MP Blaney calls on Liberal minister to stop benefit clawbacks to seniors in a new letter

OTTAWA — NDP Seniors critic Rachel Blaney (North Island—Powell River) sent a letter to Minister for Seniors Steven MacKinnon urging the Liberal government to stop clawing back the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) from vulnerable seniors. Blaney’s letter comes days after she rose in parliament urging the Liberals to stop the clawback—the Liberals would not respond.
“Vulnerable seniors deserve better than what they’re getting with the Liberals,” said Blaney. “Cutting back their monthly income, even by as little as 30 dollars, will hugely impact some people’s ability to keep up with their bills, buy the medications they need and purchase groceries. It’s wrong and despicable that the Liberals are taking money out of senior’s hands, then turning around and giving billions to the richest CEOs.”
After raising the Canada Pension Plan last year, the Liberals have clawed back GIS, costing seniors hundreds of dollars a year that they could be used to help cover their bills. Just like the Conservatives who, when in power and under Pierre Poilievre’s watch, slashed pensions and upped the retirement age from 65 to 67.
“Canadians deserve answers from the Liberals. They should know why it is that Justin Trudeau and the Liberals always cave to CEOs and let them off the hook, then turn around and take from seniors,” Blaney added. “Then there’s Pierre Poilievre and the Conservative, who are no better – they want to cut pensions even further to save big bosses a few bucks. Seniors deserve better, they deserve hope and relief – which is what the NDP will deliver. It’s why we’re urging the government to reverse their callous clawbacks and put money back into seniors' hands.”

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