We live in a society where people cannot access enough money to survive, and where economic inequality is so dire that the two richest Canadians own more wealth than the poorest 30 per cent of the country combined.
The basic income debate is more pressing than ever; the government of Ontario recently announced that they would be introducing a provincial basic income pilot program over the next three years.
On Thursday, voices from across the left in Ontario came together at OISE to discuss how basic income fits into the landscape of the Canadian left. The event was co-hosted by a number of anti-poverty and activist organizations and moderated by Avi Lewis, co-author of the progressive Leap Manifesto. In an interactive debate, two speakers for and against considered the role of basic income in Canada’s future.
Alex Verman Green 