The COVID-19 pandemic has resurfaced the debate on whether Canada should have a national basic income.

With the Canada Emergency Response Benefit soon coming to an end, many unemployed Edmontonians are lobbying the federal government.

The concept of a basic income is not some crazy, left-wing idea, as some critics have characterized it, says Bill Kelly.

Motion-46's goal is to fill the gaps in income and inequalities that have been "worsened by the pandemic."

The Senate finance committee made several recommendations on Tuesday after reviewing the Liberals' emergency aid programs during the coronavirus pandemic.

The parliamentary budget office says it could cost more than $98 billion to provide almost all Canadians with a basic income for six months beginning this fall.

Two-thirds of Manitobans in a recent poll from Basic Income Manitoba say they would support a universal basic income for those in need -- pandemic or not.

"The rent and lease are obviously pretty major, and our software and phone bills."

Leader James Beddome says the plan will benefit nearly half of Manitobans in the form of a tax credit.

Feed Ontario's hunger report for 2018 found that Hamilton Centre has the second-highest number of people per capita accessing food banks in the province.