When looking out at the glittering world last Wednesday morning after a very cold, very calm night the whole place seemed positively transfigured by hoar frost. I had to drive one of our three children to an early appointment and after dropping her off I tromped across a rare parcel of undeveloped land in my town in which there stood a few stalks of dry, cupped Queen Anne's Lace which were coated in gorgeous little feathery white fronds of frost.
The sun had just broke through the cloud covering and the field began to shimmer in the morning light. I felt as broken open by this delicate beauty as I'd felt in some time. Though the morning was very frigid, I knew the sunlight meant this beauty before me was incredibly fleeting. I crouched down holding my new (second hand & first ever) phone. It has a camera on it like the sort that most humans have been using for eons now. With my nearly frozen fingers I caught the images I wanted to keep with me. I emailed a dear friend whose poetry I adore and asked if he would like to write hoar frost tankas. He did so masterfully and then when I sent him one of the pics, he wrote another inspired by what I'd shared.
To see his wonderful blog post of it please click here. To read my tanka scroll to the end of the following essay I wrote on BIG/GLI which Chris Ortenburger of PEI's Citizens' Alliance kindly shared on CA last Sunday, January 30th. To learn more about basic income/guaranteed livable income, read on.
Making the PEI Case for a Guaranteed Livable Income
Notes on Senator Kim Pate presenting to Rotary Club of Charlottetown PEI’s meeting on Wednesday Jan 19, 2022 to which my family and I were invited as Associates of the PEI Working Group for a Livable Income.
On a 7:15 am, mid-week zoom call from Ottawa, Senator Kim Pate smiled as she told Rotarians that friends remind her that while she loves PEI and visits as often as she can, she is a still a “Come from Away” here. Yet, the very accomplished and humble Senator Kim Pate, has strongly rooted connections to the Island through her father who grew up in O’Leary and attended Prince of Wales College. Pate is an independent Senator since being appointed to Senate in 2016 after a long career as a lawyer/educator and social justice advocate. Her deep connections to here are what bring Pate “home” to PEI whenever she can manage it.
The reason for Pate’s early morning presentation to the Charlottetown Rotary Club members via zoom is clear.
“The Island”, said Senator Kim (as she is known to her legions of young TikTok followers one of whom is my youngest daughter Clara) “with its mix of rural and urban, its sense of community, is the perfect place to launch a five year demonstration project…” on Basic Income. And the more that everyday Islanders come to understand the benefits a Guaranteed Livable Income could confer on all Islanders and then reach out to their MP’s to urge the federal government to take prompt action, the better.
Same too with addressing potential concerns that cause people to be dismissive of Basic Income.
Senator Pate’s genuine and awe-inspiring concern for the well being of Canada’s most vulnerable populations is evidenced by her equal- in- measure, lifelong activism for lifting persons in need out poverty by addressing that which entraps them: the incredible inequities embedded in our culture which favour wealth, ability and cis-gendered, white folks and especially, men. Much of her work as a lawyer with a specialty in forensic mental health over her notable career has been with marginalized women (and disproportionately Indigenous) whom have been criminalized and institutionalized in prisons. She sees into the root causes which bring women to make desperate choices and knows that empowering such marginalized communities with financial wherewithal changes outcomes for the better.
She explains that the aim of a Guaranteed Livable Income or Basic Income Guarantee (BIG) is “to reach those under the poverty line” and enable them to earn a basic living (approximately $22 or $23000/yr) with few strings attached.
Sharing the grave statistic that 25% of Islanders have had to access food support through food banks during the pandemic, she demonstrates a keen understanding of the urgency and need that Islanders have for improved financial security at this time.
These monies, Pate explained, would be conferred to persons in need in a dignified, “income- tested manner”. Its inclusive nature is designed so that no one can fall through the gaps that exist in current social safety nets. She noted such a program is not a foreign concept to the current federal government and that the Liberal’s under Trudeau already have similar programs in place for seniors and childcare and are working on disability.
Among many other actions such as “launching an inquiry in the Senate” (into a Guaranteed Livable Income) Pate and disability advocate, Senator Chantal Petticlerc, recently sent a letter to the Prime Minister urging action on this.
She also noted importantly that “PEI is not a roadblock on this…” and that Premier King and his minority Conservative government have expressed their desire with Trudeau to discuss how to make this happen on PEI for Islanders in need.
The Cooper Institute and PEI Working Group for a Livable Income’s Marie Burge has long been a vocal supporter and advocate for basic income. On the Wednesday morning zoom call she was an invited guest of Senator Pate. Burge spoke eloquently of the level of receptiveness here “by ordinary Islanders” to the idea of implementing a basic income to help those most in financial need. She explained that there is a great deal of support for this “and though not always communicated directly, there is a high degree of support among Islanders of all income levels”.
