Thank you.
Thank you for coming, Minister.
I was reading both the budget bill and the BIA. As I was looking through it, I recognized a number of things there that I had brought to your attention, and I know other members had as well, which we had heard from our constituents about recommendations to address some of their challenges. I appreciate that we were listened to, and that the suggestions were implemented as a recognition of the reality of our constituents in our ridings.
I want to talk about a particular element within the BIA. Just to give you a little background, my riding of Northumberland—Peterborough South is a rural riding. I know you know where it is. There is an interesting statistic: Over 40% of my constituents are over the age of 55, so things that impact seniors are very relevant to my riding.
We've done a number of things that certainly have been beneficial, such as the increase in the guaranteed income supplement for the most vulnerable single seniors, and programs such as new horizons. While those programs aren't huge amounts of money, in rural ridings particularly, they make a big difference. They have made a big difference in my riding.
One of the other things in the BIA that I want to talk about particularly is the strengthening and creation of a more robust banking consumer protection framework under the auspices of FCAC, the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada. This is important for all Canadians, but particularly Canadian seniors as well.
Could you talk a bit about what measures have been undertaken so far, and where you see them having an impact, particularly for seniors, but certainly for Canadians writ large?