Why Guaranteed Income is affordable, effective and just with economist Evelyn Forget. University of Manitoba President Michael Benarroch in conversation with economist and academic director of Manitoba Research Data Centre Evelyn Forget. Together they’ll discuss how a basic income guarantee is not only possible and affordable, but an effective and just way to reduce poverty in Canada.

About the guest:

Evelyn Forget is an economist, academic director of Manitoba Research Data Centre, and a professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences.

She is a multidisciplinary political economist who uses the tools of economics to inform policy debate locally, nationally and worldwide. Her methodological innovations, which ground big data and experimental techniques in a profound understanding of history and culture, have re-invigorated research on social welfare policy and created new hope for people caught up in dysfunctional bureaucratic systems.

She is an officer of the Order of Canada and a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. Her fourth book on basic income, which came out in 2022, is called Radical Trust: Basic Income for Complicated Lives. It amplifies the stories of those who are often left out of the dialogue around public policy. It advocates that all citizens in a wealthy nation like Canada should be guaranteed a modest standard of living. 

Her book, Basic Income for Canadians: The Key to a Healthier, Happier and More Secure Life, made the 2018/2019 Donner Prize shortlist. The award recognizes the best public policy book by a Canadian. 

About the host:
Michael Benarroch became President of the University of Manitoba on July 1, 2020. Dr. Benarroch is
a Manitoban and former Dean of the I.H. Asper School of Business (2011-2017). He returns to Winnipeg where he maintains strong community-wide connections and a lifelong dedication to transformative higher education. His career includes serving as Provost and Vice-President (Academic) at Toronto Metropolitan University (2017-2020), acting as the institution’s chief academic and operating officer as well as a tenured professor in the department of Economics, Faculty of Arts. He co-chaired Toronto Metropolitan University's Truth and Reconciliation Implementation Committee and is an active advocate for the advancement of Indigenous engagement and reconciliation.

About the University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba is western Canada’s first university, Manitoba's only research-intensive university, is located on the original lands of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation.