Alice Wong

[Seniors, March 10th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to seniors' poverty, our government has a record of which we can be proud. Canada has one of the lowest seniors' poverty rates in the world thanks in part to our actions, which include removing thousands of seniors from the tax rolls completely, making significant investment in affordable housing for low-income seniors and introducing the largest GIS increase in a quarter century.

The other parties would take away the pension splitting for our seniors. That is something we will never allow to happen.

[Rise in anti-Semitism, February 24th, 2015]

Mr. Chair, I would like to thank my hon. colleague from Mount Royal for his remarks. I know that he has worked very closely with the Minister for Multiculturalism over the years on the issue of combatting anti-Semitism.

Could the hon. member describe his own experience in working on this important issue with the government and with the Minister for Multiculturalism in particular? Could he highlight some of the accomplishments that resulted from this co-operation?

[Seniors, February 3rd, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's low-income rate for seniors has fallen from 29% in 1976 to 5.2% in 2011, the most recent year for which data is available. This is one of the lowest rates in the industrialized world.

I just mentioned the list of things that we have done for seniors. We are proud of the contributions our government has made for seniors. We are going to continue to stand up for the priorities that matter to them.

[Seniors, February 3rd, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to seniors' poverty, our government has a record we can be proud of. Canada has one of the lowest seniors' poverty rates in the world thanks in part to our actions, which include removing thousands of seniors from the tax rolls completely, making significant investment in affordable housing for low-income seniors, and introducing the largest GIS increase in a quarter century.

We will not impose a carbon tax on seniors like the NDP or remove pension income splitting, as the Liberals have committed to doing.

Canadians know they can count on our government to deliver for seniors.

[Seniors, November 25th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, we have been promoting healthy, active aging by encouraging seniors to stay engaged and informed. We have information for seniors and their families, which is easy to access, to help seniors stay engaged in their communities.

It is our government that brought in the largest GIS increase in a quarter century, and the opposition voted against it. While we work to ensure the well-being of our seniors, the opposition continues to let seniors down and would take away money from seniors.

[Seniors, November 18th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, in 2007 our government created the National Seniors Council and I commend it for its hard work on matters related to the well-being and quality of life of seniors. This includes work on issues such as elder abuse, volunteering among seniors, positive and active aging, and senior participation in the workforce.

This year I directed the NSC to study a new priority, the social isolation of seniors, and I look forward to their report. This is exactly what we have done for our great seniors.

[Seniors, November 18th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, no other government has done as much for seniors as our government under the leadership of the Prime Minister. We believe in working for action. That is why we have done an action plan for seniors with 22 different departments. With that report we know that we are doing well. We have lowered taxes for seniors, increased funding for the GIS, and also encouraged healthy, active aging. That is why our seniors love us but not the NDP.

[Seniors, October 1st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, our government accomplished this by making record commitments to seniors across Canada through cutting taxes, introducing policies like pension income splitting, increasing the GIS, and more, all of which are found in my new “Government of Canada: Action for Seniors” report, available on my website.

Even though the Liberals and NDP continue to oppose these initiatives, our government knows what matters most to seniors, and we will continue to stand up for them in the House.

[Seniors, October 1st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, our strategy is to continue to work hard for seniors across Canada.

We will continue with our record support of seniors through initiatives such as increasing funding to community-based projects for seniors, which both the NDP and the Liberals voted against.

Our low-tax plan has helped to remove nearly 400,000 seniors from the tax rolls completely, which again both the Liberals and the NDP opposed.

A policy the Liberal leader has promised to repeal, pension splitting for seniors, is keeping hard-earned money in their pockets where it belongs.

[Finance, September 16th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal leader should explain why he has threatened to reverse income splitting and force seniors and families to pay more tax. This type of Liberal arrogance toward middle-class Canadian families and seniors is all too familiar. This is the same party that opposed the universal child care benefit because it thought parents would spend it on beer and popcorn. This is the same party that opposed every tax cut and measure our government has introduced for families and seniors, measures that are saving $3,400 this year for average families and have taken nearly 400,000 seniors off the tax rolls completely.