Rally Goers Call on Nova Scotia to Adopt Basic Income Program – Halifax | The Canadian News

Supporters gathered in Halifax on Saturday to raise awareness about what they say is a necessity for Nova Scotia and Canada to implement a basic income program.

“A basic income is enough money to support people for their basic needs,” said Mandy Kay-Raining Bird, president of the Nova Scotia Basic Income Group. “It is a direct payment from the government to ensure that everyone has sufficient income to participate in society and live with dignity.”

The concept of basic income is not new, and other Canadian provinces have studied it and introduced basic income pilot projects, such as in Manitoba and Ontario.

Prince Edward Island has been looking into it, and in February the province requested the federal government’s cooperation to establish a task force to help establish a basic income guarantee program there.

“What we defend is that the provincial government and the federal government work together to ensure the implementation of a basic income. The provinces can’t do it because they don’t have enough money, ”said Kay-Raining Bird.

Christie Ragan was at the rally, advocating for a universal basic income program.

“The most vulnerable people are literally stranded in the cold,” said Ragan, a single mother who is trying to finish her degree in acupuncture and traditional medicine.

3:28Looking at a basic income in Canada

Ragan says the pandemic has set her back at least a year from her studies and says it has been difficult to juggle her school commitments, parenting and a job she currently doesn’t have.

“I have no savings left, I had a spousal support agreement since my marriage ended, but it was supposed to last until after I finished school and until I could find work, but it no longer exists,” Ragan said.

A basic income would help Ragan pay her rent, something she’s not sure she can do at the end of the month.

“I can pay my bills and my rent at the end of the month, I can eat, but I can’t do both,” Ragan said. “A basic income would help me and I could survive on that.”

Basic Income Nova Scotia says the pandemic has shown the government has the ability to act quickly and implement a basic income program and Kay-Raining Bird says it is not as radical as some might suggest, pointing to the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). ) that quickly delivered cash to millions of Canadians made unemployed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The government identified $ 2,000 a month as a level necessary to meet people’s basic needs,” said Kay-Raining Bird. “But it is not a basic income.”

The rally was attended by a dozen people on Saturday and organizers say they are interested in raising more awareness of the basic income program and want to work with the newly elected progressive Conservative government to study how the program could work for residents of New Scotland.