By Joe Boughner
Ottawa Centre MP Mac Harb wants to arrange a conference that will examine a guaranteed annual income program.
Harb says he wants to see representatives of the federal and provincial governments meet in Ottawa to discuss the feasibility of a guaranteed annual income for all Canadians.
“We already have guaranteed income for certain groups in Canada,” Harb says. “But there is too much overlap in some age groups between federal and provincial programs,”
Currently, most social programs fall under provincial jurisdiction, but some pension programs and child tax benefits are managed by the federal government.
Harb plans to table a private members bill on the issue within the next few weeks.
“The bill will gauge the level of support in the House of Commons for the initiative,” he says. “If there is no support in the House, it’s a dead issue.”
The plan already has its share of opposition.
Andrew Sharpe, executive director of the Centre for the Study of Living Standards, says anything is feasible, but a guaranteed income program would be very expensive.
“It wouldn’t be good public policy,” he says. “We already have guaranteed income in the form of welfare and seniors programs.”
Sharpe says the money could be better spent.
“We need support services,” he says. “A more targeted approach is the way to go.”
Walter Robinson, director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, says the idea could be good in theory, but it would be hard to implement.
“We’re not supportive of the concept,” he says. “It’s extremely expensive, and it’s a federal intrusion on social programs that come under provincial jurisdiction.”
Robinson says it would be difficult to bring the provinces together under one system.
“Some provinces have work for welfare, some don’t,” he says.
“Some have subsidized daycare, and some don’t. You’d have to bring provincial policies under one umbrella, and that may tread on some specific provincial programs.”
Robinson points specifically to the troubles the federal government had bringing in a child tax benefit program that was supported by all the provinces.
Harb says the purpose of the conference is to have these concerns addressed and figure out how much the program would cost.
“It could take time to work it all out, but it is worthwhile to talk,” he says. “If we don’t start, we’ll never be able to finish.”