Proposition 5: Basic Income

I’ve been extremely vocal about my support for a basic income program in Canada. This question is quite straightforward, but I think it takes a certain (liberal) leap in thinking compared to how most people view this policy proposal. Most people hear about basic income and think about homeless people or ‘freeloaders’ on the system who will end up costing the country money.

However, those same people will also complain about having to work 40 hours a week, or liberally use sick leave, EI, or pension in their careers/retirement, but not think about it the same way as with others. They see themselves as complex beings who deserve a break, but the homeless person who can’t get a job due to mental illness or not being able to afford a shower at the YMCA made too many mistakes in their life.

I think giving each Canadian enough to ultimately bring them out of poverty, by charging what would be considered a very high relative tax rate, is a great way to let the most successful of us (read: the lucky ones) support those who haven’t had as many breaks in life. Nobody is suggesting billionaires need to live life poor, they will still be billionaires (just slightly less so).

Summary: This question is quite straightforward, I think because it doesn’t rely on context or knowledge of the current plan in place (because there is none!). It’s a broad question about a proposal that some parties want to have in place, and lets people answer as they will.

Table of Contents

• Making the CBC Vote Compass even better
• Proposition 1: First-time home buyers (FTHBs)
• Proposition 2: Handguns
• Proposition 3: Child Care
• Proposition 4: Health Care
• Proposition 5: Basic Income
• Proposition 6: Quebec Separatism
• Proposition 7: Unions
• Proposition 8: Climate Change
• Proposition 9: Reconciliation
• Proposition 10: Quebec Separatism (2)
• Proposition 11: Equalization Payments
• Proposition 12: Trans Pronoun Rights
• Proposition 13: Corporate Taxes
• Proposition 14: Abortion Services
• Proposition 15: Supervised Injection Sites
• Proposition 16: Oil and Gas Subsidies
• Proposition 17: Asylum Claims
• Proposition 18: Defecit Reduction
• Proposition 19: Immigration
• Proposition 20: Military Spending
• Proposition 21: Single-Use Plastics
• Proposition 22: Employment Insurance
• Proposition 23: Violence Against Indigenous Women
• Proposition 24: Wealth Tax
• Proposition 25: Gender-Balanced Cabinet
• Proposition 26: Pharmacare
• Proposition 27: Monarchy
• Proposition 28: Foreign Policy on Human Rights
• Proposition 29: Carbon Tax
• Proposition 30: Religious Minorities
• Propositions 31 & 32 (QOTD): Religious Symbols Ban
• Ways to Improve the CBC Vote Compass (Conclusion)