Charlottetown MP still hoping for guaranteed basic income for Islanders

Charlottetown MP Sean Casey is not giving up on finding the means for P.E.I. to set up a guaranteed basic income pilot project.

The province has said it's not possible because the federal government is unwilling to offer money and partner on the project.

But Casey and Malpeque MP Wayne Easter sent a letter last month to the federal minister responsible, Jean-Yves Duclos. Casey said he hopes to be able to change the minister's mind, noting the results from the previous pilot in the 1970s in Manitoba showed promise.

'Positive impacts'

"A guaranteed annual income had marginal impact on labour participation rates, except among new mothers who were less involved in the labour force because they were spending more time with their kids, and among teenagers because they were staying in school," he said.

"Other than that, there were positive impacts on the criminal justice system, on the mental health system, on the health care system in general. All of these outcomes, I think, when you look at the investment in people is something that I think holds promise."

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