Basic Income Nova Scotia held a successful petition drive throughout the province, culminating in the presentation of over a thousand petitions in the Nova Scotia House Of Assembly by Liberal MLA Labi Kousoulis. The petition was supported on the floor by NDP MLA Susan LeBlanc.
NDP MLA Lisa Roberts organized a well-attended press conference and gave a very supportive opening statement.
The Petition:
The Press Conference:
Lisa Robert’s Opening remarks:
Basic Income Nova Scotia has just presented the House with a petition containing the signatures of almost 1000 Nova Scotians calling for the government to conduct a feasibility study jointly with the federal government on how a Basic Income might be implemented in Nova Scotia. The recent Poverty Strategy final report of the Halifax Regional Municipality and United Way made a similar call. In Nova Scotia, one out of 7 persons live in poverty. Living in poverty means living with inadequate housing, food insecurity, compromised health and toxic levels of stress. People say, just get a job, but In Nova Scotia about 60% of people on income assistance already have jobs. They are the working poor. In Nova Scotia there is only one job for every seven unemployed. With the advancement of Robots replacing the workforce, more jobs will be lost. It is imperative that the government of Nova Scotia takes a responsible leadership position to protect its citizens from bleak job prospects and the direct health impacts on people living in poverty. The growing precariousness of many jobs will drive the financial demands on Health Services and Community Services to unsustainable levels. A Basic Income Guarantee, although not a panacea for all ills, will provide the government with the necessary means of collectively dealing with the challenges of the future, while simultaneously, raising people out of poverty, creating a sense of individual and communal security and providing a much needed boost to the Nova Scotia economy. Mr. Speaker, I believe it is high time, the government engages in a serious study of the feasibility of a Basic Income for Nova Scotians, following the principles outlined by Basic Income Nova Scotia. Mr. Speaker, a basic income could make all the difference for 42,000 Nova Scotians.
