Time to Kill OAS??

[tibear]

There was much discussion and debate about the government gradually raising the age of eligibility of OAS for future pensioners, however I'm wondering if we shouldn't scrap the whole program.

Why do we treat taxpayers money like the game of monopoly whereby if you make it around the board (live to some given age (65-67)), you will collect money.

As a canadian, how would we feel if there were other programs where segments of the population were given money simply because they lived in a certain region or had a particular physical trait or religion? Imagine if everyone in New Brunswick was given $6,000 a year by the canadian government that nobody in the country qualified for simply because they lived in New Burnswick. Or how about every person with green eyes would be given $6,000 a year because they had green eyes?

Let's give our heads a shake and get into reality. The only time the canadian government should give money to citizens is when the citizen actually needs the money. Lump all of this money into the social assistance program and give it to those in need.

I'm not saying that we abandon our seniors but simply make it a level playing field whereby the 25 year old and the 70 year old aren't treated with different rules. If either one of these individuals need the money and qualify for social assistance then give them the money.

 

[TenPenny]

How about we just shoot old people after a certain age, if they don't have enough money?

 

[L Gilbert]

There was much discussion and debate about the government gradually raising the age of eligibility of OAS for future pensioners, however I'm wondering if we shouldn't scrap the whole program.

Why do we treat taxpayers money like the game of monopoly whereby if you make it around the board (live to some given age (65-67)), you will collect money.

As a canadian, how would we feel if there were other programs where segments of the population were given money simply because they lived in a certain region or had a particular physical trait or religion? Imagine if everyone in New Brunswick was given $6,000 a year by the canadian government that nobody in the country qualified for simply because they lived in New Burnswick. Or how about every person with green eyes would be given $6,000 a year because they had green eyes?

Let's give our heads a shake and get into reality. The only time the canadian government should give money to citizens is when the citizen actually needs the money. Lump all of this money into the social assistance program and give it to those in need.

I'm not saying that we abandon our seniors but simply make it a level playing field whereby the 25 year old and the 70 year old aren't treated with different rules. If either one of these individuals need the money and qualify for social assistance then give them the money.

roflmao
I would sooner make politicians actually work for their pensions rather than just benchsitting for 6 years to get them. BTW, those 70 year old people were once 25 themselves and paid taxes that went into OAS.

 

[tibear]

How about we just shoot old people after a certain age, if they don't have enough money?

I guess you didn't read what I said. The government shouldn't use age as a determining factor as to whether an individual should get "free" money. Need should be the only criteria.

roflmao
I would sooner make politicians actually work for their pensions rather than just benchsitting for 6 years to get them. BTW, those 70 year old people were once 25 themselves and paid taxes that went into OAS.

So what's your point? Simply because you paid taxes you qualify for the money? Then let's get rid of the claw-back and perhaps have a running subsidy of $100 for every year over 18 years of age? Isn't that what you're saying, "I've paid taxes so I should get something back".........you do, it's called healthcare, roads, police, etc.

Think of the reduction in adminstration costs if we eliminated this program. All of this extra money could go to the canadians that really need the money, not to a group that doesn't need it.

 

[TenPenny]

I guess you didn't read what I said. The government shouldn't use age as a determining factor as to whether an individual should get "free" money. Need should be the only criteria.

I guess you don't understand OAS then, do you? You don't automatically get it regardless of income. Ergo, it is based on need, not age.

Nice try.

 

[L Gilbert]

So what's your point? Simply because you paid taxes you qualify for the money? Then let's get rid of the claw-back and perhaps have a running subsidy of $100 for every year over 18 years of age? Isn't that what you're saying, "I've paid taxes so I should get something back".........you do, it's called healthcare, roads, police, etc.

yep. We get stuff back for what the gov't sucks money out of us for....... including a minimum pension. Get over it.

Think of the reduction in adminstration costs if we eliminated this program. All of this extra money could go to the canadians that really need the money, not to a group that doesn't need it.

Really? I guess you're pretty ignorant of the OAS system.

Here ya go, pilgrim, there is a nice little chart that shows the massive amounts of "free" money pensioners get per month:
http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/isp/oas/oasrates.shtml

 

[tibear]

I guess you don't understand OAS then, do you? You don't automatically get it regardless of income. Ergo, it is based on need, not age.

Nice try.

Not based on age you say?????....does a 64 year old that makes $20K a year qualify for OAS? No...why because they aren't old enough. Sounds like aged based to me.

 

[L Gilbert]

Not based on age you say?????....does a 64 year old that makes $20K a year qualify for OAS? No...why because they aren't old enough. Sounds like aged based to me.

No it's not age based. Age is a descriptor, not the base. The basis of OAS is the need.

 

[tibear]

yep. We get stuff back for what the gov't sucks money out of us for....... including a minimum pension. Get over it.

Really? I guess you're pretty ignorant of the OAS system.

Here ya go, pilgrim, there is a nice little chart that shows the massive amounts of "free" money pensioners get per month:
http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/isp/oas/oasrates.shtml

The issue isn't the amount of the free money, it is the fact that seniors get money for no other reason than the fact that they are old enough to collect.

BTW, there isn't any requirement for them to have EVER paid taxes to collect OAS.

 

[L Gilbert]

The issue isn't the amount of the free money, it is the fact that seniors get money for no other reason than the fact that they are old enough to collect.

