44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 15, 2022 10:00AM
Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Brampton South.
Today, we have a very important question before the House, and I am here to join in this debate about what we can do for seniors, particularly low-income seniors, who have a greater need of government support. Bill C-12 would amend the Old Age Security Act around the guaranteed income supplement, and we have a very tight timeline to do so. This crucial legislation would amend the Old Age Security Act to ensure that pandemic relief benefits are exempt from the calculation of the guaranteed income supplement or allowance benefits, starting in July 2022. We recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic has made life more expensive for seniors. This was especially the case for vulnerable seniors who had followed public health advice and made the right choice to protect themselves and their loved ones by staying home from their jobs to avoid the risk of infection.
I think back to June 2020 and the devastating impacts of the hailstorm in my community of Calgary Skyview. It had a huge impact on our community. It devastated the homes of many Calgary Skyview residents and many seniors during the time of the COVID pandemic. I am thinking of the many seniors I have spoken to from Calgary Skyview, such as Maureen, Sunil and the president of the Dashmesh Seniors Society, Mr. Bhatti. It was for individuals like them that we quickly responded and introduced pandemic benefits, like the Canada emergency response benefit and the Canada recovery benefit.
As we all know, these benefits have resulted in some negative impacts for some of our most vulnerable seniors. This was not our government's intention, and we have worked closely with officials to come up with a rapid and targeted response. I would like to thank the officials who have delivered these immensely valuable benefits to Canadians and who thought to make sure they were compassionate and available throughout the pandemic.
Currently, the Old Age Security Act outlines that GIS is an income-tested, payable benefit to low-income seniors who receive the old age security pension. At the start of every July, eligible Canadian seniors have their entitlement for the GIS or the allowance reassessed based on their income or the combined income of a couple, as reported on their annual tax return in April. The purpose of this is to ensure that the most in-need seniors receive the benefit and that appropriate recalculations take place.
The Income Tax Act defines the newly created pandemic relief benefits as taxable income. This has, in turn, meant that they are also considered as income for the purpose of determining entitlement to the GIS or allowance benefits. Responding to this while respecting the tax season is why Bill C-12 is so important and required a more tailored approach to quickly receive royal assent.
In the economic fiscal update of last December, we announced our first step in addressing the broader issue of GIS benefits being impacted. Our government committed $742.4 million for a one-time payment to fully compensate eligible recipients who were impacted. Through close collaboration with other parties and our officials, we have worked hard on a timeline to deliver this payment as soon as possible. As the Minister of Seniors announced yesterday, we are on target to get these payments out to most individuals on April 19 to fully compensate the total amount in benefits lost for the year.
As I spoke about collaboration, I must acknowledge the great recent announcement in Calgary to support seniors. The government, the City of Calgary and Silvera for Seniors are partnering to deliver affordable housing with the Vista seniors housing project, which is located right across from Akram Jomaa Islamic Centre. This is significant work that was done by officials and our Liberal government in the spirit of co-operation, all the while focused on seniors, not the politics we see here. We recognize government is not always perfect, but we strive every day to be there for Canadians in the right ways to help them in their day-to-day lives. Here, we are doing that.
The motion before us has been thoroughly debated in the House, and rightfully so. I hope that after hearing from my colleagues, all members will recognize this is not about rushing, it is not about avoid procedure and it is not about the minister avoiding a committee appearance. Bill C-12 is about fixing a situation we all decried and moving forward for seniors.
The reason this motion was introduced was so that Bill C-12 could be passed expeditiously and the proper calculations could take place in July 2022. This is not an arbitrary date or a politically motivated false urgency to avoid process. The Minister of Seniors and her office have hosted technical briefings on this matter and offered a clear picture into the challenges that departmental officials face. Simply put, to avoid this issue arising a second time in July 2022, we must amend the Old Age Security Act no later than March 4. We heard concerns and support regarding the need to prevent a similar situation down the road. Seniors in all ridings have been impacted by this, and more seniors will be impacted if we do not move quickly. For that reason, we urge all members to do the right thing and what is best for Canada's most vulnerable seniors.
Bill C-12 would allow for thousands of seniors to file their 2021 taxes with peace of mind knowing that the benefits they are entitled will not be negatively impacted. To be clear, the following benefits would be exempt: the Canada emergency response benefit, including any CERB amounts paid under the Employment Insurance Act; the Canada recovery benefit; the Canada recovery sickness benefit; the Canada recovery caregiving benefit; and the Canada worker lockdown benefit.
As it is tax season, I want to thank the many organizations that are helping seniors in Calgary Skyview, like the Inca Senior Citizens Society and The Immigrant Education Society. They are partnering with us under the volunteer tax program.
Having listened closely to today's discussion, there appears to be a great deal of confusion on the part of some members opposite on exactly what Bill C-12 would do and why we need it. I repeat: Bill C-12 does not have anything to do with the one-time payment we committed to in the economic fiscal update. That is a separate matter and is something the minister is closely focused on with all involved. The members opposite who are insisting that more debate needs to be held on Bill C-12 should remember that this is a very simple five-line piece of legislation. It is not complicated and is designed with the sole purpose of exempting pandemic benefits from the calculation of GIS and allowance when recalculations take place in July 2022.
My colleagues and I on this side of the House are extremely proud of the measures we have put forward over the course of this extremely difficult pandemic. We will continue to put seniors at the forefront of our government's response to COVID-19, and Bill C-12 plays an important role in that. We will remain focused on finding solutions to the challenges faced by Canada's seniors to allow for safe and comfortable retirements. Seniors deserve the finest quality of care and support after decades of building this country.
Bill C-12 is not something that can afford to be delayed. We must all act as fast as we possibly can. I hope my hon. colleagues can all agree on the need for swift passage of this bill.
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Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the hon. colleague's assessment and question.
The previous Conservative government did actually increase the age of retirement for seniors, which we rolled back. Our minister has been open to having conversations and discussions on this. The most important thing on this issue is to get money back to those seniors. It is tax season. They have to file their taxes and we want to make sure that those seniors who were impacted get support, ongoing and through this pandemic.
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Mr. Speaker, I did not hear a question from the hon. member but I will answer some of the comments.
Our government stepped up. In my riding of Calgary Skyview, we stepped up to support seniors with the Vista seniors housing project across from Akram Jomaa Islamic Centre. That is government working in collaboration and partnership with other orders of government and community organizations to provide seniors with critical supports like affordable housing, so I am proud of my government's work.
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Mr. Speaker, our government has committed to quick passage of the bill and to provide supports for seniors as soon as possible. It is important, as this legislation is passed, that we can move forward and be able to do that.
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