GIS Clawback

NDP call for emergency debate on GIS cut crisis facing Canadian seniors

OTTAWA – Seniors in Canada have faced difficult challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, with the pandemic still ongoing and the cost of living rising, the Liberal government is turning its back on our most vulnerable seniors by cutting the Guaranteed Basic Income (GIS) that they rely on to pay their bills and buy groceries. New Democrats know that’s not right and are fighting back. Today, the NDP’s Critic for Seniors, Rachel Blaney (North Island-Powell River) and the Critic for Employment and Workforce Development, Daniel Blaikie (Elmwood Transcona), sent a letter requesting an emergency debate on these cuts that are hurting seniors.

Hansard: November 24, 2021

IN THE NEWS: Indo-Canadian Voice - NDP MPs urge Liberals to stop cutting help Canadians count on

“The cost of everyday essentials is skyrocketing and families in my riding were already struggling to get by, even before the CCB was clawed back,” said NDP MP Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East). “Vulnerable families need to be supported, and that’s why we’re calling on the Liberal government to give families the benefits they deserve.”

Statistics Canada on Thursday indicated that the cost of living is rising across the country – the price of gasoline rose a massive 41.7 percent from last October. New Democrats are saying that this will make it even harder for Canadian families to afford the things they need.

IN THE NEWS: Hill Times - New House set to return as Liberal government faces unfinished legislative business with potential NDP ally

Ms. Kwan, who insisted that the NDP will press the Liberal government hard to move on a myriad of issues starting with seniors who received the Canada Emergency Response Benefit during the pandemic and who have now either seen their Guaranteed Income Supplement payments reduced or lost leaving some of them unable to pay rent.

“Housing affordability is a paramount issue—whether it’s someone who is homeless or those trying to get into the market for the first time,” said Ms. Kwan, the NDP’s housing critic.
She explained that the affordability issue touches health care too, where one of her constituents recently told her of being unable to cover the cost of cancer medication—a shining example, in Ms. Kwan’s view, of why her party will continue to press the Liberal government on universal pharmacare.

The Liberals will have an eager and unrelenting ally in the New Democrats to pursue action in addressing “the climate crisis before us,” said Ms. Kwan, a former NDP cabinet minister in British Columbia. “Canada has yet to meet a COP target since Paris in 2015.”

In her opinion, she said Mr. Trudeau also missed an opportunity to advance reconciliation with Canada’s Indigenous peoples this year by both vacationing in Tofino, B.C. on the country’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Sept. 30), and later by his government filing an appeal of a Federal Court decision upholding a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruling on Indigenous child-welfare compensation, while continuing to negotiate an out-of-court settlement.

In her role as federal NDP critic for immigration, refugees and citizenship, Ms. Kwan has another issue she will hammer home when the House resumes sitting.   “Immigration is in complete chaos right now. The backlog for every stream is mind boggling,” she explained.

“There was already a backlog before the pandemic, and with the pandemic, immigration processing was severely debilitated. Amidst all of that, the Liberals decided to call an election on the day [Aug. 15] when there was a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.”

IN THE NEWS: CHEK - Documents detail impacts of federal aid on benefits for seniors, families

New Democrat Jenny Kwan said many seniors in her Vancouver riding are worried about paying the rent, and those facing language barriers have issues getting information on why their payments have been slashed.

“It is so stressful for these seniors,” Kwan said. “I have no doubt in my mind if the government doesn’t take action, these seniors will wind up being homeless.”

IN THE NEWS: Tyee - Struggling workers face ‘bleak’ future as pandemic benefits end

Jenny Kwan, the NDP MP for Vancouver East, said she is concerned about the impact the federal government’s decision not to renew CRB will have on the arts and culture sector. According to Kwan, her riding has the highest per capita number of people employed in that sector in the country.

“The pandemic has hit them hard,” said Kwan, who has spoken to constituents who have seen live bookings dry up during the pandemic’s fourth wave.

“With the CERB and CRB ending, it places people in that very, very difficult situation,” she added. “It is a situation where people are saying, how are they going to make rent?”

“The assumption that they might just be looking to collect the CRB without working, that’s simply untrue,” said Kwan. “There are still a lot of people who are still out of work and unable to secure employment.”

Jagmeet Singh and the NDP urge Liberals to help Canadian seniors

OTTAWA – Seniors across the country were shocked to learn that benefits they rely on such as the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) have been cut because they received pandemic supports like the CERB. New Democrats are calling on the Liberal government to fix this devastating situation that has left many seniors worried they won't be able to afford their rent, food and medication.

Prime Minister Must Reverse Decision to Cut GIS for Low-Income Seniors

The Prime Minister must take immediate action to ensure low-income seniors who rely on their Guarantee Income Supplement (GIS) continue to receive this critical support.

The pandemic has hit Canadians hard and seniors are not exempted from the economic impact of Covid-19. Seniors who were working to supplement their GIS prior to the pandemic and received the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) are now losing their GIS or having it severely reduced. These seniors now find themselves without the support of CERB, employment income or GIS. Furthermore, seniors who received CERB are also losing some provincial benefits such as their annual bus pass.

NDP calls on Liberals to urgently reconvene Parliament to help Canadians

OTTAWA – Following the announcement that Parliament would reconvene on November 22nd, NDP House Leader, Peter Julian, wrote to Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government urging them to get Members of Parliament back to work earlier to help Canadians struggling in this fourth wave of COVID-19. Instead of urgently calling back Parliament after an election that resulted with virtually the same make up as last one, Justin Trudeau chose to make people and small businesses struggling with the ongoing COVID-19 crisis wait longer for the help they need.

NDP ready to continue fighting and standing up for Canadians in the new parliament

OTTAWA — Today, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, joined by newly elected NDP MPs, laid out his plan to continue fighting for Canadians amid the fourth wave of COVID-19. As Alberta and Saskatchewan are hit hardest in the fourth wave, Singh committed to keep fighting to extend supports, to bring in a national vaccination passport and better sick leave to help workers.