The NDP, Liberal, and Green parties have tried debating this before and have gotten no where. It would take away the need for Social Assistance, Employment Insurance, and food banks. I have yet to see the problem with this or why the debate never turned into an actual law.
Since WW2, our government has been helping the elderly that don't have any other income. This seemed to help and to make sense.
Perhaps the idea of guarunteed annual income seems costly...
Wouldn't a GAI save money? There are too many people that abuse our current system of helping the unfortunate. Not to mention the fact that it doesn't really help, as they don't give these people enough money to live, and therefore are stuck on the system, and getting paid with taxpayers money, for what seems like forever.
It seems that this topic should be debated once again.
It would likely raise costs minimally in the short term, but a guaranteed annual income has some advantages in the long-term. It frees people up to go back to school which raises overall productivity. It allows people to try to start their own businesses. It gives artists, volunteers, and others who make contributions to our society that isn't rewarded with cash to earn a living. It allows the working poor to contribute more to the economy and to take steps to advance their careers.
If we could get a guaranteed annual income, it would save a lot of money in other areas, like the ones you mentioned.
That the Liberals and Conservatives refuse to even discuss the idea shows a certain narrowness of thought. That the first thing they bring up is that people wouldn't work shows a distrust of Canadians and a discounting of any contribution that doesn't directly benefit their corporate backers.