Toronto Star columnist Thomas Walkom has written a too-rare appreciation of where the new Liberal government in Canada is going with its promise to improve the Canada Pension Plan. Walkom published a hard-hitting column on the subject on December 23.
Amid much fanfare, Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau made a promise on September 14 to boost the old age pensions of Canadians should his party win election on October 19. CBC reported: ” The Liberal plan includes a promise to restore the eligibility for old age security and guaranteed income supplement back to 65 [from the change to age 67 by the Harper Conservatives], a new seniors price index to make sure those benefits keep up with rising costs, a ten per cent boost to the guaranteed supplement for single low-income seniors, and a pledge not to cut pension income splitting for seniors.”
Trudeau made his announcement at a staged setting, surrounded by members of CARP (formerly named the Canadian Association of Retired Persons), an organization that has long campaigned for improvements to Canada’s public pension plans.[1]
In reality, the Liberal campaign promise was quite modest. It did not propose any increases to CPP benefit payments, the core of Canada’s three-tiered old age support system. In addition to CPP, Canada’s public pension plan includes the 65-and–older, universal Old Age Security payment and the 65-and-older Guaranteed Income Supplement.
mo
New Canadian Government Breaks Promise of Pension Improvements
Amid much fanfare, Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau made a promise on September 14 to boost the old age pensions of Canadians should his party win election on October 19. CBC reported: ” The Liberal plan includes a promise to restore the eligibility for old age security and guaranteed income supplement back to 65 [from the change to age 67 by the Harper Conservatives], a new seniors price index to make sure those benefits keep up with rising costs, a ten per cent boost to the guaranteed supplement for single low-income seniors, and a pledge not to cut pension income splitting for seniors.”
Trudeau made his announcement at a staged setting, surrounded by members of CARP (formerly named the Canadian Association of Retired Persons), an organization that has long campaigned for improvements to Canada’s public pension plans.[1]
In reality, the Liberal campaign promise was quite modest. It did not propose any increases to CPP benefit payments, the core of Canada’s three-tiered old age support system. In addition to CPP, Canada’s public pension plan includes the 65-and–older, universal Old Age Security payment and the 65-and-older Guaranteed Income Supplement.
mo
New Canadian Government Breaks Promise of Pension Improvements
