By – Kendall Worth
On April 1st 2023 Basic Income Nova Scotia held it’s Basic Income Conference. The conference is held approximately every 18 months and the next one is planned for October of 2025.
Here are some opening remarks made at the beginning of the conference. Jeff ward’s remarks are particularly good. After that it is mostly greetings and support from politicians.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CxuXKcE278&authuser=0
Supporters of “Basic Income” who live in poverty, continue to live day to day, hoping that someday a guaranteed basic, livable, income will become reality. These conferences are important because they help keep the conversation going about the need for, and ways to implement, basic income.
I spoke at the conference this year, on a panel with 3 other speakers. In my speech I nailed down the reasons/need for a need for a Basic Income, and illustrated the evidence we saw coming to light within the past two years, that strengthens the argument for a Basic Income. The three other speakers on the panel illustrated their own views, but their speeches backed up what I was covering in my presentation.
The over all points illustrated in my speech, and those of many others, included:
In General the Basic Guaranteed Income we envision would be a system that has no bureaucratic nonsense, systemic problems, and hoops to jump through to qualify for what is available. These are problems with the current Employment Support and income Assistance (ESIA) program from the Department of Community Services. (DCS)
The allowance provided through a Basic Guaranteed Income needs to be something much better then the current $950.00 monthly Standard Household Rate provided through Employment Support and Income Assistance Program at DCS. We also have to keep in mind that some on income assistance are only getting $609.00 a month to live on. The $2000.00 a month that was offered during the short-lived time of CERB would be ideal, which is why it must be a livable basic income.
Also illustrated in these speeches was how the current system creates severe social isolation, creating barriers for getting out and socializing with others.
The increase in the population of homeless people, and lack of affordable housing, plays a strong part in why a livable basic income is needed. This video from the conference's first speaker Jeff Karabanow illustrates more of the Homeless Situation.
Overall if we had a Basic Livable Guaranteed Income people would be able to afford to live with no hoops to jump through. People would have more choice in life. Persons with disabilities would have better ability to contribute to the economy, and people would be living healthier lives. People would also be able to live life with less Social isolation.
I say Lets get Basic Guaranteed Started.
For more on the Conference see this panel n Cost of poverty & social return on investment with BIG, paying for BIG, fair taxation, & why trends in income distribution make a BIG desirable:
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