Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. We are hearing a lot in the news lately about the possible changes to the Canadian Old Age Security Program. The current government is not saying much about it, but the responsible Minister, Diane Finley, says changes are crucial because costs are rising and there will be fewer and fewer workers paying into the system.
One of the suggestions for cutting the cost of oId age security is to change the age of eligibility for benefits from 65 to 67. Those same seniors, at least those with low incomes, would not be receiving their federally guaranteed income supplement either.
That could have a very serious outcome on our elders and this government. Two things could happen: elders will be poorer and there will be pressure on our government to provide benefits or income support for two more years until old age security finally kicks in. It appears to be yet another example of the federal government planning to devolve costs to the Government of the Northwest Territories.
In the rest of Canada workers might retire later, but here in the Northwest Territories unemployment is so high in many communities that our seniors will simply face two more years of poverty. I’m concerned that low-income seniors will be the most affected. For example, our elders for the NWT senior citizens supplementary benefits have to be getting old age security and the federal guaranteed income supplement. There are bound to be other ripple effects from the federal government’s change to old age security.
That is why I am urging this government to make sure that we have some input on this at the federal level. Our elders are counting on us. I will be asking the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment questions about this shortly.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
