Ottawa urged to increase benefits from age 65
The federal government is first proposing a single payment of $ 500 in August 2021. It then intends, through a bill it intends to table, to increase monthly benefits by 10% as of July 2022. This increase would equate to an increase of $ 766 in the first year.
(Ottawa) Three organizations representing more than one million seniors across Canada are urging the federal government to increase Old Age Security (OAS) benefits for all eligible people aged 65 and over.
The Canadian Association of Retired Persons, the National Association of Federal Retirees and the FADOQ Network launched this appeal through a press release, a little over a month after the presentation of the federal budget by the Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland.
Minister Freeland's document, presented on April 19, announced that the long-awaited improvements to the OAS would only be available to seniors aged 75 and over.
The federal government first proposes a single payment of $ 500 in August 2021. It then intends to increase monthly benefits by 10% as of July 2022. This increase would be equivalent to an increase in OAS of $ 766 in the first year.
The Canadian Association of Retired Persons, the National Association of Federal Retirees and the FADOQ Network launched this appeal through a press release, a little over a month after the presentation of the federal budget by the Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland.
Minister Freeland's document, presented on April 19, announced that the long-awaited improvements to the OAS would only be available to seniors aged 75 and over.
The federal government first proposes a single payment of $ 500 in August 2021. It then intends to increase monthly benefits by 10% as of July 2022. This increase would be equivalent to an increase in OAS of $ 766 in the first year.
The three seniors' organizations ask him to rectify the situation, deeming these measures "discriminatory".
“Financial insecurity does not discriminate against people on the basis of their age. Contrary to what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is arguing, this is a sad reality that exists before 75 years, ”said the president of the FADOQ Network, Gisèle Tassé-Goodman, in a press release.
Bill VanGorder of the Canadian Association of Retired Persons added that the exclusion of Canadians aged 65 to 74 for this upcoming bonus has caused "a lot of concern and frustration" among those concerned.
“The OAS increase should be extended to anyone over the age of 65 and the 10% increase should be immediate, not postponed to 2022,” VanGorder continued.
These organizations benefit from support in the House of Commons; the Bloc Québécois, in particular, is campaigning for an increase in OAS benefits by $ 110 per month for seniors 65 and over. A motion to this effect was adopted by all political parties, except the Liberals, last March.
Then, at the Liberal Party of Canada convention in April, the Liberal activists cut the pear in half: they passed a resolution demanding that the increase in OAS benefits be implemented from the age of 70, rather than 'at 75.
On Wednesday, during question period, the Bloc Québécois once again tried to convince
Mr. Trudeau to expand eligibility for enhanced benefits.
“The Prime Minister is isolated. He is the only one who insisted on creating two classes of elders. The people who built Quebec and Canada deserve to be adequately supported. When will the Prime Minister finally listen to reason? Asked Andréanne Larouche,
Bloc spokesperson for seniors.
Mr. Trudeau responded that people aged 75 and over have additional costs due to their age.
"We recognize that there are a lot of seniors who are worried that their pensions, that their savings will not last their entire life because people are living longer and longer… which is a very good thing," noted the Prime Minister in his response.
The same argument was made by a spokesperson for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland.
“As people get older, their needs are greater. They are more likely to have used up their savings. […] We have therefore concentrated where the need is most felt, ”said spokesperson Katherine Cuplinskas in an email to The Canadian Press.
Federal Seniors Minister Deb Schulte tried to put into context the progress made since the arrival of the Liberal government six years ago, in particular by restoring the age of eligibility for OAS to 65. years or by strengthening the Canada Pension Plan.
“While no single solution can meet all needs, we are making progress, step by step. […] There is still work to be done and seniors can count on us to continue to work hard for them, ”press secretary Daniel Pollak said in an email.
“Financial insecurity does not discriminate against people on the basis of their age. Contrary to what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is arguing, this is a sad reality that exists before 75 years, ”said the president of the FADOQ Network, Gisèle Tassé-Goodman, in a press release.
Bill VanGorder of the Canadian Association of Retired Persons added that the exclusion of Canadians aged 65 to 74 for this upcoming bonus has caused "a lot of concern and frustration" among those concerned.
“The OAS increase should be extended to anyone over the age of 65 and the 10% increase should be immediate, not postponed to 2022,” VanGorder continued.
These organizations benefit from support in the House of Commons; the Bloc Québécois, in particular, is campaigning for an increase in OAS benefits by $ 110 per month for seniors 65 and over. A motion to this effect was adopted by all political parties, except the Liberals, last March.
Then, at the Liberal Party of Canada convention in April, the Liberal activists cut the pear in half: they passed a resolution demanding that the increase in OAS benefits be implemented from the age of 70, rather than 'at 75.
On Wednesday, during question period, the Bloc Québécois once again tried to convince
Mr. Trudeau to expand eligibility for enhanced benefits.
“The Prime Minister is isolated. He is the only one who insisted on creating two classes of elders. The people who built Quebec and Canada deserve to be adequately supported. When will the Prime Minister finally listen to reason? Asked Andréanne Larouche,
Bloc spokesperson for seniors.
Mr. Trudeau responded that people aged 75 and over have additional costs due to their age.
"We recognize that there are a lot of seniors who are worried that their pensions, that their savings will not last their entire life because people are living longer and longer… which is a very good thing," noted the Prime Minister in his response.
The same argument was made by a spokesperson for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland.
“As people get older, their needs are greater. They are more likely to have used up their savings. […] We have therefore concentrated where the need is most felt, ”said spokesperson Katherine Cuplinskas in an email to The Canadian Press.
Federal Seniors Minister Deb Schulte tried to put into context the progress made since the arrival of the Liberal government six years ago, in particular by restoring the age of eligibility for OAS to 65. years or by strengthening the Canada Pension Plan.
“While no single solution can meet all needs, we are making progress, step by step. […] There is still work to be done and seniors can count on us to continue to work hard for them, ”press secretary Daniel Pollak said in an email.
Catherine Lévesque
The Canadian Press
https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/national/2021-05-26/securite-de-la-vieillesse/ottawa-presse-d-augmenter-les-prestations-des-l-age-de-65-ans.php
The Canadian Press
https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/national/2021-05-26/securite-de-la-vieillesse/ottawa-presse-d-augmenter-les-prestations-des-l-age-de-65-ans.php