Harper’s
Policy Hurts Seniors
By
The Honourable Raymond Chan, Official Opposition Critic for Seniors and
Social Economy The new Conservative minority
government claims to have the interests of seniors at heart, but it has
established a different track record.
Since
coming to power Prime Minister Stephen Harper has adopted a fend for
yourself policy with respect to Canada’s seniors. One of his first
actions was the elimination of the Secretary of State for Seniors, which
denies Canada’s seniors a
voice at the Cabinet table.
Seniors
are a rapidly growing population in Canada.
By 2021 senior citizens will make up 18 per cent of Canada’s
population, a significant increase from 12.5 per cent in 2000. As a nation
we can’t afford to ignore seniors’ issues, particularly those that are
important to their well being such as income security, health care, wait
times and affordable housing -to name but a few.
As
well, the Throne Speech was very vague on seniors issues, containing
only nine words to address specifically seniors concerns, and a
unclear pledge to “work to improve the security of seniors.”
The
2006 Conservative Budget contained only a single measure directed
specifically to seniors. This measure, an increase of the amount of
eligible pension income that can be claimed under the pension income
credit, favours higher income seniors. The Conservative Party pledged to
increase services for seniors during the election, but there was no
reflection of this in the Budget.
By
adopting a fend for yourself ideology the new Conservative government has
also been able to take advantage of a technicality to cut off income
support for many of Canada’s poorest seniors, without warning.
It
is shocking that thousands of Canada’s seniors were recently sent
letters from the federal government informing them that their Guaranteed
Income Supplement, which tops up the Old Age Security pension, will be
cancelled if they don't fill out a new application or file a tax return.
Many
of these senior citizens are extremely vulnerable and living on a fixed
income. Rather than blaming the individual recipients of these benefits
the federal government could instead simplify the process, or at a
minimum, give more advance notice of a pending cancellation of benefit.
The
fend for yourself ideology that underpins the Conservative government’s
seniors policy is mean spirited and extremely disrespectful to the
contributions that our seniors have made to our country.
Canada’s
seniors deserve better.
As
the Liberal Opposition Critic for Seniors I will fight for more action
from the Conservative government to address the needs of Canada’s senior
citizens.
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Contact:
Hon.
Raymond Chan
Official
Opposition Critic for Seniors and Social Economy
613-995-2021
