Thread by @Norlaine

We need UBI now. There is no excuse for people to be living in poverty because they were born with a disability or they had an accident or illness. Canada is a wealthy nation. Why are people on disability eating pet food? In what possible reality is this just or moral? #cdnpoli

https://twitter.com/DisabledOntari1/status/1562574514759667712

We seriously need to stop thinking that food and shelter are rewards for hard work. They are necessities of life. They should not be denied to anyone. Everyone deserve to live with dignity, and respect. How can giving people dog food to eat even be rationalized?

Provincial disability payments across Canada are shamefully low. Having a disability can be more expensive than living without one. What is the rationale for keeping these people destitute? If they cannot work, they don't deserve to live? Is that the thinking?

We are not here to work to make the wealthy wealthier. We are here to lead good, satisfying lives. To think, to dream, to create, to contribute, to share, to care, to love, to grow, to lead, to learn, to teach, to find peace and meaning.

People want to contribute in some way, but if their circumstances do not permit contributing through "work", there are many other ways to contribute and find meaning. They should not be punished because they are not doing their "cog in the machine" duty.

Poverty is linked to increased stress, poor health and health outcomes, reduced life expectancy, less personal safety, increased risk of negative interactions with law enforcement. If we truly want to reduce the ills in our society, we need to end poverty.

If we truly want to make our society better, we need to end poverty.

Pilot studies of UBI programs have shown that most people do not quit their jobs, except to return to school, or provide care for family members. The studies show a decrease in domestic violence,

a decrease in mental health admissions in ER, a decrease in suicides, a decrease in workplace accidents, and a decrease in crime. Those who say we can't afford it need to realise we really can't afford to go on as we have been.

But, it's not really about the money, is it? It's not about "leaving a legacy of debt to our grandchildren" - the mantra of the CPC every time any humane, sensible thing is proposed. No. It's about value, about worth and worthiness.

Some people in our society do not believe everyone is equal. They see some people as lesser. As lower human capital. As liabilities on the ledger. And this is why people on disability are living on a pittance, barely getting by. It's because some people with power and influence

don't think they even deserve to live. The conservatives would like to cancel all the social programs and hand "charity" back to the churches, where the people running programs will decide who deserves help and who does not, and how much, and how grateful they need to be.

We need to change the paradigm. Food, shelter, clothing, medicine, and enough money beyond that to have some creature comforts, should not be considered a reward. It should be the baseline. With UBI people with disabilities would get the same basic amount as everyone else and

they would not have to prove to anyone that they have a disability. Which is also demeaning, btw. Like when Harper was PM, veterans having to go every year to prove to veterans affairs that their missing leg or arm has not grown back...
cbc.ca/news/business/…

We are not here to make the Westons or the Irvings or the Rogers or any of the other uber-wealthy families richer. We are not just human inputs to the wealth machine. We need to stop accepting that view and start taking care of each other. Canada is a wealthy country. #EndPoverty