Debates of Feb. 9th, 2012

The Speaker Andrew Scheer

Order, please, Members need to allow the minister to respond. The hon. Minister of Justice.

Rob Nicholson Niagara Falls, ON

Mr. Speaker, we have to love the Liberals. If people are coming onto our property to set fire to our car, breaking into our house or attacking our family, those are the bad guys. Why can the Liberals not figure that out? How come they cannot figure out who the real victims are and stand up for them for a change?

Irene Mathyssen London—Fanshawe, ON

Mr. Speaker, the Parliamentary Budge Officer has crunched the numbers and says that OAS is to sustainable. The National Pensioners and Senior Citizens Federation went to the HRSDC minister to make a case for better treatment of poor seniors. Instead it got “lecture that there is a sustainability crises in Old Age Security”.

Will the Conservatives stop trying to scare people by pretending OAS is unsustainable and agree to leave OAS alone, yes or no?

Diane Finley Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development

Mr. Speaker, if we were to leave the OAS security system alone, there might not be an OAS security or an OAS system for future generations. It is very possible.

Right now there are four workers paying taxes into general revenue for every retiree and OAS gets paid through general review. In the not too distant future, there will only be two taxpayers, two working people for every retiree. That is not sustainable.

Our goal is to protect and preserve OAS for this generation and future generations.

Irene Mathyssen London—Fanshawe, ON

Mr. Speaker, here they are threatening seniors with misinformation.

In 2005, the Prime Minister said:

My government will fully preserve the Old Age Security, the Guaranteed Income Supplement, and the Canada Pension Plan and all projected future increases to these programs.

Will the Prime Minister break his promise to Canadians, yes or no?

Diane Finley Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development

Mr. Speaker, we are keeping that promise. We have promised to protect the old age security system and CPP is well taken care of now. It is now time to take action to protect the old age security system for this generation and future ones.

In fact, the member opposite who just posed the question, said:

Action now is critical – we need a plan in place, we need the structures in place to deal with this dramatic shift in our country’s demographics.

For once, she and I actually agree on something.

Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC

Mr. Speaker, the minister cannot stop talking about taking action regarding the old age security program, but she refuses to provide any further information. In fact, all that we know about her plan is that she intends to make future generations pay for the Conservatives’ fiscal mismanagement. That is all that we know for the time being. The minister has said that we must listen to the experts. Perfect. Well, yesterday, an expert spoke. The Parliamentary Budget Officer found that the program is not under threat in the long term.

Will the Conservatives give us a straight answer? Will the retirement age be increased from 65 to 67?

Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC

Mr. Speaker, it really seems that the minister chooses her experts based on whatever suits her. The one thing I do know is that Canadian families are right to be afraid when it is obvious that this government is not even capable of answering a very simple question. I have received several emails from constituents in Pierrefonds—Dollard who have told me that had the Conservative government spoken publicly about making cuts to old age security, they would undoubtedly not be seated where they are today.

Why not tell us clearly whether the Conservative government intends to increase the retirement age from 65 to 67?

Diane Finley Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development

Mr. Speaker, today's retirees are deserving of their benefits. That is why we want to ensure that future generations enjoy the same access to the system. Things need to be done now and tough decisions need to be made, of course, not only for today, but also for the future. People are counting on this system. That is why it is very important to safeguard the future of the old age security program.

Jinny Sims Newton—North Delta, BC

Mr. Speaker, it is obvious with the OAS fiasco that the government failed to do its homework once again. The money is there. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has spoken.

Today—

The Speaker Andrew Scheer

Order, please. The hon. member for Newton—North Delta has the floor and members need to allow her to put the question.