Have Canadian Seniors been placed at the bottom of Trudeau's totem pole ?
No Respect ! Nov, 2019 - It seems as though Seniors get no respect and have practically been invisible ever since this new Government took over, but Seniors are about to finally get a small break, ( but, there is a catch ) ?
The forgotten Seniors age group are about to finally receive a welcome benefit from the Government in the form of a long overdue small raise in their Old Age Pensions, but there is a tricky caveat installed this time around ? Instead of the historical long running age 65, Seniors must now be over age 75 in order to be able to qualify ? This culling system appears to use ageism to discriminate and it will eliminate over 4000 or 57 % of Seniors from their new benefit ? Many Senior Citizens are feeling forgotten, disrespected and excluded by the government and not looking forward to another year under the Liberals.
Critical grievances 2021/22/23 :
1) Most Seniors are now retired, (only 1 in 5 still work full or part-time) and so they do not benefit from, nor qualify for, nor did they use any of the CERB rescue programs designed specifically to provide monetary assistance to large and small businesses and working folks ? A minority of Seniors ( those over age 75 ) had received a one per lifetime 500 dollar Covi crisis payment in 2021 but ( and it seems unconscionable during a health crisis) , the majority of Seniors, (those aged 65 to 74) were excluded from this benefit and didn't get it due to age ? Meanwhile, when many members of our society received 500 dollars each and every week while still allowed to earn a thousand dollars per month, many Seniors were living on less than a thousand per month in pensions and receiving no such assistance ? These emergency Covi-19 welfare measures doled out 210 billion to individuals and companies and created a massive deficit for 20/21 ? But, it is estimated that less than 4 % of these COVI caused deficits were made by Seniors since they didn't create it ? But unfortunately being that Seniors represent 20 % of the total Canadian population, they are responsible for 20 % of this debt even though they created less than 4 % of it ? It's like borrowing 4 dollars and then having to pay back 20 dollars ..,,,,,, aka loan sharking ?
2) A 2019 pre-election promise of a 10% raise in pension starting in July of 2020 was mean-spiritedly held back even though Covi came along in 2020 when this increase was desperately needed by all Seniors, incl those aged 65 and up ? *update* *The promised raise was finally implemented 2 year late in july of 2022. saving the Government billions ? and more billions were saved when the Government disqualified all Seniors age 65 thru 74.
3) A Sept/2019 pre-election promise to raise the Widows' Pension Survivors benefit by 25% was not kept and this benefit appears now as a pre-election falsehood that was only made to get the Senior vote ?
4) Although raking in billions in profits there's been no significant raise in C.P.P. benefits since the Libs first took power back in 2015, other than some loose change once-a-year COL adjustments ? Alberta began threatening to leave it in 2023.
5) A double punishment ? It seems to be discrimination when many of our Senior's spouses who were homemakers and raised children are excluded to CPP because they never had a opportunity to earn this pension, and also excluded from their GST rebate because of the current 1 only per household rules and as thus are left to live out their remaining years well below the minimum livable level ?
6) over 70% of the casualties of Covi were Seniors ? Of the 27,000 Canadians that have died from Covi about 20,000 of them were over 75, ( 75 is also the new minimum age used to qualify for the 10% raise in Old Age Pension) ?
7) After decades of systemic neglect, exploitation, abuse and suffering, the weakest and most vulnerable of all Canadian citizens had to be rescued by their own Army ? Yet no inquiry was ever ordered such as was the case with MMA ? Why was MMA given 100 million dollars for an inquiry but Long Term Care Nursing Home genocide has never been investigated and the families have never been offered such an inquiry or even an apology ?
8) It seems backwards when OAS and CPP are deemed taxable income by the Government but the incredibly generous Liberal child tax benefit is tax free ? Why would you keep taxing those that have already contributed so much and paid taxes for so many years and then let relatively new taxpayers who have not yet paid their fair share totally off the hook with a tax freebee ?
9) Since the Liberals first took power back in 2015, if you were to combine all OAS raises granted from back in 2015 until now in 2021 , ( this includes all Covi months ) the total increase to a pensioners monthly check after 6 years of Liberal governance wouldn't even buy him a daily cup of Hortons tea, ( your monthly check in 2021 is now approx 50 bucks more than it was in 2015 ) ? This seems negligent when considering the pandemic and the hefty cost of living increases ? update july 2022 - 10% raise for those over 75 finally started in july.
