Tuesday October 5, 2021 | COWICHAN-MALAHAT-LANGFORD, BC
by Mary P Brooke, Editor | Island Social Trends
Someone who knows the ropes as to how things get done in parliament — and can be undone — local MP Alistair MacGregor (Cowichan-Malahat-Langford) says he and his NDP colleagues are committed to getting the current Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) clawback reversed.
MacGregor was re-elected for a third term in the September 20, 2021 federal election.
Seniors on GIS were already struggling:
Many income-sensitive seniors who took the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) in 2020 during the early phases of the pandemic are now seeing a reduction or elimination in their GIS payment.
Letters announcing the change (to each individual senior, based on their income) were issued in July, sometimes with only a few days notice ahead of August 1.
That has left many seniors unable to pay for some very basic needs such as rent, groceries, medications or transportation.
“Seniors receiving GIS were already struggling to make ends meet. The Trudeau Government’s decision to deny them the GIS as a result of last year’s emergency benefits is not only unfair, but has left many to desperation,” said MacGregor in a statement to Island Social Trends today.
“I have heard from several seniors in my riding that the GIS clawback has resulted in them losing much-needed federal income as well as the provincial benefits they rely on to pay for rent, groceries and prescriptions,” MacGregor said.
Based on tax year:
The GIS clawback, if not actively reversed by an order in cabinet or other directives to the Canada Revenue Agency, will remain based on the tax-year cycle. Impacted seniors will have to go a full 12 months before any possible change to the reduction or elimination of their GIS payments.
NDP Caucus now back in Ottawa:
The NDP caucus is meeting in Ottawa today to discuss election aftermath and hear about the assignment of critic roles for their participation in the 44th parliament.
“Canada’s seniors can be assured that my NDP colleagues and I consider the current situation to be unconscionable and will work tirelessly to ensure that it is rectified as urgently as possible,” MacGregor said today.
Seniors spoke up during the election:
Seniors whose GIS had been clawed back spoke up across the country during the recent federal elections. Here are some of the letters they sent to Island Social Trends:
LETTER: GIS clawback means food vs rent (Sept 19, 2021)
NDP candidate mojo: we fight for you (Sept 19, 2021)
LETTER: GIS clawback means no bus pass (Sept 13, 2021)
LETTER: Hurting seniors with GIS clawback (Sept 5, 2021)
LETTER: Retired & depending on GIS (Aug 19, 2021)
LETTER: Suddenly losing Guaranteed Income Supplement by receiving CERB (Aug 10, 2021)
LETTER: Seniors suddenly losing Guaranteed Income Supplement if they took CERB (Aug 7, 2021)
Seniors who took CERB now losing GIS supplement & other benefits (Aug 4, 2021)
