Madam Speaker, our Conservative government recognizes that Canada's seniors helped build our amazing country. Many of those seniors actually live in my riding of Simcoe—Grey.
That is why the next phase of Canada's economic action plan introduces key measures to improve the quality of life and expand opportunities for Canada's seniors.
Some of these initiatives include enhancing the government income supplement, GIS, for low-income seniors with increased benefits of up to $600 for single seniors and $840 for couples. This is an initiative the Canadian Association of Retired Persons has said that it was, “very happy to see....this issue has been an issue that we have raised many times before and it is finally something that is being addressed”.
Also included in these initiatives are: enhancing the new horizons for seniors program with an additional $10 million to promote volunteerism, mentorship and expanded awareness of elder abuse; extending the targeted initiative for older workers with an additional $50 million; keeping transfer payments to provinces and territories at record highs, ensuring they can provide the health care and social programs seniors depend on; and eliminating the mandatory retirement age for federally regulated employees to give seniors who want to remain active in the workforce the freedom to make that choice, unless there is an occupational requirement.
As the Canadian Taxpayers Federation noted, “People have a right to determine how long they work, and this”, eliminating the mandatory retirement age, “is a major step towards eliminating poverty for seniors”.
During the recent election, Canadians seniors, especially in my riding of Simcoe—Grey, reviewed the next phase of Canada's economic action plan and what it proposed for them. Canadian seniors gave the Conservative plan a strong endorsement on election day, providing the government with a strong mandate to support seniors. Now is the time to move forward on that plan.
The next phase of Canada's economic action plan builds on the over $2 billion in annual tax relief our Conservative government has provided to seniors since 2006, including: introducing pension income splitting; increasing the age credit amount by $2,000; doubling the pension income credit to $2,000; increasing the amount of GIS recipients can earn through employment without any reduction in GIS benefits, from $500 to $3,500; increasing the age limit for RRSP to RRIF conversion to 71 from 69; establishing the landmark tax-free savings account, which is particularly beneficial for seniors; and much more.
Indeed, through our strong record of tax relief, over 85,000 seniors have been removed from the tax rolls completely since 2006.
Rest assured, our Conservative government is and will continue to stand up for seniors.