Tinkering! This is what I cannot help thinking about last week's release by the P.E.I. Liberal government of its Poverty Reduction Action Plan.
Not just tinkering but continuing the use of the meanest of a charity model addressing being poor: social assistance.
Nothing bold. Nothing new. Nothing visionary. Basic Income Guarantee would have been all those. But no mention.
It was raised by people several times at public consultations. But it seems that this government has closed the idea down using the excuse that because the federal government has no interest P.E.I. has no interest.
At the very least the strategy could have included a time line for commitment to continue lobbying the federal government for funding of a B.I.G. program.
My goodness, given this attitude, Medicare would never have happened.
I have to think that this government not only does not have real vision, it has no desire to truly reduce, even eliminate, poverty.
Edith Perry,
Millview