NDP calls on government to give emergency one-off payment to desperate seniors

OTTAWA - New Democrats need the federal authorities to offer probably the most cash-strapped seniors a one-off emergency fee to assist them pay for fundamentals, together with meals and hire.

Rachel Blaney, the NDP’s spokeswoman on seniors, stated at a information convention Friday that some low-income seniors can’t afford their hire, and reside of their vehicles.

The NDP desires an emergency fee to assist low-income seniors who claimed pandemic helps that led to their assured earnings complement funds being reduce.

On Thursday, Blaney and NDP finance critic Daniel Blaikie wrote to Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and Seniors Minister Kamal Khera asking them to swiftly present the one-time fee to assist pensioners struggling to get by.

On the information convention, Blaney described the dire circumstances some pensioners who had contacted NDP MPs had been in. She stated some had gone to mortgage sharks for cash to pay their hire.

Blaney recounted how the NDP had been contacted by relations of pensioners saying their kinfolk had been contemplating taking their very own lives.

She recalled one one that stated, “My mother is speaking about suicide.”

In December, within the authorities’s financial and financial replace, Freeland allotted $742 million for one-time funds to low-income seniors impacted by clawbacks of their GIS profit.

However Blaikie stated the cash received’t attain their financial institution accounts till Could.

“That shall be too late for a lot of seniors going hungry, struggling to pay for medicine and experiencing homelessness. It’s completely unacceptable for the federal government to make them wait till Could for assist,” he stated.

“That’s why we’re asking the minister to get cash out the door and into seniors’ pockets now.”

Adrienne Vaupshas, press secretary to Freeland, stated seniors who had their advantages clawed again after claiming COVID-19 emergency advantages would get their a refund.

“Our authorities is dedicated to supporting probably the most susceptible Canadians … together with our seniors. We'll be sure that seniors are totally compensated for any decline of their GIS advantages in the event that they wanted to entry CERB final yr as shortly as potential. We shall be there to help them,” Vaupshas stated.

Khera didn't instantly reply to a request for remark.

This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Jan. 21, 2022.