NDP continues fight for seniors left behind in budget

New Democrats are championing the cause of seniors 65- 74 years old who have been cut out of the government’s pandemic measures and plan to increase Old Age Security (OAS), according to Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing MP, Carol Hughes.

“Canada’s seniors have been disproportionately affected by this pandemic, and need our help now more than ever, but government’s new support for seniors, announced in last month’s budget, only applies to those 75 and older.” said Hughes. “New Democrats will continue to fight to get support for all seniors because they deserve a government that’s ready to support all of them, not one that picks and chooses.”

In the last election, the Liberals promised to increase OAS but it took until Budget 2021 and Bill C-30 to even get started. But those changes will only apply to some seniors and leaving others behind. That means OAS eligible seniors aged 75 or over as of June 2022 will receive a one-time payment of $500 in August 2021. That same group of seniors will receive a 10% increase in OAS as of July 2022, but those who are under 75 are left behind altogether.

For over a year, New Democrats have requested that all seniors receive additional financial support during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the government continues to refuse to help. Instead, the Liberals are trying to pass off this one-time payment that will only go to seniors 75 and older as sufficient.

“The government is creating a system of “junior seniors” and “senior seniors”.  Which is absolutely ridiculous and leaves thousands of people who need help behind,” said Hughes. “In the House of Commons, we have called on the government to end this two-tier system and give this increase to all seniors 65 and older. New Democrats will continue to fight for seniors and for all seniors to be included in any OAS increase, and stop this unfair two-tier system.”