Bill C-478 (Historical)

An Act to amend the Canada Pension Plan (arrears of benefits)

This bill was last introduced in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session, which ended in March 2011.

This bill was previously introduced in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session.

Sponsor

Chris Charlton  NDP

Introduced as a private member’s bill. (These don’t often become law.)

Status

Outside the Order of Precedence (a private member's bill that hasn't yet won the draw that determines which private member's bills can be debated), as of Nov. 5, 2009
(This bill did not become law.)

Summary

This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament often publishes better independent summaries.

This enactment amends the Canada Pension Plan so that a person who applies for a pension after reaching seventy years of age would in all cases be able to receive retroactive payments starting from their seventieth birthday, rather than the current maximum of twelve months.
The enactment also provides for full retroactive payments of a disability pension, survivor’s pension, disabled contributor’s child’s benefit or orphan’s benefit, rather than the current maximum of fifteen months in the case of a disability pension and twelve months in the case of a survivor’s pension, disabled contributor’s child’s benefit or orphan’s benefit.
The enactment also requires that interest be paid on the arrears.

Elsewhere

All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from the Library of Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.

Canada Pension PlanRoutine Proceedings

November 5th, 2009 / 10:05 a.m.
See context

NDP

Chris Charlton NDP Hamilton Mountain, ON

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-478, An Act to amend the Canada Pension Plan (arrears of benefits).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce legislation today, seconded by my colleague, the member for Welland, that would allow for full retroactive payments plus interest when someone applies for benefits under the Canada Pension Plan.

The CPP is a pay-as-you-go contribution-based program that is funded solely by employers and employees. It is absurd that a person who is late in applying for his or her pension under the CPP is entitled to only 11 months of retroactive benefits. This is not the government's money. The bill would put an end to this insufficient and unfair period of retroactivity and would do the same for disability pensions or the survivor's pension and a disabled contributor's child benefit.

Ninety-three percent of Canadians are members of the CPP. Making sure that they can access the benefits that are rightfully theirs will help to reverse the tide that is currently sweeping more than a quarter of a million Canadian seniors into a life of poverty.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)