Alongside medical tests, appointments, physical examinations, and a serious medical diagnosis, the last two months have also been full of basic income and book launch events. Although I find it is not easy to focus on some aspects of my work life, I seem to have lots of energy and focus for basic income. It truly feels like much of my life has prepared me to do the work of advocating for basic income—as a social determinant of health, an antidote to hunger and food insecurity, a prerequisite for a more equitable and just society, and much more.
My beloved co-author Jamie Swift and I had our first book launch (of three!) back in early June, just after our book, The Case for Basic Income: Freedom, Security, Justice, was first published. Co-hosts Tom Cooper and Deirdre Pike really know how to pull off zoom events, and the virtual format meant that my parents and sister in Cape Breton, along with friends on the west coast, could all attend. It was so much fun! Many thanks to all our co-sponsors.
The second book launch, on 9 September, was an in-person event at The Spire in Kingston, capably organized by Ellie Deir and Lynn Freeman of Sydenham St United Church. It was such a joy to gather with friends in the warm space of The Spire. Jamie and I were delighted that former Senator, and long time basic income advocate, Hugh Segal, agreed to MC the event. We had a video message from another former Senator, The Very Rev. Lois Wilson, first woman moderator of the United Church of Canada, who remembers when the United Church endorsed basic income ("guaranteed annual income", as it was called then) back in early the 1970s! Chloe Halpenny, co-chair of the Basic Income Canada Youth Network (BICYN), brought her youthful passion for basic income (and our book!) to the stage. And finally, Toni Pickard, co-founder (with me) of the Kingston Action Group for a Basic Income Guarantee, and founding coordinator of Coalition Canada: basic income - revenu de base gave us an overview of where basic income stands nationally. (A particular bright spot is Prince Edward Island, which is just waiting for federal support to roll out a basic income program.)
And then we had another in-person book launch—in Peterborough! It was so much fun! We were outside on a beautiful September afternoon, at the Silver Bean Cafe, beside the Otonabee River. The program featured the Chester Babcock Trio, singing Depression-era jazz in three-part harmonies, and a passionate defence of basic income by Tracey Mechefske (pictured here), who was a Lindsay-based participant on the Ontario Basic Income Pilot, and whose story is part of the book. The event also included an impromptu speech from a local man who frequents the park, who told us about the housing crisis in Peterborough. Special thanks to Ferne Crystall, Stephanie Benn, Sue Hubay, Joëlle Favreau, and Melissa Webster for all their work in putting together this terrific event.
Jamie and I also had the honour of being interviewed about the book by former Ontario MPP Rev. Cheri DiNovo, for the Toronto Word on the Street Festival. Cheri is a very skilled interviewer; if you'd like, you can watch the recording here.
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I was also thrilled and humbled to be interviewed by Cheri for her CIUT radio show and podcast, The Radical Reverend, about how the Ontario Basic Income Pilot came to be (my interview with her is in the second part of the podcast). When I protested that I was one of only many Basic Income activists involved in this campaign, she replied, "That's what all activists say." It must be true! Truly, one of the great joys of this work has been meeting such incredible and inspiring people along the way, and the companionship of so many other passionate basic income advocates.
Jamie picked up the ball and ran with it when I ran out of steam at the end of September and wasn't able to participate in a Toronto Public Library Event about basic income. He did a fabulous job of making the case for basic income, with a host who is a known opponent of basic income, and a spokesperson from the Maytree Foundation, Garima Talwar Kapoor, who seemed unable to think past potential bureaucratic obstacles to implementing a basic income. The video recording is here, if you'd like to see an event that includes an argument against basic income.
In October, I've also done a recorded talk about basic income for the Dietitians of Canada Food Insecurity Network, and in-person talk for the Retirees Association of Queen's (RAQ). Jamie and I also did a zoom event centred on the book for the Eastern Ontario Outaouais Regional Council of the United Church of Canada. The Very Rev Lois Wilson joined us for that event. I am in awe of this woman, now 94 and leading the United Church campaign for Basic Income—or, as they like to call it, A Guaranteed Liveable Income (GLI) (which more accurately describes what we want). Having faced times of discouragement about the prospects of basic income, I asked her how she maintains hope, over decades, and what she thinks we need to do to make basic income a reality. This is what she replied:
“We belong to a community rooted in social justice, coming out of the Old Testament prophets, like Amos and Isaiah, and then Jesus. Justice for everybody is a keynote of our identity as a people. So we do it because of who we are, not because we think it is going to succeed or fail. That’s what we have to do. And that’s why I’m still at it because to not do that is to deny that I belong to Christian community. It defines our community. We don’t know if it will succeed or not. But we do it anyway, because that’s the mandate. I mean, how long did it take to get Medicare? A long time. So we need people who will commit themselves to this, and get their children committed, and talk to neighbouring churches, and talk to other secular groups who are doing this —and there are quite a few— and keep at it. We don’t do it because it is a little project. It defines who we are as Christians.”
A full recording of the event, with our wonderful and warm host, Joe Gunn, is available here. Special thanks to Clarke Topp and Ellie Topp for organizing the event, and Anita Jansman for her technical assistance.
My colleagues and I are starting to gear up for the Ontario provincial election, to be held in June 2022. Our main target is Doug Ford, who promised during the last election campaign to maintain the Ontario Basic Income Pilot, and then promptly killed it, less than two months into his new government's tenure. The new provincial Liberal leader, Steven Del Duca, has promised to "reinstate" the Ontario Basic Income Pilot. It is not clear to me what that means, but at least the party is supportive, in principle. The Greens have had a guaranteed liveable income in their party platform for ages. Although there is lots of support among the NDP caucus, the provincial leader is still resistant. We will be working to make basic income a central election issue in Ontario. And switching to "long game" strategies for the federal government.
Basic income is "necessary but insufficient" for the "more beautiful world our hearts know is possible."
In solidarity and hope for a more just and healthy future.
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