Wednesday March 29, 2023 | VANCOUVER ISLAND, BC [Updated 3:45 pm]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
“Almost 600,000 Canadian single senior women are living in poverty… in Canada we should have a guaranteed basic livable income… an amount that allows no one in this country to fall below a bar of basic dignity. It’s time to do better for seniors,” said Rachel Blaney, MP (North Island – Powell River), who is the NDP Seniors spokesperson.
She delivered that comment in the House of Commons during Question Period, one day after the Federal Budget 2023 was announced.
The importance of mothers:
That count of 600,000 low-income single senior women is about 1.5% of the Canadian population.
But in many cases these are our mothers, grandmothers, aunties and elders… their effort to raise families should not be minimized. Perhaps this sub-group of Canadian women could be highlighted each year on Mother’s Day.
The cost of everything:
The cost of housing and groceries are among the impacts on affordability of living in Canada. Inflation is pushing up the cost of just about everything.
Budget 2023 includes a ‘grocery rebate’ which is a one-time top-up to the GST rebate that is received by about 11 million low and modest-income Canadians.
Basic livable income:
A basic livable income would also support people transitioning between jobs or careers, which the outdated federal Employment Insurance (EI) system does not do effectively. Studies have been done in Canada and the USA which show that people generally don’t languish and waste this sort of support, but are usually grateful and use the opportunity to get a leg up to move forward with their lives.
===== RELATED:
Federal Budget 2023: inflation blindspot, housing shortfall, stagnant EI (Island Social Trends – Mar 28, 2023)
Modern finance: seniors working past 65 (Island Social Trends – Mar 6, 2023)
Blaney goes to bat for low-income seniors (Island Social Trends – Feb 15, 2023)
What is basic income and which of Canada’s main parties support it? (CBC – Sept 19, 2021)
Why a Guaranteed Livable Income (Canadian Senate – Oct 5, 2020)