Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to present yet another petition from members of the Vancouver Quadra community and other communities in greater Vancouver.
The petitioners are concerned that the planned delay of retirement benefits, old age security and the guaranteed income supplement, will create hardship for those in our society who have the least now and that it will increase income inequality. Single women will be disproportionately impacted. In fact, over 40% of old age security recipients earn less than $20,000 a year in retirement. They will be forced to work for two more years or to seek alternative benefits, which would load more costs onto the province.