Petition to the Government of Canada
TIME IS RUNNING OUT! WOW! Over 2500 signatures for the Online Petition!
HAVE YOU SIGNED YET?
Sign the Petition BEFORE
September 14, 2024, at 3:57 p.m. (EDT).
Sign the official federal petition now to demand changes to pensions for seniors and help lift low income seniors out of poverty. Follow the links to the official petition site.
PLEASE NOTE: IT IS A TWO STEP PROCESS
– DON’T FORGET THAT AFTER YOU HAVE SIGNED –
THERE IS ONE LAST STEP REQUIRED…
You will receive an email to validate your identity.
You must click the link provided in order to complete the signature process.
The petition will remain open until
September 14, 2024, at 3:57 p.m. (EDT).
TIME IS RUNNING OUT!
A heartfelt thank you to our volunteer Petrine Paquette for getting this done!
Whereas:
- Statistics Canada’s data on the elderly poverty rate reflects that a percentage of seniors have historically lived below the poverty line contributing to inadequate diets, failing health, isolation and depression;
- Seniors are experiencing food insecurity and having to access food banks and soup kitchens;
- Food Bank Canada, reports that in 2023, 8% of their clientele were seniors;
- An increasing number of seniors are homeless or facing homelessness due to inflation beyond their means;
- Seniors are being forced to get reverse mortgages on their homes and work, past the age they intended to, often with health issues;
- The Old Age Security (OAS), Canada Pension Plan (CPP), and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) ceiling, which is below the poverty level of $23,513.00, cannot cover the current cost of living;
- Seniors who work past 70, either by choice or necessity, cannot contribute to the CPP to increase their post-retirement benefits for additional income;
- Many Canadians, especially women, were not in a working position to save for retirement and now they must rely solely on OAS, CPP and GIS; and
- The Government of Canada’s one-time payments to seniors are helpful and appreciated, but seniors need a sustainable living income to elevate them above the poverty level.
We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to provide a universal liveable income, indexed to the cost of living, to Canadian citizens, 65 and over, that exceeds the poverty level to allow them to have an acceptable standard of living. Further, we call for agreements that eliminate provincial and territorial clawbacks of federal benefits.
21 Comments
Eleanor Orser
Every person deserves to live in dignity!
Carole Fawcett
They do and perhaps if enough people take part, sign the petitions and help to Organize we can
make the necessary changes so that Seniors can live with dignity. Thank you for caring.
Alexandria Ariane Walker
Petition: Signed & Shared. Very shared. Thank you.
Carole Fawcett
Thank you Alexandria.
Dagmar Dagmar
The pensioners live in poverty hardly able to live. It is a disgrace.
Please increase the pension rate. The Government officials had just huge increase in their salary but the pensioners only get .08 % increase. It is shameful. we are becoming a 3rd world country.
Carole Fawcett
Hi Dagmar
I 100% agree with you. We need to get the attention of the government and we can do that by rallying together on June 27th. I don’t know what town you are in, but perhaps you could help to organize a Rally in your town? Or attend one if there is someone who organizes in your town. So far we have Terrace, Vanderhoof, Williams Lake, Kamloops, Vernon, White Rock and Ladysmith. Feel free to reach out to me at carolef@shaw.ca
Carole Fawcett
Hi everyone – just wanted to drop in and encourage you to take part in Rally’s in your town. We have them happening in Terrace, Vanderhoof, Williams Lake, Kamloops, Vernon, White Rock/South Surrey, and Ladysmith so far. Make up your signs and help seniors everywhere get noticed so that the Gov’t will increase the pension. We need OAS and GIS increased with no penalties involved if you earn $10 doing something to improve your quality of life. The time has come the senior said. Make it a good Rally. Wishing you all the very best. Take your friends, family and neighbours to help to make a positive difference in the lives of Seniors. We want this to be Canada wide and that is our aim.
Cathy Carey
Hi. Just got an email saying I had already signed the petition. I hope that the powers that be realize we are the generation that still votes and with a federal election coming up, we boomers, will be the ones who decide who’s staying and who’s not.
I live in White Rock. I will be taking part in the March and bringing my neighbours with me.
Cathy
Carole Fawcett
Excellent – I agree. Voting is powerful.
gary mckay
Time to take more care of the seniors
Robert A. Vass
I defently agree that seniors are being left behind. Many other low income Canadian residents are recieving grants, subsidies and they are needed but again seniors don’t. The Federal Government raising our OAS by .8% and .7% based on their calculation of cost of living increase is a joke they think that they are doing us a big service. The Federal Government needs realy get their S—- together we are all voters. Example in B.C. a person who makes minimum wage of $17.40 and works full time makes about the same as two seniors collecting OAS, GIS and CCP. There something really wrong here! The B.C. Government is even worse with their so called low income seniors benefit, which amount to nothing after they do their calculations of income which veries from web site to web site. One says they only use OAS and GIS as income another states they use all income to calculate their seniors benefit. Who are you to believe and how do you apply when the line moves in favour of the governments. We seniors have paid into the coffers by way of taxes for many years we should be recognized for this but we don’t. One more item the lowest paid MP / Backbencher makes $203,100.00 per year these MP’s make more two months than two seniors make all year. I have said my piece Thanks.
Carole Fawcett
Hi Robert, I couldn’t agree more. This is why we need to get more people out when we demonstrate. Next one is October 5th!! Not sure what town you are in. You can reach us at flower1@shaw.ca
Candace Colmer
Food Banks are not accessible to many seniors who can’t carry groceries or pull a cart to get there. Likely more then 8% use by seniors.
Carole Fawcett
I think you are right. I think there are a whole lot more seniors who use the food bank, or who need to use the food bank than is known.
Alan Gray
There are only two things that get the attention of politicians…one is to reduce their access to money. The other is to inconvenience them by blocking access to their offices or meetings. We need to take a page out of other activist organizations and march in sufficient numbers to block entrances without inconveniencing motorists.
Carole Fawcett
Hi Allan – and if only other seniors would hear your voice. I have been trying to get as many seniors (and others) out as possible, because I totally agree with you. The higher the numbers of attendance at the rallies, the more attention we will get. I have reached out to seniors centres across BC and not all of them respond. I have sent emails, phoned, left messages. Where are you located? Would you help us out and be an organizer in your community, if your community does not have someone already? We are going into our 4th Rally on October 5th. You can let me know by emailing me at flower1@shaw.ca. Thank you.
jacob huebert
not only do seniors live below poverty line but if you are married you get even less age and marriage discrimination get out of the40s and 1950s for shame on you shame politicians
Carole Fawcett
Yes indeed, get out of the 40’s and 50’s. Where in BC are you located Jacob? Would you be able to help organize a Rally in your community?
Robert White
Living in the Yukon prices are extremely high by the time I pay rent phone an internet I have enough to by a few groceries yet immigrants refugees get over twice as much as seniors an they don’t even have to work this country an government is a down right shame how they treat the seniors
Marilyn Ashman
Signed & Shared! The Government has put Seniors at the bottom of the List.
They keep decreasing the OAS, take away Benefits just because you have a small investment in their Banks. Seniors are not allowed to stay afloat or put a little away in case of any emergency. Meanwhile Canada’s Politicians are screwing us while using our money.
Enough! The Trudeau Government has sunk all of us for to many years.
Carole Fawcett
Hi Marilyn. I agree. Seniors are totally ignored – no mention of us in the budget. We have to join forces in large numbers to get the attention. Are you able to organize a Rally in your town? If you can help out, contact me at flower1@shaw.ca and I can help you to do this.