Debates of Feb. 25th, 2021

Opposition Motion—Financial Situation of the Elderly

[Paul Manly, Green, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Mr. Speaker, a very good motion has been brought forward today to increase old age security. The regional district in my riding of Nanaimo—Ladysmith has the largest per capita number of seniors in it. Many people come here to retire. They are struggling with COVID-19, but also with affordable housing.

Housing costs here have increased by 59% in the last five years alone. OAS is not keeping up with the increased cost of housing, the cost of food and the cost of dealing with COVID-19. So many of the services for seniors have been closed because of COVID-19, a lot of the meal and community programs.

I want to add my support for the motion today and I hope it passes through the House.

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Salaberry—Suroît, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question. I completely agree.

Housing is a major expense for any household, whether it is a single person or a whole family. The hon. member correctly pointed out that housing costs have increased in Quebec and in his riding. That is a problem for seniors who have only the OAS and the GIS to make ends meet.

In my opinion, transfers have to be dramatically increased, to fund social housing, for example, or to better support provincial health care services. This boils down to health transfer payments to provinces to help them support their residents in need.

I thank my colleague. I share his concerns.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak to such an important subject. I would like to begin by informing the House that I will be sharing my time with the member for Orléans.

I also want to thank my colleagues who shared their thoughts on the pandemic's impact on our seniors.

In my riding of Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, we have a very high number of seniors. Between 2011 and 2016, the increase in seniors in my riding was greater than in any other riding in the province of Nova Scotia. We know the challenges that seniors face, such as the socio-economic and health impacts of this pandemic, have been felt around the world. Even before the virus, we were facing a number of important challenges, and many of these challenges have become more evident during this pandemic. In particular, seniors, marginalized and racialized women, Black Canadians, indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, veterans and new Canadians have been disproportionately hurt by this COVID-19 recession, if I may call it that.

From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has done everything in its power to combat the virus and mitigate its harm by using every tool available to safeguard the health and livelihoods of Canadians. In our long-term care plan for recovery, we have committed to addressing the fundamental gaps that were exposed by this pandemic.

This year has been tough on many Canadian seniors. Unfortunately, many have experienced considerable health, economic and social challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the disease has disproportionately affected them, particularly those living in long-term care facilities. I have had the opportunity to talk to many seniors in Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, and they have told me how challenging it has been, not only with the isolation but also with other challenges related to the pandemic, such as costs. The devastating COVID-19 outbreak in long-term home care has highlighted the gaps in standards of care for our most vulnerable, as the majority of COVID-19 deaths have occurred in long-term care facilities and residences.

From April to July of 2020, Operation Laser deployed Canadian Armed Forces personnel to support 54 long-term care facilities across Quebec and Ontario. At the peak, over 1,900 Canadian Armed Forces personnel were helping to care for seniors.

They did a critical task by helping our grandparents, our parents, our seniors. They deserve our sincere thanks for that.

To address this disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on seniors, the Government of Canada has made a number of investments through the fall economic statement. The government has committed $1 billion for the safe long-term care fund, building on what we have learned from the deployment of Canadian Armed Forces in long-term care homes. This fund, which helps provinces and territories to protect people in long-term care and supports infection prevention and control, will better support both those living in long-term care residences and those who work in them.

In order to ensure that seniors in long-term care live in safe and dignified conditions, the federal government will work with provinces and territories to set new national standards for long-term care. We remain committed to establishing these standards as a means of addressing critical gaps in long-term care facilities, including raising the working conditions of essential workers in senior care facilities, particularly personal support workers, who have persevered in the face of adversity.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada has introduced measures to support seniors in their daily expenses to help them weather the storm.

In April, we provided low- and modest-income Canadians with a one-time special payment through the GST credit. More than four million seniors benefited from this top-up, which gave an average of $375 to single seniors and $510 to senior couples. Over 6,000 seniors in my riding of Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook received those payments, equalling $2.4 million in our riding.

We also introduced a $2.5-billion investment in a one-time tax-free payment of $300 for those seniors on OAS and an additional $200 for those seniors on GIS, for a total of $500, and that was tax free, I would remind the House. Over 10,000 seniors in our riding of Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook received this one-time $300 payment, for over $3 million, and another 3,600 seniors received the one-time $500 payment, equalling just about $5 million in total.

At the same time, we are supporting programs and organizations that help improve seniors' quality of life. For example, we expanded the New Horizons for Seniors program with an additional $20 million for support organizations. We have also contributed $9 million in funding through the United Way to work with communities in each province and territory to support isolated and vulnerable seniors.

