A Guaranteed Basic Income is tempting, but there’s got to be a better way

If a multi-pronged approach to poverty has dramatically reduced poverty since the 1970s, why are we looking for one-size-fits all solution—let alone one that's not very politically viable—now?

NDP MP Leah Gazan and Independent Senator Kim Pate both have private member's bills proposing a Guaranteed Basic Income in the House and in the Senate, respectively. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Opinion

BY MICHAEL HATFIELD

May 12, 2022

Is a Guaranteed Basic Income (GBI) the best way to tackle poverty? Many Canadians would answer yes. This policy is appealing because it is easy to understand. In Canada we already have such a system for people over 65, based on the universal Old Age Security Pension, the income-tested Guaranteed In...

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