Thank you, Minister, for making yourself available for the full two hours today. The committee appreciates that.
With where the economy is going, I think we can agree around the table that the next months ahead could be very trying for many Canadians, certainly for seniors in this country. When we see increases in the staples--in fuel costs, in the cost of food--it is our seniors who are going to be impacted going forward. Many seniors will have to make a decision as to whether they will fill their oil tank, fill their cupboard, or fill their prescription. It will be difficult in days ahead.
What we see is a differing in ideology. I think it was in the 2004 Liberal budget that we were able to invest and make an increase in the amount of GIS for seniors. I think it was up to about $800 for a couple. I know we pushed hard for that. It was the first increase they had experienced in probably 12 years. We would have liked to see even more.
In this budget, the only focus on the guaranteed income supplement is the allowance for the amount that one is able to earn. Really, that impacts such a small number of Canadians. They refer to it as “modest”. When it's impacting about 4% of Canadians--and I know those numbers are probably rounded up--are we not failing 96% of Canadians?
Of the 20 of us around this table, if we were GIS recipients, at 4%--let's round it up to 5%--only one of us would be impacted by this. So it's not that great a program.
Wouldn't you believe, Minister, that it would have been better to go to that cabinet table and fight for further funding, for more money for the guaranteed income supplement?