We don't necessarily have any answers. We mentioned to the Standing Committee on Finance in February and again on May 1, that it was important for the government to keep its promise. On September 18, it made a commitment to increase the old age security benefit by 10% for people 75 years of age and older.
Notwithstanding that, whether it is old age security or the guaranteed income supplement, we know full well that there are many women who receive these benefits, for all sorts of reasons. There are those who joined the paid workforce later in life, or those who stayed at home to take care of the children and the family. It is often women who are penalized in this regard.
Increasing the benefit by 10% would have resulted in an additional $729 per year. This is permanent help that we would have liked to have seen put in place rather than temporary help.