I liken the COVID-19 afterlife to Baby sitting in the corner; there it sits, not going away. Variations of the virus will be present in our lives for years to come, so we must accept this new reality if we are to overcome and get on with things -- which depends on the co-operation of every single one of us.
I believe that Universal Basic Income has a place in the equation if the playing field is to be leveled even a little bit to accommodate those most affected by the pandemic and the aftermath; housing/shelter losses, job losses, withdrawal from institutions of higher learning because of lack of funds. The list of losses is long.
What the COVID aftermath does is shine a light on all manner of inequalities spilling out; front and center are the deficiencies in the lives of our children — they are our future, right? Why are we not doing more to ensure that they get the future they deserve — the kind the ‘haves’ don’t worry about too much because they’re already on track to a life that won’t experience a lot of worry about where the next meal is coming from, can Mom pay the rent this month? or will Dad still have a job in the fall? Children in financial crisis, because their family lives on the edge day in and day out, worry about things young people should not have worry about.
My brain is boggled. Yes, it is! I just cannot understand how so many are stuck on the notion that a universal basic income is tantamount to paying people to do nothing. How very wrong they are. Frankly, it’s an insult to those who, very often through circumstances out of their control, have lived on the financial edge for years; for decades. You’ve heard the statement — most people don’t have $400 to cover an emergency. It’s true!
The single mother working two minimum wage jobs trying to keep a roof over her head and food on the table for herself and 4 kids is the one working for nothing, if we define working primarily in dollars and cents. Think about that. After all the costs of necessities of life are met there is very little left over for even one of the things most of us take for granted. Her 4 children are missing out on lots of experiences and tools that could enhance the quality of, for example, their learning life. How many children in this province do not have access to the internet let alone a computer, laptop or tablet?
We’re too quick to make the bold statement that women (and men) who don’t work outside the home to earn money are not working, are lay-abouts, are milking the system, are abusing resources that they don’t deserve to access. That self-entitled attitude espoused by those who already ‘have’ is insulting on so many levels. It’s got to change if we have any hope of advancing the opportunities for those who need a hand up. All of us are in this together.
Our current social assistance programs essentially put recipients into a forced/government state of poverty out which there seems no climb. There’s no incentive to rise above when even basic needs are not met on a consistent basis, with the underpinnings of stress and fear driving every move. No way to live, it’s not surprising that people living in poverty are sick, physically, emotionally and spiritually.
There have been lots of kitchen table discussions about guaranteed basic income also known as universal basic income. More and more people are coming to the conclusion that it may be the most efficient/effective way to assist those who are trapped in poverty. Fortifying their financial base will improve health and wellness which will concurrently reduce stress on the health care system. That is good medicine for all.
A report by the Parliamentary Budget Officer estimated a national guaranteed basic income would cost about $88 billion in 2022-2023. Perhaps sooner rather than later, representatives of the various branches of government will do the math on UBI and say YES to success.
Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with her geriatric Australian silky terrier and a rambunctious Maltese. She can be reached via email at carmacrockwell@xplornet.ca
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