While this may sound like a radical liberal concept of giving something for nothing, it’s not the first time in Canada’s history that this happened. In fact Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is simply following in his father’s, Pierre Trudeau’s footsteps.

Mincome introduced in Dauphin, Manitoba

You see back on February 22nd, 1974 when Pierre Trudeau was Prime Minister and Edward Schreyer was the New Democratic Party Leader of Manitoba, they announced in a press release that all the residents of Dauphin would receive a monthly minimum cash benefit.

Each individual received $3,386 during 1975 ($16,094 in 2014 dollars) and each family of two received $4,907 during 1975 ($20,443 in 2014 dollars). This amount was modified by subtracting 50 cents from every dollar earned from other sources.

Positive results

Hospitalization rates dropped 8.5% for accidents, injuries and mental health diagnosis. As people’s income went up their healthcare costs went down.

Before Mincome, one woman who was a single mother was on welfare called Mother’s Allowance. She wanted to work but her case workers told her just go home and raise your children. When Mincome came along she had the choice to stay on Mother’s Allowance or chose to go on Mincome. She dropped Mother’s Allowance in favor of Mincome and shortly after landed a part-time job as a librarian. She eventually moved into a full-time career at the library and she was proud to show that her two daughters had graduated from college.

Mincome had wiped out the town of Dauphin’s poverty.

Conservatives gain control of the government in 1979

In 1979 under the Conservative government of Sterling Lyon and the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Joe Clark, Mincome was shut down and the town of Dauphin fell back into poverty again.

Justin Trudeau sworn in as Prime Minister along with his Liberal Party gaining control.

On November 4th, 2015 Justin Trudeau and his Liberal party regained control of the government.

Recently, Canada announced they planned to implement another Basic Income experiment in Ontario and then eventually implement Basic Income throughout the entire county.

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