Thank you for re-opening a dialogue on guaranteed income in your Wednesday, August 17 editorial.
As you argued, a guaranteed income is an efficient way to address gross income disparities. It is also an example of social policy that respects human dignity, wherein everyone deserves to have their basic needs met.
Conservative Senator Hugh Segal suggested the Yukon could set an example for the nation by implementing a guaranteed income at the Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction symposium hosted by the Yukon government in April 2010.
We have heard little about this progressive proposal since the symposium.
Maintaining good health, education and employment are difficult when one is struggling to provide food, shelter and clothing. When people are able to feed and house themselves and their families, they also have more time and energy to spend on recreation, civic engagement and participation in the arts Ð all indicators of social inclusion.
The Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition is looking forward to the guaranteed income proposal being part of the territorial election discussion this fall.
Julianna Scramstad
Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition
Whitehorse