Thank you so much.
My first question is for Ms. Huntley.
You spoke about the stresses of parenting, and then you spoke about some moms having to work three jobs. I have actually been that mom, so I know how stressful that is, although I have to say that I was very lucky because I had a post-secondary education. As a single mom, to provide for my son in the way I wanted to, as my son also has special needs, I ended up working three jobs. I had a full-time academic job, and then I took on other contract work to support my family.
One thing I have put forward, in light of the stress on families and in light of rising inflation—really, the financial stress on families is often borne on the backs of women, and I think we know that—is a guaranteed livable basic income, which is my response to the crisis of gender-based violence. We know that call for justice 4.5 of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls calls for the immediate implementation of a guaranteed livable income for all Canadians, in addition to indigenous people throughout the country, as a way to tackle gender-based violence.
We found, during the CERB, in terms of studies that were done, in terms of CERB payments, that in fact it did not make people lazy. Women, particularly, who wanted to go for training or wanted to change careers were able to when they were given a guaranteed livable basic income. I'm thinking of all the folks in the energy sector, which is shifting, who may want to shift but need a guaranteed livable basic income to actually be able to have a choice, in terms of what they want to do.
What are your thoughts about a guaranteed livable basic income, in terms of how it could potentially support families, but more specifically women?