Dear Editor:

We live in a fast-paced world, including a round-the-clock news cycle that seldom pauses to take stock.

This is particularly noteworthy during election campaigns, when the most common question I hear at the door is some variation of “what’s your party done for me lately?”

Seniors in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound deserve an honest accounting of government actions on their behalf, and a clear picture of where government policy is going.

Whether you are a senior in Bruce and Grey counties or are simply looking ahead to your retirement years, here’s what you should know:

In 2015, Liberals campaigned on a promise to improve the Canada Pension Plan. At a time when fewer and fewer Canadian workers have company pension plans, CPP has become a critical backstop for a healthy retirement.

The Liberal government delivered on this promise by making historic improvements to the Canada Pension Plan. CPP benefits will gradually rise, along with contributions, so that CPP benefits will be up to 50 percent higher for the next generation of retirees.

We’ve also expanded benefits for older Canadians over the last four years — helping lift 50,000 seniors out of poverty.

By indexing Old Age Security to inflation, we’ve seen quarterly increases that – as of July 1, 2019 – raise the maximum monthly OAS pension amount to $607.46, and the maximum Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) amount to $907.30 for single seniors.

More fundamentally, the Liberal government restored the age of eligibility for Old Age Security to 65. The previous Conservative government raised the eligibility age to 67 – despite never warning Canadians during the last election campaign that this was their plan.

More than six million Canadians collect OAS, and we know our work for seniors is not done.

Seniors have worked hard all their lives. Paid taxes all their lives.  We absolutely have an obligation to ensure they are supported and secure in retirement.

That’s why a re-elected Liberal government will improve OAS by boosting the benefit by 10 per cent once you hit age 75. For 20,000 Canadians, it will mean lifting them out of poverty.

A re-elected Liberal government will also increase survivor benefits under the Canada Pension Plan.

Currently, under the CPP if your spouse dies you collect 60 per cent of their monthly CPP.  We would increase that to 75 per cent, boosting benefits by up to $2,089 every year to those who have lost a loved one who spent years paying into the Canada Pension Plan.

We’re also proposing to increase the basic personal exemption so that Canadians pay no income tax on the first $15,000 of earnings, a tax break that will especially help low-income seniors and students.

And we’ve committed to bringing in universal pharmacare, so that all Canadians have the drug coverage they need at an affordable price.

Every person in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound deserves a dignified and secure retirement. With commitment and determination, we can do this.

Michael Den Tandt
Federal Liberal Candidate