[DaSleeper]

wow this is a totally original idea.

Can Flossy remember the Social Credit party?

 

[mentalfloss]

The Libertarian Case for a Basic Income | Libertarianism.org

 

[JLM]

Can Flossy remember the Social Credit party?

Is Flossie more than 20 years old?

This idea could work. You get rid of welfare, EI, CPP, OAS and a whole bunch of other social programs and just replace it with one. Of course some of those are provincial so it would require the co-operation of all 10 provinces so the idea is likely dead before it starts.

I also think that that minimum income should be tax free. If it was $20K, the first $20k of all taxpayers should have a 0% tax rate.

The only problem I can foresee is that it sounds like everyone is going to have to fit into the same mold. Every person has different needs and when you make everyone adhere to something that is close to the minimum survivable income, I think people are going to fall through the cracks. Poverty is just one criteria. The reasons behind the poverty have to be examined and there's probably a hundred of them from laziness to lack of mobility to mental health to various addictions, to inability to meet modern day job requirements, to lack of self esteem etc. etc. etc.

 

[Ludlow]

Canadian politics aren't really any of my business and I know very little concerning it but the idea is not altogether bad but the reality is it simply would not work for ideological reasons in my opinion.

 

[davesmom]

I was going to give you a "thumbs up" until I read # 5.

Change #5 and you'd be back to the Welfare system of giving according to need rather than giving equally to all. So what would be the advantage of guaranteed income?

The number of kids determines the amount of Welfare paid. That rule should apply to seniors on pensions too then. Some pensioners need specialized treatments that are not covered by Health care so why shouldn't those seniors get a higher pension?
That's where these 'equalization' plans run into trouble. The usually cause more problems than they solve.

Would guaranteed income be paid to every citizen, even the well-off, like the 'baby bonuses' were? If not then we'd be back to the old days when seniors had to pass a means test to qualify for old age security. There's be a lot of screaming over that!

Would guaranteed income be paid by the household or by the individual? A married couple each receiving guaranteed income would provide a higher standard of living than that of a widow living alone. Not fair! If the widow receives the same as the married couple that's not fair either.

What happens to the person/family that spends all their guaranteed income on beer, bingo and lottery tickets and ends up broke before the next payment is due? You know that would happen in some cases! Does the person/family then demand and get more to tide them over?

Government would be faced with those and many more questions and the whole issue would end up an unfathomable dog's breakfast like most government endeavors and would create more bureaucracy besides.

 

[petros]

I learned through the grapevine that a BC dipper MP is going to pitch a federal disability income program.

 

[davesmom]

If the population of Canada is, let's say 40 million Government could give every adult citizen 1 million $s per year on a monthly payment plan, eliminate all other payments and pensions and still be money ahead. That ought to provide adequately for everyone.

 

[petros]

The entitled would say $1M is not enough.

 

[darkbeaver]

There goes cash. Every purchase will be scrutinized and your card will be disconnected for non compliance with the new game.

 

[petros]

Pffffffb. If they compile so much data about you through banking, why the f-ck does an ATM ask which language you use?

 

[FiveParadox]

I think that there's an issue when we are talking about guaranteed income as though that's the root of the problem. The problem is that that income is too low; the problem is that everyone should have the right to a minimum standard of living. Not a luxurious standard but a minimum standard. One of the strategies to ensure that could be a guaranteed minimum income.

 

[EagleSmack]

I think that there's an issue when we are talking about guaranteed income as though that's the root of the problem. The problem is that that income is too low; the problem is that everyone should have the right to a minimum standard of living. Not a luxurious standard but a minimum standard. One of the strategies to ensure that could be a guaranteed minimum income.

Would cable, flat screens, XBox or PS3 accounts, internet, phones with free voice and data packages be provided?

 

[FiveParadox]

Would cable, flat screens, XBox or PS3 accounts, internet, phones with free voice and data packages be provided?

Don't be ridiculous. We're talking enough money for rent, food, basic utilities.

 

[Sons of Liberty]

How does a "culture of entitlement" come into existence?

I would imagine for each culture it is different, in the case of Greece leftist governments promising the moon and the stars and borrowing money to implement those promises. Then when taken away (like they are doing now) they want it back at any cost. It's not necessarily the fault of the people, but they are responsible as well.

 

[EagleSmack]

Don't be ridiculous. We're talking enough money for rent, food, basic utilities.

I'm not being ridiculous. These things ARE indeed basic necessities. Why should other people have them just because they can afford them?

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

Don't be ridiculous. We're talking enough money for rent, food, basic utilities.

There was another thread complaining about how the internet speeds weren't fast enough on the package provided with the welfare cheque. They seemed to think that high speed internet was a necessity of life.

 

[mentalfloss]

There goes cash. Every purchase will be scrutinized and your card will be disconnected for non compliance with the new game.

Getting rid of cash would be a welcome change.

 

[DaSleeper]

debit machines fail ....not cash

 

[EagleSmack]

There was another thread complaining about how the internet speeds weren't fast enough on the package provided with the welfare cheque. They seemed to think that high speed internet was a necessity of life.

Exactly!


Whatever everybody else has MUST be provided! And anyone who thinks or says anything to the contrary is most likely a mean spirited racist that hates women.