The Spec
Four years ago, we interviewed Hugh Segal for a book on basic income. He was being treated for the disease that ended his life last week.
Typical of Hugh’s gracious generosity, the lifelong Conservative praised the medical team that had treated him, adding he was at peace with the prognosis he would likely have five to 10 years left. Like so many who’ve been praising this remarkable Canadian in the past few days, we are so very sorry that he didn’t make it.
Jamie last heard Hugh argue eloquently for a basic, livable income at a Hamilton public meeting organized by the Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction. That was in 2020 just as the pandemic hit.
Elaine’s first encounter with Hugh was when he came to social determinants of health class in 2010. He strolled up and down the aisles, telling over 300 students touching stories about living in poverty. He and fellow senator Art Eggleton had collected dozens of anecdotes while writing a Senate report. But some of the stories sprang from his personal experience growing up in a Montreal working class family.
To read more, go here.
