Carney government not playing fair with seniors

Dear Editor:

Prime Minister Carney just announced the annual July recalculation of the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) for 2027-28 year to keep pace with inflation. For children under six it’s $160 per month increase, for children aged six to 17 it’s $135 per month increase and this is a non-taxable benefit. Our tax dollars already pay for subsidized daycare, for subsidized universal lunch programs and now parents will receive more a month for a CCB than a senior citizen receives on the Old Age Security (OAS) benefit.

Yet the seniors OAS benefit is a taxable income. The last significant OAS increases have only gone to those aged 75 plus which is discriminatory as it’s based on age. Seniors are not exempt from paying income tax, nor are seniors exempt from paying property taxes if we own our homes. Seniors are being financially disadvantaged from every angle by this government especially the seniors aged 65-74. In the past 12 months my OAS increased by $10 per month and during that same time period using the same Consumer Price Index, the CCB has increased $135-$160 per month. I don’t have to be a mathematician to know that’s unjustly disadvantaging seniors.

Seniors call your MP’s Office, email them as well and demand our fair treatment.

Beth Wilkinson

Porters Lake, NS