Thank you.
That is another question that always comes forward: What will be the impact on our labour force participation?
As you noted, in the Mincome experiments, which was one of the most extensive examples of basic income experiments that we've seen, we saw that most groups did not decrease their labour force participation. In fact, young people were more likely to stay in school longer and to expand their opportunities for the future. When we're looking at our labour market shortages today in many areas of the skilled trades, making sure that there is a floor below which nobody can fall really gives people the opportunity to feel comfortable and safe to move forward. These educational opportunities will not only further their and their families' well-being for the future but are also what we need to fill those gaps in skilled labour in our labour force across the country. Unfortunately, for some of you here from Ontario, there was a basic income pilot started at the provincial level, but it did not continue.
One of the benefits of having the federal government partner with Prince Edward Island is that here all of our elected parties have agreed that basic income is the way forward. You will not have the risk of a provincial election shifting that partnership and changing that relationship in terms of a commitment to a basic income program.
Really, Prince Edward Island is, for many reasons, among them that one, the best place to start a basic income demonstration project for this country.