My Interview with Mandy Kay-Raining Bird and Pierre Stevens
By: Kendall Worth
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| Pierre Stevens, Mandy Kay-Raining Bird and Kendall Worth |
Mandy Kay-Raining Bird and Pierre Stevens are the main facilitators of a group called Basic Income Nova Scotia (BIG-NS). Mandy and Pierre recently contacted me to ask if I could write about basic income on my BLOG and encourage people to raise their voices in support.
BIG-NS educates and advocates for a basic income guarantee to be implemented in Nova Scotia and throughout Canada. Pierre and Mandy were not alone in starting BIG-NS—Karen Foster and Sharon Murphy were also Founders.
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| Basic Income as defined by BIG-NS on their website |
BIG-NS advocates for a Basic Income to be provided to anyone who needs it, sufficient to ensure that a person does not live in poverty. They advocate for the development of a system administered without the bureaucratic nonsense and systemic problems that plague our current welfare system. They argue a basic income must not replace other supports and services people need—in fact many of our existing supports should be improved (such as mental health supports and affordable housing options) along with implementing a basic income.
For more information on BIG-NS, go to their website: https://www.big-ns.org/. You can find the basic income principles BIG-NS advocates for here: https://www.big-ns.org/principles.
During my interview with them, I asked Mandy and Pierre why and how they got involved with advocating for Basic Income. Mandy and Pierre, both had times in their lives when they struggled. Nonetheless, they both feel they have lived quite privileged lives in many ways: they both grew up in stable homes, had opportunities to go to university, worked in satisfying jobs, and made a comfortable living. They both came from families that believed in social justice for all. They also both had different paths and separate reasons as to why they got into advocating for Basic Income.
Pierre
Pierre grew up in a working-class family in the Netherlands. There he realized early that he would end up working in the coal mines if the government had not assisted him to attend university. According to Pierre, coal mining was the main industry in the southern part of the Netherlands where he grew up. Pierre felt going to university would lead to a much more satisfying career path and greater opportunities for him to contribute to society.
Mandy
Mandy’s parents were social justice advocates, and she grew up watching them work diligently for peace, civil rights and racial equity, community development, supports for people with autism, and other important issues. Mandy has known many people who struggle with poverty. She herself spent many years as a single parent. Mandy sees Basic Income as a way for everyone to be able to meet their basic needs and live with dignity. She feels a Basic Income would treat the cause of poverty, not just the symptoms.
The movement for a basic income in Canada is growing. Here in Halifax, the Halifax City Council recently voted 15 to 2 to pass a resolution introduced by Councillor Waye Mason in support of basic income. You can read the resolution here: https://cdn.halifax.ca/sites/default/files/documents/city-hall/regional-council/220628rc1541.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1MhuH7KB41gRf1xgv3Dj9mJuJv4ls3TWMA3OwAaqecsnT3HOP15atEj3A.
A consensus statement has also been developed by advocates across the Atlantic Provinces calling for Provincial and Federal governments to work together to implement a basic income, starting with PEI which has all-party support for a province-wide demonstration project. You can sign the consensus statement here: https://www.themarthas.com/justice_news-detail.php?21.
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