10) Seniors group treated like merchandise as hundreds of millions said to be designated for Seniors are never given directly to them but instead indirectly dispersed to many different individuals and organizations making a living off of Senior citizens and from related Government grants and funding ? And there is also the Minister of Seniors and her staff as well as an 11-member advisory board that must be paid ?
11) Seniors are not all brain dead and toothless ? Mental health assistance and Dentistry are expensive and many face a dental crisis as they age with no national dental plan or any help available ? update to 2024 - A limited dental plan is now available from the Government ?
12) Many Seniors are going hungry and cannot absorb massive rent increases ? A One bedroom in Halifax has risen from pre covi 800 up to 2100 in 2024 (more than their CPP and OAS combined) and still, no legislated guaranteed Monthly 'livable' inflation-adjusted income for each and every senior over the age of 65 ?
Since first elected in 2015, the Liberals have shown favoritism and unusual generosity towards their Canada Child tax credit benefit (baby bonus) but conversely have shown mean-spiritless and a frugal attitude towards Seniors ?
2015 Monthly OAP check to Seniors under Harper = $569.95
2021 current Seniors OAP check under Liberals - 626.49 (a total raise over 6 yrs of time of 56.54 or approx 10 % since Liberals took over )
And :
Baby Bonus or Child Tax Credit under Harper 2015 Monthly baby bonus check = approx 100.00 .
Baby Bonus or Child Tax Credit under Liberals - now over 600.00 ? This monthly increase in the baby bonus check is approx 500.00 more than Harper, or an increase of approx 600 % since Liberals took over ?
Sept 2019 - A pre election announcement . In a televised news conference delivered by the P.M. a new 10% raise is to be granted on Seniors pensions starting July of 2020. Unfortunately, ( in a first of its kind ), a highly unusual caveat is to be placed on the raise whereby the majority or 57 % of Seniors, (all those aged 65 to 74 ) are excluded and as such will not be allowed this Government benefit even though they have all earned their rightful place in Canada as Seniors ?
While claiming to be the party of systemic history cleansing and a party based on equality,inclusion, and diversity, the Liberals seem hypocritical when it comes to senior citizens after they appear to use division, ageism, discrimination, segregation, separation and exclusion in the first substantial raise to the Seniors old age pension since they assumed Government ? For the first time ever, many previously eligible Senior citizens will loose their right to receive a Senior's benefit ? An umbrellaed universality has always applied to any Canadian citizen who successfully reaches the age of 65 ? But the liberals have divided Seniors by splitting them into two separate and distinct entities based on age ? This culling maneuver serves to disqualify those Seniors aged 65 to 74 ( or approx 57 % of the current Senior population) from their entitlement because of their age ?
This new Liberal policy of separation and segregation could save the Government approx 4 million X 630 dollars per year. or at least 2,520,000,000.00 dollars.
July 2020 - Covi has arrived, and there will be no budget in this horrible year - There seems to be plenty of pandemic help for everyone else, but the 10% raise in OAS for Seniors has been withheld and not rolled out in July/2020 as promised, nor will it be rolled out for all of 2020, although the unreleased and held-back raise is often referred to as a current benefit given to help Seniors with their expenses during the pandemic year 2020 even though the raise was never released to them during the entire year and most can't use it and even if ever released as it only applies to 43 % of Seniors ?
^ UPDATE * Liberal Budget year 2021 -
Apr 2021 - Budget 2021 - It seems that the 10% raise in Seniors old age pension that was first promised to Seniors back in 2019 and that was suppose to start in July 2020, is now being described and represented here in budget 2021 as the major new benefit given directly to Seniors as their part of federal Budget 2021 (even though the raise is still withheld and will remain unreleased for the rest of 2021 ) ? Although described as a 'Seniors' benefit, it can't benefit all Seniors as implied, but can only help 43 % of the Canadian Seniors population if ever released ? Unfortunately politicians continue to refer to the raise as if it is already released and as if it is already being used and enjoyed by all Canadian Seniors which is misleading ?
