Does Ottawa’s grocery rebate signal a shift to a broader guaranteed basic income?

The Conversation

The federal government’s latest budget included $2.5 billion towards a grocery rebate, a one-time GST credit available to low-income Canadians to ease the pressures of food price inflation.

For the roughly 11 million Canadians who qualify, it will provide eligible couples with two children up to $467 and people without children with up to $234.

While this one-time credit won’t provide much relief from climbing food prices, the grocery rebate represents a progressive initiative in that it provides direct cash transfers to low-income Canadians.

But does the rebate signal a philosophical shift towards a rights-based approach consistent with a guaranteed basic income model?

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