0.050.09975

Conference: Policy on Guaranteed Minimum Income: Lessons Learned from the Work Done by the Expert Committee Established by the Québec Government (2017-2018)

CIRANO

Thursday 24 Jan 2019
From 11:30AM To 1:30PM

Event organized in collaboration with

 

Conference by Jean-Michel Cousineau (École de relations industrielles de l'Université de Montréal)

 

The first part of this conference addressed the theoretical and practical concepts of the Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI) and highlight the implications of public policies to provide better income support and ease the transition towards the eradication of poverty.

The speaker then discussed the various designations of the GMI and its main three forms: basic income support (welfare), negative income tax and universal basic income. He will briefly present and analyze each of the three forms according to their nature, operating method and advantages and disadvantages, most particularly the Québec example for the first case (welfare).

The speaker also addressed the question of work incentive and solutions to poverty. Further to a simulation exercise developed from extensive Québec taxpayers microeconomics files, it appears that the GMI formula, in its purest and universal form, is inapplicable while the American negative income tax forms (Employment Income Tax Credit) or, better yet, the Canadian one (work premium) appear to be more affordable and effective. Despite this, there are still a number of hurdles to overcome and work to be done to better understand the effects, improve the formula and ease the eradication of poverty.

Jean-Michel Cousineau

Jean-Michel Cousineau is an economist and full professor at the School of Industrial Relations of the Université de Montréal. He is a specialist in labour economics, econometrics and public policy. He was Chair of the Public Policy Committee of the Association des économistes québécois for many years and a member of the Centre d'études sur la pauvreté et l'exclusion from 2006 to 2012. His research interests and most recent publications focus on poverty, income inequality, and public policies for inclusive growth. His main contributions and scientific publications have focused on minimum wage, employment insurance and income support programs in Quebec, Canada and elsewhere in the world. Most recently, he was a member of a three-member panel of experts appointed by the Government of Quebec to study the guaranteed minimum income.

[ - ]
[ + ]

Program

11:30 - 12:00
Welcome and Lunch
12:00 - 13:30
Presentation
Jean-Michel Cousineau

Location


1130 Rue Sherbrooke O #1400, Montréal, QC H3A 2M8, Canada