^ UPDATE * Liberal Budget 2022 -
Apr 7th, 2022 - Nothing much new in this budget for Seniors ? But noticed an opportunity taken to go back in time to remember the lowering of the OAP age limit from 67 to 65 some 7 years ago ? This history is true but can it really be included as something new for Seniors in a new budget 7 years later ?
It seems that the still unreleased 10% raise in Seniors old age pension as first announced back in 2019 and scheduled to start in July 2020,, is once again being called upon in 2022 to represent the highlight and major benefit given to Seniors as their part of Budget 2022 ? This raise that has already been presented and used as part of last years 2021 budget hasn't even started yet ? It's difficult to understand how a Senior's benefit from last year, (and the year before), keeps on being repeated or duplicated over and over again like this, and repeat credit being taken for it on multiple occasions ? Shouldn't a brand new budget contain only fresh and brand-new original benefits and not old ones resurrected from past years that are just being repeated and re-used ? Surely it would be inappropriate to resurrect a past benefit already given out to Seniors in a past budget 2021 and already given the credit for, and to then take the credit for it all over again in 2022 ?
And not to be remiss, there was another promise made 3 years ago that would benefit many needy Seniors in the form of a 25 % raise in Widows' Pension Survivors benefits ? But after 3 years this pre-election promise is once again totally missing from yet another budget ? And so this promise looks to be totally forgotten about now that the election is over ?
**** NEW UPDATE June 2022 *******
June 23, 2022 news item - " Seniors, renters and low-income workers to get a boost from a new plan to help fight inflation "
Thursday June 23, 2022 - Deputy prime minister and the minister of finance Chrystia Freeland has announced a new $8.9 billion plan that will help Canadians deal with this year's record-breaking inflation. It seems that the still unreleased 10% raise in Seniors old age pension is once again being resurrected and is called upon to represent Senior citizens share and will be the all Seniors part of her new 8.9 billion dollar Affordability Plan even though it leaves out all seniors aged 65 thru 74 ? <a href="https://www.thestar.com/business/seniors-renters-and-low-income-workers-to-get-financial-boost-from-government-to-help-survive/article_98395412-2676-5588-8ffd-846937afcb96.html#:~:text=Deputy prime minister and minister of finance Chrystia,child-care fees, and a boost for low-income renters" rel="noreferrer nofollow">www.thestar.com/business/seniors-renters-and-low-income-w...</a>
Thursday June 23, 2022 - The new, 'affordability plan' ?
Chrystia Freeland announces new $8.9 billion in aid to help Canadians deal with record-breaking inflation.. The (still unreleased) Seniors 10 % raise in OAS will serve as their part. But, but, now wait just a minute here,, how can this be ? When the 10% raise was originally promised to Seniors back in 2019 it was described simply by the PM to be a 10% raise in OAS for Seniors to start in July 2020 ? No one said anything about it being attached to, or a part of, or a share of, anything else ? This was strictly a private and independent matter made solely between the Seniors and the Government ? There was no mention of anything or anyone else, or any package deal, or that it would ever represent a portion or a share of any other different matter, nor any mention of it being aid given out to seniors in inflationary times, nor anything about any new 8.9 billion dollar Affordability Plan ?
This newly announced Affordability Plan is a separate and non-related outside issue to the original Seniors raise, and so unfortunately this means that the original promise that was made to Seniors back in 2019 is drastically changed now and is being used differently with a new and different definition ? The original 2019 raise was presented to Seniors in a private, straightforward, and unencumbered way, but it appears now that it has become connected to, or attached to, or bound up within issues that were never mentioned to Seniors back in 2019 ? And so, the original understanding held by Seniors in 2019 that it was a private benefit to be given to them only, has instead now changed and it has become a part of a different larger more multi-party social benefit matter in which Seniors are included, (and we presume that when this new Plan refers to 'Seniors', it includes all Seniors in the all-inclusive 65 + sense ?)
July 18, 2022, "Announcing 'new' support for Seniors"
July 21 st, 2022 - Minister of Seniors Kamal Khera proudly announces what she calls 'new' support for Seniors in a Facebook meeting ? She says this 'new' support is to be in the form of a 10% raise in the Seniors OAS monthly payments for those over 75 ? But, but, wait just a minute ? This is the same raise that was announced back in Sept of 2019 and was suppose to begin in July 2020 ? And this is just the same raise that we've all been waiting for ever since that time ? And so it is difficult to understand how the Minister can call anything that is 3 years old and has been 2 years late starting, as something that is new ? It's also hard to understand how anyone would consider this as 'new' support for "Seniors" with an 's' when this raise only applies to a small percentage of Seniors, ( only those over age 75) and it will exclude the majority of seniors (all those aged 65 to 74 )? Nevertheless, although it is 2 years late arriving , this announcement is most welcome and will certainly provide comfort to the 43% of eligible Seniors who qualify for the raise especially after many had given up all hope after waiting 2 years ?