We also allocated $350 million to charitable and non-profit community organizations to help vulnerable Canadians through an emergency community assistance fund.

The funds provided have supported many organizations in my riding of Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook in the delivery of groceries and medicine, transportation services for medical appointments and other challenges. For example, Alice House, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia, the Eastern Shore Family Resource Association and the MusGo Rider association, the East Preston Day Care centre, the Health Association of African Canadians, the John Howard Society of Nova Scotia and the Old School Community Gathering Place all received funding, which represented over $400,000.

Some other accomplishments of our government for seniors since our election in 2015 have been to keep the senior eligibility age at 65 and not the age of 67 that the Conservatives wanted, and we increased the guaranteed income supplement by $947, which improves the financial security of over 900,000 vulnerable single seniors. As well, we added $6 billion for home care and community care, as well as palliative care services. Housing benefits of $4 billion was shared through the provinces and territories to provide rent support for seniors and other groups that face housing challenges.

The result, which is very important, is that 25% fewer seniors live in poverty today than in 2015.

Future commitments that we have made include increasing old age security for seniors 75 years of age and older; boosting the Canada pension plan survivor benefit; taking additional action to help people stay at home; and ensuring that everyone, including in rural and remote areas, has access to family doctors for primary care. Finally, we will move forward with our national universal pharmacare plan in the very near future.

These are just some of the programs and benefits that support our seniors in Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, as well as across Canada.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech and his concern for seniors.

After listening to my colleagues' speeches since this morning, I get the impression that we are living on two different planets, Quebec and the rest of Canada, particularly on two fronts.

We were told that seniors received a cheque for $300 this summer and that those who receive old age security got an additional $200. Seniors in my riding wrote me to say that these amounts are not enough and that they are waiting for the second cheque. They felt like the government was laughing at them because it was giving a lot more to others.

With regard to standards in Quebec's long-term care facilities, what does my colleague think about FADOQ, which appeared before the Standing Committee on the Status of Women?

FADOQ is an organization that represents a huge number of Quebec seniors. Representatives came to committee to tell us that they do not need standards to be implemented in long-term care facilities because such standards already exist. What they need is the means to apply those standards; in other words, they need health transfers. The government needs to do its own job and provide vaccines and personal protective equipment.

I would like to hear what my colleague has to say about the differences we have been hearing about since this morning between seniors in Quebec and those living elsewhere in Canada.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for her question.

I know she works very hard to support the seniors in her area and I really appreciate that.

When it comes to seniors, it is not about jurisdiction. The government has a responsibility to help all seniors, whether they live in Nova Scotia, British Columbia or Quebec, and that is exactly what we are doing.

As I said in my speech, we have helped seniors in many areas, including those who need it the most and those who are less vulnerable. Our goal is to continue to support seniors because they have done so much to help build our great country.

[Alex Ruff, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

Mr. Speaker, first I would like to acknowledge the parliamentary secretary's thanks to the Canadian Forces members who helped our elderly during the pandemic.

However, the debate today is about financial support for those seniors. I have tried to get the answer to this question out of the Minister of Seniors and her office, and I also asked a parliamentary secretary earlier, but could not get the answer. Could this parliamentary secretary tell me when the government is going to deliver on its election promise of a 10% boost to the OAS and a 25% increase to the Canada pension plan for widows? This is a question I am getting regularly from seniors across my riding.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I share my colleague's hope to get that money to seniors quickly, and that is what we are working on. As the member is aware, we did announce it again in our fall economic statement. It was also in the throne speech.

It is clear this is a top priority. As soon as we have the support of the House, we are going to be moving on it very quickly.

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Liberals say they want to help seniors, but it took two whole months in the middle of a global pandemic, and convincing by the NDP, before they even announced an intention to give the piddly $300 one-time payment. Then it took another two months before they actually issued the payment.

Government members have been talking about a plan to improve OAS, but this plan still excludes those who are 65 to 74 years of age. I suspect the member opposite is going to have a difficult time choosing between following his party line and supporting this motion for all seniors in his constituency, which includes seniors who are 65 and over.

Does the member intend to vote in favour of this motion and thus increase retirement support for more seniors in his riding than would be included in his own party's plan?

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague said that it took two months to make an announcement during a global pandemic. I think that is pretty impressive when we were dealing with a global pandemic.

