To: Alberta Premier Rachel Notley cc: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Mayor Naheed Nenshi

Guaranteed Annual Living Income

Premier Notley

I am petitioning you and your progressive NDP government to seriously consider supporting the federal progressive Liberal government of Prime Minister Trudeau in their initiatives to implement a Guaranteed Living Income for all citizens of Canada. I suggest you investigate the website basicincomecanadanetwork.org for more information on this very progressive and very timely initiative.

Why is this important?

A Guaranteed Annual Living Income will help ensure that every citizen has a fair access to finances to live a healthy life. By providing basic income to everyone you are empowering citizens to contribute to society in their own unique way. This may be through art and volunteering and entrepreneurship. With little bureaucracy overseeing the distribution of financial resources citizens will live their lives with more ease, less stress, and more dignity. Citizens will be empowered and motivated to contribute to their local and regional communities according to their gifts and interests as they will not be weighed down by financial burden.
Artists and musicians and those who have precarious employment would have a financial safety net.
Graduated students who are carrying huge debt loads will be more able to pay off their debts. I know of some cases where students have graduated and did not obtain high paying employment. They nevertheless were saddled with crushing debt along with trying to just make a living. Basic Income would help these graduate students.
Young families and parents of school age children would greatly benefit. Mothers could stay home or work part-time while not sacrificing the needed second income. Demand for daycare would go down. Ever increasing school fees could be afforded.
Young seniors who fall through the financial cracks due to health issues and unemployment would be better able to weather the financial storms.
Entrepreneurs who due to health issues are not able to continue with their business. They often do not have needed financial safety nets if they are forced to shut down their business or sell it at a loss.