July 27th, 2022 - The long awaited big Day has finally arrived ! The 43 % of eligible Canadian old age pensioners are today reporting that the very first-ever 10 % increase in payment in their pension checks that was promised to them some 3 years ago back in Sept 2019 has finally arrived.
.
Nov 3rd, 2022,'the Fall Economic Statement'
In a press conference, the Government has announced its new 'Fall Economic Statement' in the form of a November mini-budget. Seniors are not mentioned in the announcement ? When queried about this omission the reply was that seniors over 75 will receive a 10 % raise in OAS ? Although seniors were expecting some much-needed new assistance in this new mini budget, unfortunately, there was just another repeat usage of the 10% Seniors OAS (stuck record) raise, (that unfortunately excludes seniors age 65 thru 74) ? Incredibly, this will be the 3rd consecutive budget using the same 10% Seniors raise in OAS pension ?
"Surely never before in the field of Government benefits, has a benefit been used in so many different ways and in so many different matters and by so many different Liberal politicians on so many different occasions over so many different years. "
.
news clippings,,
Global News · 2019-09-18 Initial promise of 10% increase in Seniors OAS starting in 2020 ? Click
Trudeau in Kitchener Monday, Sept. 16, 2019 : New 10 |% OAS raise to begin in July 2020, Click
2019-09-18 Trudeau promises Seniors he will boost CPP survivor's benefit by 25% Click
COVID-19 update: Call for inquiry ? Canada closing in on 50,000 known cases. Nursing homes account for 79% of deaths to date ? Calling for a nursing-home inquiry into genocide similar to the liberal government 100 million dollar MMA inquiry ? Click
Ontario’s role in the COVID-19 deaths of more than 5,000 nursing-home residents, Click
In 2020, the consolidated Canadian general government (CGG), posted a historic deficit in the order of $325.5 billion. Click
Since coming to office in 2015, the Trudeau Liberals have increased federal spending from $281 billion to $497 billion. The national population has increased 21%. Click
Canada’s auditor general says a “minimum” of $27.4 billion in suspicious COVID-19 benefit payments needs investigated ? CRA announced they will not investigate $30 billion in suspicious CERB payments because “it wouldn’t be worth the effort" Click
the 2022 Federal Budget,, Click
2021 the Federal Budget,, Click
Elderly Canadians are in trouble - Seniors find themselves firmly positioned on the bottom of the Trudeau totem pole ? Click
The rapid rising cost of renting a place combined with high prices on everything else are pushing low and middle class seniors into poverty : Click
June 23, 2022 - Affordability Plan ? Invisible Seniors aged 65 thru 74 ? Minister of finance Chrystia Freeland announces a new $8.9 billion Affordability plan while apparently forgetting that the OAS raise applies only to Seniors over age 74 ? Click Click
2022 Federal budget ? The, as yet to be released, 10 % raise to the Seniors old age pension that was given to Seniors in last years budget 2021 is to be resurrected and re-given to Seniors a second time once again in a second consecutive yearly Federal budget ? Click
Jun, 2022 - Deputy prime minister and minister of finance Chrystia Freeland announced Thursday an $8.9 billion plan to help Canadians deal with record-breaking inflation. Click
Nov 2022 - Kamal kould Khera less the Minister of Seniors is questioned in House of Commons , Click
July 18 2022 - How can a benefit that had been described as 'new' in an election promise some 3 years ago in 2019, and then described again as a 'new' Covi benefit to help out Seniors in pandemic 2020, and then described again as a 'new' benefit for Seniors in the federal budget 2021, and then described and used once again as a 'new' benefit for Seniors in federal budget 2022, and then in 2022 also described once again as a 'new' benefit for Seniors in an Affordability Plan and also in as new in the Liberal Fall mini budget, ever be described and referred to as something 'new' by this Liberal Minister of Seniors ? Kamal Khera on July 18 2022 announcing, "Today we are announcing new support for Seniors aged 75 and up" ????? What's with this stuck record playing over and over ? Click
