A Poilievre government would not necessarily raise pensions

Photo: Nathan Denette La Presse canadienne Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre speaks to the media during a press conference at the Pride of Israel Synagogue in Toronto on Thursday, October 10, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Michel Saba – The Canadian Press in Ottawa

Published yesterday at 12:33 p.m. Updated yesterday at 6:45 p.m.

• Canada

While he currently supports increasing the Old Age Security pension for seniors aged 65 to 74, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he wouldn't necessarily do so if his party formed government.

“The Conservatives voted to signal that seniors should have more purchasing power,” he said Thursday at a news conference in Toronto.

Poilievre, whose party supported a Bloc motion on the issue last week and who agrees that seniors are “struggling to pay their bills,” was asked whether he would commit to such an increase if his party were to take power.

“There are other ways to help them: you can cut taxes — seniors pay a lot of taxes on their pensions and retirement funds — and we’re looking at proposals to cut taxes for everyone,” he said. “That will reward the work of younger people, small businesses, but also seniors.”

The Bloc Québécois motion on pension increases was adopted in the Commons, despite the fact that almost all Liberals opposed it. In addition to the Conservatives, the New Democrats supported the Bloc in their initiative.

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Government House Leader Karina Gould argued that procedurally, the Bloc Québécois opposition day motion was not the appropriate vehicle to win the case. Her colleague, Minister of Employment Randy Boissonnault, said that seniors in the age group in question are “better off than ever” right now.

The motion called on the Liberals to take steps to grant the royal recommendation to Bill C-319 on increasing the old age security pension. This is necessary for the adoption of the legislative piece since it provides for expenditure.

Two weeks ago, the Bloc Québécois issued an ultimatum to Justin Trudeau's minority government if it wanted to maintain its support. The adoption of C-319 by October 29 was part of this.

A Bloc spokesperson, Joanie Riopel, stuck to retorting that her political party “expects” the Conservatives to continue to support the initiative.

“We need some consistency”

During Question Period in the House of Commons, the Bloc directed its attacks on the Liberals by pointing to a recent Nanos poll revealing that 79% of Canadians are in favour of a 10% increase in the pension for those aged 65 to 74, as proposed in C-319.

“Sometimes, it seems like the Liberals are doing it on purpose to be hated. […] Why are they so keen to deprive a million Quebecers of income?” asked their seniors critic, Andréanne Larouche.

Seniors Minister Steven MacKinnon suggested that the Bloc is talking with both sides of the issue since they don't want to know anything about the dental care program because it encroaches on provincial jurisdictions.

“We would have a little more credibility in the statements of the pro-independence party on the other side if they hadn't acted openly and aggressively to oppose hundreds and hundreds of dollars in dental care for each of our seniors in need, not just in Quebec, but across Canada,” he said. “We need some consistency here!” »

Minister MacKinnon also maintained that “not so long ago, the Bloc Québécois wanted us to retire at 67.” However, Mr. MacKinnon’s office confirmed that he was referring to a vote in 2016 that included a range of measures, not just overturning the Conservatives’ decision to raise the retirement age.

According to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, increasing the pension amount for seniors aged 65 to 74 to the level of those aged 75 and over would cost $16 billion over the next five years.