Hon. Stan Kutcher: Honourable senators, I rise today to speak to the amendment. I strongly disagree with the need for this amendment and cannot support it. We are all tired of this pandemic and all frustrated by how this government seems to move slowly and, at times, so ineptly to deal with the pressing issues of the day. We are also rightly concerned with the need to ensure that our parliamentary role in giving thoughtful consideration to government-sponsored legislation not be sidelined.

We are also aware that during this pandemic crisis, actions were taken that in hindsight could have been better planned, better executed and much better communicated.

On Bill C-12, let’s be clear. We have been told that if it does not receive Royal Assent before March 4 — that is tomorrow — those seniors who are living in the most precarious situations will not receive funds that can mean the difference between heating their home and putting food on their table. This is because that is the drop-dead date that has to be met to allow the wheels of bureaucracy to grind forward. To miss this date is to throw a spanner intentionally into the works.

Mr. Groen, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, in testimony at the Social Affairs Committee, stated:

. . . there’s no error in Bill C-12. There’s no issue whatsoever with Bill C-12. March 4 is important. Because of the pause that happens every year with the shift over from one tax year to the next, currently we are not processing anyone’s GIS applications, and we cannot do that until the feed is turned back on, and we are unable to turn that feed back on until we know where the legislation is going. Literally, tens of thousands of seniors every week would be negatively impacted if this legislation is not passed by March 4.

During our Social Affairs Committee study of Bill C-12, we heard about the terrible hardships this would cause. Every single witness from every single organization that spoke to us — CanAge, Income Security Advocacy Centre, Campaign 2000, Réseau FADOQ and CARP — told us clearly that if we did not pass Bill C-12 in time for it to receive Royal Assent by March 4, about 80,000 seniors — and I’m going to change the word “seniors” to “elders” because our Indigenous colleagues use the word “elders,” and it better captures the esteem we should be holding these people in. So I’m not going to use “seniors” anymore. I’m going to use the word “elders.” These elders from across all of Canada would be sorely and negatively affected.

Honestly, there is not enough time for us to amend this bill and have it receive Royal Assent by March 4 — tomorrow.

Let’s put the plight of these elders into stark reality. Let’s look at the numbers. An elder who is eligible for GIS payments must make less than $19,500 per year. Colleagues, that is what most of us in this chamber make in six weeks. GIS payments are at most around $950 a month. If you make between $19,440 and $19,463.99 annually, your monthly GIS payment is 68 cents — not enough for a coffee at Tim’s. If you make less than $24 — that’s $24 — you get the full payment: $959 a month.

As we know, prices for life’s necessities have been rapidly rising, and yesterday the Bank of Canada raised the interest rate. What was already a financially precarious position for so many will become increasingly so. In case we are not aware, the average price for a one-bedroom apartment in Vancouver is about $2,000 per month — that’s $24,000 per year. Toronto is not far behind that. Indeed, in my home city of Halifax it is about $1,500 a month. That’s $18,000 per year. We can all do the math.

Who are these most vulnerable elders who have used their hands to build the Canada that we are privileged to live in today?

Most are women. Many are people of colour. Many are living with disabilities. Many would have been on the front lines providing their services to us in this chamber during this pandemic. Do we honestly want to deny them the amount of money that can mean the difference between meeting rent payments or homelessness? The amount of money that can mean the difference between buying fruits and vegetables or going without? The amount of money that may be the difference between taking a bus to do your shopping or schlepping for many kilometres to do so?

The drafting error this proposed amendment is trying to address is known and has been well acknowledged by the minister and senior bureaucrats. We have been assured that it will be addressed, and we need to follow up to make sure this occurs. There are remedies that can be put into place that do not put the passage of Bill C-12 in jeopardy. Bill C-12 is not the place to fix this problem for which an administrative workaround currently exists. If we support this amendment, we could inadvertently enact unjust harms on our most vulnerable elders. I do not believe that any of us want that. We must lead with compassion.

I will be voting against this amendment of Bill C-12 and in support of the bill in its original state that passed the other place unanimously.

I hope that honourable senators will do the same.

Thank you. Wela’lioq and d’akuju.