Yes, it would be a pleasure.
We've gone back over the topic several times. Ms. Tassé-Goodman addressed it in her remarks.
A lot of seniors 65 to 74 years of age aren't happy because they aren't entitled to the 10% increase in the old age security pension. As we frequently point out, financial insecurity isn't a matter of age. It can happen to everyone.
Since ageism still pervades certain workplaces, some people have been urged to retire. Others have been forced to retire because the job was too hard and they therefore couldn't work any longer. In addition, many people have little in the way of personal savings. The majority don't have access to a supplementary pension plan. Approximately 43% of workers in Quebec don't have personal savings or access to a supplementary pension plan. So they have needs.
I want to emphasize that the incomes of seniors aged 65 to 74 who live solely on the old age security pension and guaranteed income supplement are barely over the poverty line, as determined by the basket-of-goods measure. We're talking about a subsistence-level basket here. People in this situation aren't living: they're surviving. It's hard for them to meet any unforeseen circumstances that may arise. Items such as eye care are excluded from the market basket. That includes the purchase of eyeglasses, contact lenses and prescription drugs. The same is true of auxiliary equipment such as wheelchairs, walkers and so on. Those expenses can run to more than $1,500 a year.
We think there has to be an increase here. People 75 and over definitely appreciate it, but we're convinced it's important to offer it to those 65 to 74 years of age.