Universal Basic Income – Joel MacLeod.ca

It’s basically a basic income…basically…

The 905 Round-Up – Hurricane Hazel Departs – The 905er Podcast

Laura Steiner sits in for Joel as we discuss the late Hazel McCallion's legacy for Mississauga and the 905 region. And we share some first impressions (recorded before Tuesday's interview with Kate Graham – go and listen to it if you haven't heard it yet) on the 40 Liberal insiders who have put their names to an attempt to co-opt Mike Schreiner from the Ontario Greens. It takes money and time to create two podcasts a week. We love doing what we do, but please consider supporting us if you can so we can keep improving, and keep paying the bills. Why not buy us a coffee? Or you can support us by becoming a patron for a month, for six months, or forever. See https://www.patreon.com/the905er. Patreon listeners also get to hear our episodes without commercial interruptions. Thanks to our existing patrons! You can join them at https://www.patreon.com/the905er. Supporting the 905er with a monthly donation enables us to do this podcast, to make it better and better, and to make sure it reflects your priorities. Please consider joining our growing team. Nicholas Paul: sound editing. The Quadrafonics: fantastic opening and closing tunes!

I missed the chance to promote the latest episode of The 905er yesterday. I got busy, my bad. This week we were talking about Hamilton’s basic income experiment, the previous provincial Liberal government instituted. It’s a great discussion on what actually happens under a universal basic income to those who are on it. I highly recommend you listen to it, as it’s more than relevant these days with the federal CERB program winding down.

There is no going back

I’m hoping that like me, you took some time to focus on family this weekend. Whether it was Easter like me, or Passover, or just an opportunity to spend time with loved ones in isolation, reflection is important in these trying times. I read a column on Friday morning by Andrew Coyne. His basic argument was that this Coronavirus pandemic we are going through will result in no changes in our society. His reasoning? We heard the same claims post 9/11 and the 2008 financial crisis, and never changed the way our society acts.

He’s right of course in regards to recent history. Those events proved in the long run to not fundamentally change anything in terms of how our governments or society functions. However, this time is different for one main reason. The length that we will have to endure this crisis is drastically different than what we went through before. 9/11 and the 2008 crash responses were about speed to provide security and a return to the status quo in as little time as possible. That option isn’t available to us.