Last month, CARFAC called on the federal government to transform CERB into an ongoing guaranteed basic income program that will ensure low-income Canadians will have a basic monthly income they can rely on. Basic income will protect families and the economy, and assist in Canada’s economic recovery in the long term.
Today, we join 30+ arts organizations and 250+ independent artists and cultural workers, through one united voice: we call upon the Government of Canada to ensure the financial well-being of all residents by implementing a permanent Basic Income Guarantee.
Learn more about Basic Income here.
Let your MP and the Federal Government know that Canadians need ongoing support to emerge strong and resilient from the COVID-19 crisis. This includes the implementation of a Basic Income Guarantee. Here is a sample letter that you can personalize.
NEWS RELEASE – 16 July 2020
Today, artists, writers, technicians and performers are calling on Prime Minister Trudeau to create a permanent basic income guarantee.
A Public Letter from the Arts Community for a Basic Income Guarantee
The pandemic’s wrath on lives has been swift. Millions are still out of work, venues shuttered, and livelihoods lost. In this new precarious reality, poverty can become a reality for all of us, abruptly, without warning.
This public letter, signed and endorsed by many of the largest arts and culture organizations in Canada and many prominent talents, calls on the government to think outside the box and implement a “basic income program that guarantees an income floor to anyone in need.
In the pandemic’s wake, Canada can rise from the disease, hardships, and ruptures in social behavior with a basic income. “The opportunity for change is here and now,” write the letter’s co-authors: Craig Berggold, Zainub Verjee and Clayton Windatt.
For media enquiries and to arrange interviews, please contact: Craig Berggold 647-328-9383 craigberggold@gmail.com