POLITICS. The outgoing deputy and candidate for Berthier-Maskinongé, Yves Perron, asks the federal government to quickly correct the inequities affecting several seniors who received the Canadian emergency benefit (ECP) during the pandemic.
Mr. Perron indicates that several seniors who received PKU had a bad surprise when they learned, last July, that their guaranteed income supplement (GIS) was going to be greatly reduced or even cut until June 2022, and this , without any possibility of reassessing their file. “The ECP was put in place to prevent people from finding themselves in precarious economic situations at the start of the COVID-19 crisis, and now the government’s mismanagement since July has placed many seniors in very difficult economic situations. , this is unacceptable! A senior should not find himself tighter financially in July 2021 than before the COVID-19 crisis because of liberal mismanagement, ”comments Yves Perron.
The MP’s office notes that it has received a very large number of calls and visits from seniors who had
hardly understand why their GIS was reduced or completely cut as of July 2021.
Organizations such as the Association of Family Economy Cooperatives (ACEF) of Lanaudière and
the Quebec Association for the Defense of the Rights of Retirees and Pre-retirees (AQDR) of Sherbrooke have
also received a lot of requests related to this issue.
Yves Perron believes, like ACEF, that in this type of case, it should not be taken into account in the income of the previous year which serves as the basis for calculating the GIS. “This is why we are asking for a treatment similar to that of student loans, which are not considered in the income of these,” suggests Yves Perron.
In addition, the candidate considers that it is imperative that the Canadian government show a lot of flexibility in negotiating agreements for reimbursement of PKU and that it take into account the often already precarious financial situation of the seniors involved.
Two categories of seniors
In addition, the outgoing member reminds that the Bloc Québécois continues to denounce the measures announced in the last year by the outgoing Liberal government which create two categories of seniors. “There are those 75 and over who receive more financial assistance from the government and those 65 to 74 who are treated like second-class seniors who deserve less assistance from the state. The Bloc is demanding fair treatment for all people over the age of 65, ”he explains.
Since February, the Bloc has continued to demand an increase of $ 110 per month in the old age pension for those 65 and over.
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