The housing strategy is absolutely key. It needs to build 20,000 to 30,000 units a year across the country. I think cities can provide the land, but the feds and the province have to do the rest.
On social inclusion, we're having a lot of problems with that phrase on the downtown east side, because it's being used to mean that low-income people should include richer people and be driven out of their community. So I'm really dicey with that term because it can be used to mean whatever the user wants it to mean. But by social inclusion, if you mean including... I don't know what you mean by social inclusion, actually.
In terms of the guaranteed income, we haven't discussed this at our CCAP volunteer meeting, as it's just me now, but I totally agree that everyone should have an adequate income and that's a basic human right. I have absolutely no problem there—everyone should have it. But there are so many versions of guaranteed income out there that to say we want it without saying which version, I think, could be extremely dangerous. For example, a lot of people say they want a guaranteed income to be paid for with a flat tax. A flat tax is extremely regressive. A lot of people say they want a guaranteed income that would simplify the whole array of social programs, as Stephanie said, which in one way would be good. But if people are using that to say everyone gets a $5,000-a-year guaranteed income, and seniors are now getting $16,000 so they get a reduction, that would be a problem. Right?
There's a great report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives that goes through the various things you have to look out for with guaranteed income.
Another thing is whether it would be used to force people to work at very cheap wages because they have the supplement and don't need the wage to survive.
You have to look at all those factors before you say you want a guaranteed income. You have to say you want a guaranteed income that is adequate, that is paid for by progressive taxation, that doesn't cause anyone to lose money, and all of these things.
What do you mean by social inclusion?