March 29, 2019
UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME NEEDED, SAYS GREEN PARTY CANDIDATE
EDMONTON – The Green Party of Alberta candidate in Edmonton – City Centre says he will strongly advocate for a Universal Basic Income (UBI) on the floor of the Legislature, if elected.
Chris Alders believes such a measure would eliminate poverty and enable all to live in dignity. “This would be an enormous gamer-changer for the people of our communities and province. Whether one is in a state of abject poverty, immersed in precarious employment, or a senior who is fighting to make ends meet, such a policy would enable all to conduct their lives free from fear of living on knife’s edge.”
The concept of the Universal Basic Income revolves around five core characteristics. (1) Payments are regular (monthly); (2) Allocations are via cash, not a voucher or in-kind system; (3) Recipients are individuals, not households; (4) It is universal, meaning it is paid to all, without means testing; and (5) It is unconditional.
“This is the right thing to do for our communities,” says Alders. “We can’t stand idly by and watch our most vulnerable people twist in the wind. We owe it to each other to pursue this policy with vigour.”
The Universal Basic Income would also take pressure off the health care system. With the number once social determinant of health being poverty, the Green Party candidate says there will be positive residual effects throughout the system. “A UBI means that we save money on policing, largely eradicate homelessness, and save money by consolidating the huge administrative costs associated with the current patchwork programs now in place.”
The Green Party campaign is people-powered. Canadians have elected nine Green Party MLAs to provincial legislatures.
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For more information, please contact:
Chris Alders
Green Party of Alberta Candidate for Edmonton – City Centre
Email: chris@chrisalders.ca
Phone: 780-242-1621