Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to pick up where my colleague from Monfwi just left off almost in terms of income assistance. But so my question is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
The federal House of Commons announced two cash benefits to offset the impacts of the large increases in the inflation rate. These were passed I think about ten days ago in the House of Commons, Mr. Speaker. Benefits include the onetime doubling of the GST rebate to low income citizens and a onetime $500 benefit for low income renters. So I would like to ask the Minister if he and his staff are aware of these newlyapproved benefits and whether they're going to be clawed back from income assistance? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So the first reading by the Senate was on October 6th. So I don't think that those benefits have been finalized yet. I understand that the federal government should have them finalized and money should be flowing perhaps by the end of this month.
When that happens, I can say that we will be exempting the additional GST that clients may be receiving. So currently GST rebates are counted as income against someone's income assistance. But understanding that the reason this is being doubled is because of the record inflation that we're facing, we are not going to count that additional GST rebate against income. So income assistance clients won't see their income assistance reduced because of the additional GST rebate.
There is the housing benefit as well, and that is money for rent. Income assistance pays the actual cost of rent and utilities. So it's sort of a nonissue so I don't think people need to worry about that. If you're getting money for your rent from income assistance, you wouldn't get the money for rent from Canada. Or if you get it from Canada, that will be deducted by income assistance.
And there's also a dental benefit, for children under 12. I believe it's over two years. And because that is a benefit for children, that will also be exempted from the calculations. We don't include funds received for children as income. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.
