Mr. Speaker, the President of the Treasury Board announced on Monday that the Canada volunteerism initiative was being cut. This program recognized volunteer activity.
We should remind the minister that three million seniors do five billion hours of volunteer work each year, the equivalent of more than 2.5 million full time jobs. The contribution made by these people is worth $60 billion to the economy.
Yet the government is cutting this program, which allowed seniors to feel valued, to remain active in society and, most importantly, to support the social economy. Instead of paying the $3.2 billion to seniors entitled to retroactive guaranteed income supplement payments, this government is doing nothing to give justice to the people who built Quebec and Canada.
Seniors are being trampled on by this government, which is constantly lashing out at the most vulnerable. Yet they are an important part of society.