For Immediate Release
OTTAWA – Following its first meeting of the winter sitting of Parliament, the Liberal caucus today urged the Conservative government to ease the fears of Canada’s seniors and baby boomers and to keep their campaign promise to maintain Canada’s Old Age Security (OAS).
“Retired Canadians and those approaching retirement have every reason to be worried after Stephen Harper attacked Old Age Security (OAS) benefits during a speech at the World Economic Forum,” said Joyce Murray, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Quadra and Liberal Critic for Small Businesses. “The Prime Minister’s suggestion that the government might raise the age Canadians qualify for Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) from 65 to 67 could mean seniors who need it most will miss out on as much as $30,000 of payments that they were counting on.”
“Our constituents are calling, emailing, and visiting our constituency offices to tell us they want the Conservatives to take their hands off their pensions,” said Liberal Leader Bob Rae. “During the last election, Stephen Harper said he would not reduce transfer payments to provinces or individuals.”
“Since coming to office, the Conservative government has increased spending at a greater rate and to a level higher than any government in Canadian history. While it’s not surprising they’re looking to cut costs, it shouldn’t come at the expense of our most vulnerable seniors,” said MP. Murray.
Murray also noted that recent reports commissioned by the government contradict the Prime Minister’s claims about OAS sustainability. A report by Edward Whitehouse, who researches pension policy on behalf of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and the World Bank, concluded that, “Canada does not face major challenges of financial sustainability with its public pension schemes,” and “there is no pressing financial or fiscal need to increase pension ages in the foreseeable future.”
“Liberals know the best way to make sure income tested-benefits likes OAS are affordable is by ensuring Canadians have access to strong pension plans so they won’t need the extra benefits. That is the path to sustainable prosperity for all Canadians,” said MP Murray.
In response to the Conservative’s threat to cut guaranteed benefits to seniors, the Liberal Party of Canada has launched an online petition where Canadians concerned about the future of their pensions can have their voices heard. In less than a week, the petition has already collected over 12,000 signatures.
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Background:
To view a comprehensive background document on OAS and GIS, including charts and graphs, please click here.
To view the Liberal Party petition on pensions, please click here.
Liberal MP Sean Casey has given notice of a Private Member’s Motion calling on the government to honour the contributions our seniors have made to Canada and commit to maintaining the services, such as OAS and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), they have earned. The full text of Mr. Casey’s Private Member’s Motion is as follows:
That, in the opinion of the House, the government should: (a) recognize the contributions that the baby boom generation has made in building Canada; (b) affirm its support for the Old Age Security program; (c) commit to maintaining the sixty-five year qualifying age contained in section 3 of the Old Age Security Act; and (d) recognize that Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement, a program designed to help low income seniors, are inextricably linked and ensure that they continue to have identical ages of eligibility.
Contact:
Office of Joyce Murray
613-992-2430
604-664-9220