Kamal Kould Khera less votes No to equality and for those Seniors aged 65 thru 74 to receive the same 10 % raise in OAS that the other Seniors had received ? Click
March 31, 2023 - Renters desperate for help ! Rent for a 1 bedroom in Halifax goes from pre-Covi 750.oo in 2019, up to 2150.oo in 2024 ? But very severe restrictions and limitations are placed on the one time only Canada $500 Rent Assistance benefit that are almost impossible to overcome ? Click
Years of unimaginable abuse to Senior Citizens in Canadian Long Care Nursing Homes - Manitoba to disband office created to protect Seniors in long term care following a scathing report ? quote " What the report revealed, specifically as it relates to abuse of elderly, is sickening and repulsive," Relatives call for inquiry similar to MMA inquiry into the decades of systemic abuse and genocide of Senior citizens ? Click
Bill C-319 is an Act to amend the Old Age Security Act (amount of full pension) Click
July 26,2023 - Seamus O’Regan Jr. appointed new Minister of Seniors ? Both of these Minister of Seniors voted NO to C-319 that would have provided justice, fair play and equallity to Seniors aged 65 thru 74 ? Click
Oct 22 2023 House of Commons - Many Seniors are veterans. Questions to the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs - Why is this Liberal Government banning Christian prayers such as the Lords Prayer on Remembrance Day ? In many cases these were the last words that a dying soldier ever heard spoken to him when lieing mortally wounded on the battlefiels,. Click
Nov 11, 2023 Lest We Forget. Military Chaplains receive orders from the current Government not to recite Christian prayers such as the Lords Prayer at this years Remembrance Day ceremonies ? Click
Oct 18 2023 - Bill C-319 - Minister of Finance, the PM and both Ministers of Seniors vote No to allowing Seniors aged 65 thru 74 the right to receive the same 10% raise in OAS as other Seniors currently enjoy ? But the Bill passes first reading anyway without them ? Click
Jul 29, 2024 - a news article in CBC could create conflict between Canadian Seniors and the younger generations ? Click
Why are Halifax City Councillors taking advantage of the poor, the handycapped, the sick and the elderly by making vulnerable low and fixed income pensioners pay out of pocket for HRM transit system free loaders to ride the buses for free ? Click
Many Senior citizens enjoy occasional recreational tobacco, however this small indulgence has become unaffordible for many Seniors due to punishing Government over taxation, Click Click
CBC Apr 21 2024 - Are Seniors being blamed for the housing crisis ? Treasury Board President Anita Anand implies that over generosity in favor of Seniors has affected the Mill and Z generations from getting a home ? Click
CRA taxation year 2023 - While many Senior citizens struggle with an increasing cost of living, Liberals raise personal income taxes of low and mid-income Seniors ? In July 2024 Liberals decrease Seniors old age pensions ? Click
As Seniors old age pensions are downsized the Canada Child Benefit is upsized by 4.7% ? Click
CBC Apr 21 2024 - Anita is certainly true to her word' - in this interview Treasury Board President Anita Anand feels that previous budgets have been favoring Seniors and this imbalance may have adversely affected the younger Mills and Gen Z generations ? She prophesies that there will be a correction to this unfair situation ? Click
Some struggling seniors are soon to shiver ? The Nova Scotia Tim Houston Government is apparently unawares of the record cost of living struggle and rental crisis in Nova Scotia and they've decided to cut this years home heating rebate downwards to almost half of what it was last year ? The rebate is reduced to 600 dollars for winter 2024-25 ? Click
As Liberals downsize all Seniors old age pensions they upsize the Canada Child Benefit by 4.7% ? Click
CBC coverage of the Paris Olympics 2024 - CBC appears to have partnered with Ontario based online Sports betting Casino BetRivers and is running casino gambling ads during its telecast of Olympic events ? Is the inclusion of regularily run sports betting ads during Olympic events appropriate to the high moral standards set by the Olympic Games ? Click
Dec 07, 2024 , shocking findings promote serious concerns - Department in charge of Old Age Security auditor doesn't know if payments are enough, Click