So you think that instead of having an OAS (which has a cap based upon income) there should be something else to assist seniors with limited income? lmao You aren't a bureacrat by any chance are you?

BTW, there isn't any requirement for them to have EVER paid taxes to collect OAS.

Nope, but then that's a perk to being Canadian. I pay taxes for schools yet my kids are through school. It doesn't bother me at all. I've paid far more into things like EI and OAS than I'll ever get out, but I don't mind that at all either.

 

[tibear]

No it's not age based. Age is a descriptor, not the base. The basis of OAS is the need.

That's ridiculous. As mentioned before, if it really was need based then any canadian would be able to collect and of course they aren't. The first criteria for this program is AGE, nothing else. If you are old enough then other factors determine how much you will collect but without the age criteria you get nothing. To suggest otherwise is laughable.

The need component is also questionable as the clawback doesn't kick in until someone makes more than $67K a year. Someone who make $67K a year doesn't need the extra $6K.

 

[TenPenny]

Not based on age you say?????....does a 64 year old that makes $20K a year qualify for OAS? No...why because they aren't old enough. Sounds like aged based to me.

Does a 70 year old who makes $750,000year qualify? No. Sounds like it's not age based to me.

 

[tibear]

So you think that instead of having an OAS (which has a cap based upon income) there should be something else to assist seniors with limited income? lmao You aren't a bureacrat by any chance are you?

Nope, but then that's a perk to being Canadian. I pay taxes for schools yet my kids are through school. It doesn't bother me at all. I've paid far more into things like EI and OAS than I'll ever get out, but I don't mind that at all either.

Your not paying attention, we already have a social assistance program for ALL canadians. We don't need anything special for seniors.

EI is insurance which some of us use and others don't that's life. CPP is something we pay into as we work and have a right to collect. School taxes provide an education to our young people and help our society grow. OAS does nothing but give money to people without any valid reason.

Does a 70 year old who makes $750,000year qualify? No. Sounds like it's not age based to me.

The 30 year old and 70 year old that make $750K a year don't qualify for social assistance either......why does OAS treat the 30 year old and 70 year old that make $20K differently?????

 

[L Gilbert]

Your not paying attention, we already have a social assistance program for ALL canadians. We don't need anything special for seniors.

EI is insurance which some of us use and others don't that's life. CPP is something we pay into as we work and have a right to collect. School taxes provide an education to our young people and help our society grow. OAS does nothing but give money to people without any valid reason.

BS. Social assistance programs are mainly decided by the provinces and are also based upon need, but are based upon need for almost anyone. Those social assistance programs do not generally apply to seniors because of the OAS.

And I am also paying those school taxes so that others can have theior kids educarted. I see no reason why some of my taxes can't help out seniors too.

The 30 year old and 70 year old that make $750K a year don't qualify for social assistance either......why does OAS treat the 30 year old and 70 year old that make $20K differently?????

You didn't read very much from that link I gave you, did you? The gov't informs us of lots of things concerning OAS at that link.

 

[tibear]

BS. Social assistance programs are mainly decided by the provinces and are also based upon need, but are based upon need for almost anyone. Those social assistance programs do not generally apply to seniors because of the OAS.

And I am also paying those school taxes so that others can have theior kids educarted. I see no reason why some of my taxes can't help out seniors too.



You didn't read very much from that link I gave you, did you? The gov't informs us of lots of things concerning OAS at that link.

So you're telling me that no seniors receive social assistance? We both know that's BS.

Can't we at least agree that the best situation would be where the money goes to the neediest people regardless of age and that if OAS really is a need based system that it should be included in the social assistance program?

 

[L Gilbert]

So you're telling me that no seniors receive social assistance? We both know that's BS.

No I am not telling you that. Low English comprehension?

Can't we at least agree that the best situation would be where the money goes to the neediest people regardless of age and that if OAS really is a need based system that it should be included in the social assistance program?

It is a social assistance program benefiting seniors. Other social assistance programs meet needs for OTHER people mainly.

 

[tibear]

No I am not telling you that. Low English comprehension?

It is a social assistance program benefiting seniors. Other social assistance programs meet needs for OTHER people mainly.

Isn't that the whole point of the original post?? Let's get rid of all of these programs and have ONE program for everyone. Throw them all out and only give out money to those that REALLY need the money.

If OAS is a needs based program as you say then you wouldn't have a problem with this proposal.

 

[L Gilbert]

Isn't that the whole point of the original post?? Let's get rid of all of these programs and have ONE program for everyone. Throw them all out and only give out money to those that REALLY need the money.

If OAS is a needs based program as you say then you wouldn't have a problem with this proposal.

So like I said, you must be a bureaucrat if you want to exchange one program for another that does the same thing and spend hundreds of thousands to do it.

 

[tibear]

So like I said, you must be a bureaucrat if you want to exchange one program for another that does the same thing and spend hundreds of thousands to do it.

No, I'm saying stop paying money to millions of people that don't need the money and combine all of the various social assistance programs into ONE program. If you're poor and need money, apply to this ONE program and get money.

Why should millions of pensioners get OAS when they don't NEED it?

 

[damngrumpy]

Do not mess with old age security, I am now a senior myself and i get a small amount
Hear this any government of any stripe that messes with seniors and pensions of any
kind will be met with grey haired anger rising to swell the ranks of polling booths in the
next election.
OAS is not social assistance, it was a program designed for seniors pensions before
CPP and it will be around as long as there is an old person.