Senator Pate wants us all to think of “…how we can push every Member of Parliament, current and retired, to engage and push the Prime Minister to commence this project on PEI”.
Pate believes that once PEI runs the demonstration project and gets to experience the benefits, no one will want to go back to how it was before. She likened it to Saskatchewan’s early experience with Medicare.
“Once the other provinces saw its benefits (Medicare) they all wanted to get on board and roll it out in their provinces”. Pate essentially said that PEI can be to a Guaranteed Livable Income what Saskatchewan was to Medicare.
Just imagine the good that could come of this!
When discussing the numerous measurable benefits noted in livable income trials held elsewhere such as “improved health outcomes of recipients”, Pate also mentioned the “blockages” to basic income which she hears that people are afraid of and wants to see addressed so these “blockages” can be moved past.
“Blockages”:
1) Cost (costs less than CERB and far more inclusive) and Canada is known globally as a good place for money laundering due to our tax system so tax reform is critical here as it would be a source of the Federal income needed to fund the project.
2) Fears that it would cause a labour shortage. What has been seen in other jurisdictions is that when a Guaranteed Livable income is implemented of those eligible for the workforce… the only ones at home are:
(a) the sick
(b) carers—those in care-giving roles
(c) those with disability
(d) those training/schooling…
and we do not want these people (to need to be) working (Pate)
Senator Kim Pate told Rotarians that the Parliamentary Budget Officer said it would cost far less than CERB has to run and would have reached far more people during the pandemic.
“It would cut poverty in half in one year and would have alleviated a lot of issues” (during the pandemic) said Pate.
The dignity based, inclusive nature of a Guaranteed Livable Income is urgently needed to be implemented and”… to run the program, $160 million is needed from the Fed government” according to Pate.
“Tax reform will play a critical role in funding this…” said Pate and given that Canada is an international haven for money laundering… we have some work to do on this. Yet, she also told of an heir to the Disney fortune who is working on this matter of “taxing the very rich…” to help the poor.
She explained that “the strength of the Senate is good now and conversations are easier between provincial and federal minority governments” and that Premier King has demonstrated his desire to engage with the PM on this issue for Islanders.
The timing is right but Senator Dianne Griffin, also on the call, said “the ball is in the court of the feds and is stalled… perhaps due to the pandemic?”
Nearing the conclusion of the presentation and discussion between Pate and the Rotary Club members Pate assured her listeners that “Fears about the aforementioned blockages are just straw men based on myths about poor people.” Reach out to your local MP. “PEI is not a road block…we must push the Feds.” said Pate.“
Ignorance harms too many…and when anyone is suffering poverty, we all suffer.
To learn more about Senator Kim’s advocacy and Guaranteed Livable Income: https://www.obin.ca/kim_pate_senate_question_gli
Please contact PEI Working Group for a Livable Income to request to see their recently compiled “Talking Points” on Basic Income for further information. https://www.cooperinstitute.ca/Livable-Income
Two books Pate mentioned as important to the cause: Hugh Segal’s Bootstraps Need Boots https://cpj.ca/book-review/book-review-bootstraps-need-boots/ and Dr. Evelyn Forget and Hannah Owczar’s recently published book “Radical Trust: Basic Income for Complicated Lives” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWi0DIcbs5c
Thanks for reading! Jill M. MacCormack
Hoar Frost Tanka
Quick pick a bouquet
Of dried, cupped Queen Anne’s Lace ‘fore
the morning sun melts
the hoar frost off it—watch for
blood when you’re back to the car.
Jill M. MacCormack 2/2/22
Thanks for reading from Stratford, PEI this wintry Friday evening. It feels so overwhelming to have a blanket around my shoulders looking out at my quiet little street all buried in snow, yet again. The 4th storm in 5 weeks feels tiresome although we got off relatively easy as it is the mildest one yet.
Yesterday with all the rain preceding the snow storm the fantastic rink my sweet husband made became a giant puddle. Well, at least during the semi- lockdown we got out gliding and twirling on some freezing, starlit evenings. It helped to break the monotony and cooped up feeling that a "circuit breaker" in dark January causes. Wishing you wellness!
It's encouraging to read about the efforts of Senator Pate and others advocating for a guaranteed income, if I can call it that. Glad you and Clara are working on this monumental task. A few more kicks....Your piece was so diverse, that after looking at the photo, which I think is quite incredible, the snow looks like water- I went down the first rabbit hole of hoar frost, and all it's complicated stuff- I still am not sure what makes the incredible patterns on glass. Science may explain it but I will still cling to it being an incredible gift straight from the hand of God, as I've always believed! Then, I innocently started reading John MacKenzie's tanka, only to…