Madam Speaker, it is negotiation time. The government is a real minority government now. I hope that it is open to negotiation. We certainly are.
We also know that seniors suffered financial hardship during COVID-19. The cost of living went up significantly. This government increased pensions for seniors aged 75 and over, but for some strange reason, it decided to create incomprehensible discrimination and leave those aged 65 to 74 out in the cold. This injustice, this discrimination, is unacceptable as far as we are concerned.
We are talking about costs. The bottom line is that raising benefits for 65- to 74-year-olds to match those of seniors aged 75 and over would represent 0.57% of the budget. Meanwhile, oil companies are getting $83 billion in credits.
My question is simple. What is more important to this government: oil companies or seniors?