As well, the member needs to realize the costs for seniors 75 and older are much greater at that age because of some of the challenges they may have, the renovations they may have to do to their homes or their health costs, depending on the programs they have. We are working closely with seniors and will continue to support seniors, as they have supported Canada from day one.

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Orléans, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise to participate in today's debate in the House.

I want to begin my speech by making one important point.

Canada is what it is today because of our seniors. After a lifetime of hard work, seniors deserve to enjoy a secure and dignified retirement. My work in senior care before entering politics has made this a top concern of mine.

We need to always remember the value of their years of experience, their wisdom, their guidance and their care. I will say they are our greatest community of volunteers, caregivers and babysitters. They are our mentors, our teachers and advisors. They are a connection to our histories, the work and knowledge that shaped our country, our families and our communities.

In their twilight years, seniors should have the opportunity to enjoy and embrace their lives without having to fear poverty. In 2015, the Liberal government, after years of neglect by the Conservatives, has taken specific and targeted steps to reduce poverty among our seniors, and ensure that all those whose lifetime of work has brought us to where we are today are able to enjoy a proper, dignified and long retirement.

One of the government’s first steps in 2015 was to engage with the provinces to enhance the Canada Pension Plan and provide retirement security for all Canadians. After collaborating with its provincial partners, it took real actions to improve the lives of our seniors. Before this, the CPP retirement pension replaced only one quarter of someone's average work earnings. Since 2019, this has been growing, and soon the CPP pension will replace one third of their average work earnings.

Eligible pension earnings will also increase to $82,700, from the it was $54,000 a few years ago. This is a hallmark of the government’s social welfare policy and was advocated for and endorsed by CARP, an organization which, before entering politics, I co-chaired here in Ottawa. The enhanced CPP, once fully implemented, will put up to 50% more into the pockets of retirees.

Another fundamental component of this strategy is the additional supports provided by old age security and the guaranteed income supplement. Since the government took office in 2015, 25% fewer seniors live in poverty. Just as it did with the the retirement age, the Liberal government restored the eligibility age for old age security to 65 after the previous Conservative government’s decision to raise it to 67.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

Order. The hon. member for Shefford is rising on a point of order.

Does it have to do with the interpretation?

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yes, I rise on a point of order regarding the interpretation services.

It is very difficult for the interpreter to understand what the hon. member is saying.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

I will see if we can reboot the interpretation. I will speak in English momentarily, and members could perhaps signal if they are getting the French interpretation.

Is the interpretation working?

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the mask the member is wearing is making it very difficult for the interpreters to do their job.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

I will have to put that to the hon. member. We are hearing that interpretation is having some difficulty with their work because of the mask, and it is certainly no reflection on the hon. member, who is taking due precautions, but if she would be able to present without the mask, it could be helpful.

I see the hon. member for Kingston and the Islands is rising on a point of order, or additional comments on this point of order.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Speaker, to contribute to this point of order, this is the second time during the last several weeks the Bloc Québécois has brought up that wearing a mask is what is interfering with the ability of the interpreters to do their work. I do not know if it is up to us to decide what is effective or not. I do not think anybody in this room is qualified to assess if it is specifically a mask that is interfering with that.

On this side of the House, we have taken what we see as precautionary measures, and I would suggest we tread very lightly over asking members to remove their masks when they have chosen to keep them on when talking.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

I thank the hon. member for Kingston and the Islands for his comments on this point of order. I am in fact in agreement with this proposal concerning the use of masks. In my view, it is up to each member to decide. Perhaps members could speak louder to help the interpreters do their job.

I see that the hon. member for Rivière-des-Mille-Îles is rising on the same point of order.

[Luc Desilets, Bloc, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I think it is very easy to understand.

Masks muffle sound. Thicker masks muffle it even more. The interpreters cannot make out the words. It is as simple as that.

It is ridiculous to point out that the two members who raised this issue are from the Bloc Québécois.

[Bruce Stanton, Conservative, Simcoe North, ON]

The hon. member for Salaberry—Suroît wishes to rise on this point of order.

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Salaberry—Suroît, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as whip, I sit on the Board of Internal Economy, and I am quite familiar with the rules.

They state that masks are mandatory in certain places, but that when we rise at our seats, we are free to remove them or keep them on. I would point out that the blue masks that are available at the entrance to each lobby might allow for better interpretation.

I agree that all members who want to wear a mask have the right to do so and that it is their choice. However, if they wish to express themselves and the interpreters cannot make out what they are saying, I would invite them to switch masks because the surgical masks are thinner but offer the same protection.

