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House Bill

Bill C-12

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
March 03, 2022
An Act to amend the Old Age Security Act (Guaranteed Income Supplement)
  • This bill is an amendment to the Old Age Security Act and it specifically focuses on the Guaranteed Income Supplement. The amendment states that any payment received under the Canada Emergency Response Benefit Act, Part VIII.4 of the Employment Insurance Act, the Canada Recovery Benefits Act, or the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit Act will not be included in a person's income when calculating the amount of the guaranteed income supplement and allowances. This amendment will apply to any month after June 2022. The bill has been assented to on March 3, 2022.
  • H1
  • H2
  • H3
  • S1
  • S2
  • S3
  • RA
  • Yea (334)
  • Nay
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SteelmanSpren in Favour

  • A steelman argument in favor of this amendment could be as follows: The amendment to the Old Age Security Act, which excludes payments under various benefit programs from income calculations for the guaranteed income supplement and allowances, is a necessary and beneficial change for several reasons. Firstly, it recognizes the unique circumstances and challenges faced by individuals receiving these benefit payments. The Canada Emergency Response Benefit, Part VIII.‍4 of the Employment Insurance Act, the Canada Recovery Benefits Act, and the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit Act were introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to provide financial support to individuals who had lost their income or were unable to work due to lockdown measures. Excluding these payments from the calculation of the guaranteed income supplement and allowances ensures that the additional assistance provided during this crisis is not unfairly counted agains

SteelmanSpren Against

  • One potential steelman argument opposing this amendment is: "This amendment undermines the principle of means-testing and creates an unfair system for calculating the guaranteed income supplement and allowances. By excluding payments from various emergency benefit programs, the government is essentially providing double support to eligible individuals. This goes against the purpose of means-testing, which is to provide targeted support to those who truly need it. Not only does this amendment create an imbalance in the distribution of resources, but it also sets a precedent for future policies. If emergency benefit payments are excluded from income calculations, what other sources of income could potentially be disregarded in the future? This could lead to a slippery slope and a weakening of the overall welfare system. Furthermore, by excluding these emergency benefit payments, the government is potentially hindering the ability of in
Senate Third Reading
  • March 3, 2022, 2 p.m.
  • Passed
Royal Assent
  • March 3, 2022, 2 p.m.
  • Read

Senate Committee

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
March 01, 2022
Social Affairs, Science and Technology (SOCI)
Re. Bill C-12, An Act to amend the Old Age Security Act (Guaranteed Income Supplement), without amendment
  • Third Report

  • The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology has the honour to present its

    THIRD REPORT

    Your committee, to which was referred Bill C-12, An Act to amend the Old Age Security Act (Guaranteed Income Supplement), has, in obedience to the order of reference of February 24, 2022, examined the said bill and now reports the same without amendment.

    Respectfully submitted,

    RATNA OMIDVAR

    Chair

  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
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Senate Second Reading
  • Feb. 24, 2022, 4:05 p.m.
  • Passed
Senate First Reading
  • Feb. 21, 2022, midnight
  • Passed
House Third Reading
  • Feb. 16, 2022, 3:41 p.m.
  • Passed

House Motion No. 31

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
Feb. 16, 2022, 3:15 p.m.
2nd reading of Bill C-12, An Act to amend the Old Age Security Act (Guaranteed Income Supplement)
House Second Reading
  • Feb. 16, 2022, 3:15 p.m.
  • Passed