I understand that the member might be worried. We want to understand what she says and, to that end, I would encourage her to take one of the blue surgical masks available at the entrance to each party's lobby.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

I see that other members would like to speak to this point of order.

The hon. member for Orléans.

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Orléans, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I had absolutely no intention of causing problems for my colleagues from Quebec or the interpreters who work very hard to help members understand one another in our country's two official languages.

With the unanimous consent of the House, I would be happy to go get a blue mask. I will change my mask gladly and with the utmost respect for my colleagues.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

We will take a short break to allow the hon. member to try a different approach.

I appreciate all the interventions by hon. members, as well as their suggestions. We will try a different approach with a different mask.

Resuming debate. The hon. member for Orléans.

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Orléans, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this new mask is not blue, but I think it will work.

Another fundamental component of this strategy is the additional support provided by old age security and the guaranteed income supplement.

Since we took office in 2015, 25% fewer seniors live in poverty. Like the retirement age, the Liberal government restored the eligibility age for old age security to 65 after the previous government’s decision to raise it to 67. Without those changes, our vulnerable seniors would have faced a much higher risk of living in poverty, which is not acceptable.

The government also introduced the guaranteed income supplement top-up. Since 2017, seniors who live alone are receiving an extra $947 per year through GIS. This is helping 900,000 vulnerable seniors across Canada, of which 70% are women.

We know that, on average, women live longer than men. We also know that many older people who have the opportunity to enjoy a longer life are having an increasingly difficult time making ends meet as the years go by.

As the Liberal government clearly stated in the throne speech, our seniors need more help, and the House plans to give it to them. The Bloc Québécois, however, voted against the throne speech, clearly demonstrating that its members are not interested in a comprehensive plan to help Canada's seniors.

The government made it abundantly clear that it will increase the OAS by 10% for people 75 and up. It will also increase the Canada pension plan survivor's pension in recognition of seniors' years of work and progress, which have put them in a much better position than their forebears and prevented more of them from living in poverty.

The Bloc Québécois seems to think that all this work on the part of the government should be swapped for $110.

Throughout the pandemic, I have been in touch with seniors in Orléans to hear how they are doing and what I, as a local representative, and our government can do to support them. During one of our round tables, they shared with me that they wanted to see a pan-Canadian standard for long-term care.

Pan-Canadian standards for long-term care was a key feature in the Speech from the Throne. The Bloc voted against it. We have seen the biggest tragedies of this crisis in our long-term care homes. It should be clear to every member of the House that something needs to be done to ensure this never happens again. However, the Bloc did not support it.

The government’s work to build pan-Canadian standards for long-term care, understanding the importance of collaboration with provinces and territories, will prevent needless suffering and increase the quality of life for our seniors.

For me, this is a very important debate and I have one thing to share in conclusion.

I would like to elaborate on those elements.

I would like to talk about some of the key things we have done, and I want to ensure the House realizes that this was not just one single payment. There was a multitude of aspects of our support for seniors. I was at a round table with the United Way. I was happy to see the government provide $350 million for charities and not-for-profit organizations: $9 million for United Way Canada, $100 million for food banks and local food organizations and $50 million for previously funded new horizons for seniors projects that could be modified to meet the needs of seniors. This one was particularly important in my community for our local seniors organization, Carrefour santé d'Orléans.

In conclusion, I have the greatest respect for our seniors, and I feel they are too often taken for granted. We must always strive to do a better job of supporting them and to bring in policies that will make a real difference in their lives.

Governing means making decisions that work, and the throne speech described many different ways in which the government will help seniors. The government will stay focused on what it is doing and build on its proven experience supporting seniors and fighting poverty.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Orléans for her speech, which conveyed her dedication to seniors. However, I would like to make a few minor corrections.

There are two main reasons we rejected the Speech from the Throne, which she talked about in her speech. First, she spoke about standards for long-term care. In addition to the Bloc Québécois, the Quebec National Assembly and the Government of Ontario do not want these standards.

The other thing Quebec and the provinces want that was missing from the Speech from the Throne is a permanent increase in the Canada health transfer. It must be increased from 22% to 35%. That is what Quebec and the provinces all want because it will make it possible for them to care for people. It is unacceptable to wait until after the pandemic to increase it.

We recognize that there have been one-time transfers during the pandemic, but what the health care systems need in the long term in order to take care of seniors is funding, not standards. I am not the only one saying this. That is what was written in the Canadian Armed Forces report. The standards already exist.