While the establishment and the media may play this bill to foment anger and negativity, the fact is that pension benefits are claimed by immigrant seniors who come from European countries, a fact that the mainstream media and the Conservatives have not addressed at all while blowing their usual anti-immigrant horn. Canada has agreement with certain European nations to give the benefits to the seniors who immigrate to Canada from those countries while denying largely non-European immigrant seniors the same benefits because they come from nations that are not recognized by Canada to grant this benefit, which makes it a discriminatory and a form of extreme racism.
By R. Paul Dhillon
OTTAWA – The NDP’s Libby Davies has revived a much sought after bill and one long shepherded by Indo-Canadian seniors to eliminate the 10-year residency requirement to qualify for old age pension benefits.
The Vancouver MP has introduced a motion calling on the government to open the federal pension to recent immigrants. That could also grant new arrivals access to the guaranteed income supplement.
Davies’ effort comes through one of dozens of motions she tabled in the House of Commons back in June.
Former Liberal MP Ruby Dhalla introduced the same Bill C428: An Act to Amend the Old Age Security Act to equalize the residency requirement for all immigrant seniors regardless of country of origin.
“It is with great pleasure I introduce a private members Bill to amend the Old Age Security Act. This bill seeks to increase support to immigrant seniors and erase an inequality that exists against seniors coming to Canada from certain countries like China, India and others in Africa, South America, and the Caribbean,” she said at the time of introducing her bill.
But Dhalla failed to get support given the great tide of anti Bill c428 propaganda by Conservative MPs.
“I have received more angry mail in opposition to [Dhalla’s] bill than on any other bill that has come before the House during my career,” said Conservative MP Pierre Poilievere in an e-mail.
Immigrant seniors from China, India and others such non-European countries have to wait 10 years to receive their Old Age Security benefits vs. 3 years for seniors coming from other countries.
For years, immigrant seniors have been marginalized and forced to live close to the poverty line. At present, depending upon country of origin, some seniors must wait 10 years to receive their benefit while others wait 3 years. This practice is unfair, unjust, and discriminatory.
“All seniors in Canada, irrespective of their country of origin deserve to age with dignity. Seniors form the foundation of our country and deserve to be treated with equality, fairness and respect so that they may age in comfort,” said Dhalla.
While the establishment and the media may play this bill to foment anger and negativity, the fact is that pension benefits are claimed by immigrant seniors who come from European countries, a fact that the mainstream media and the Conservatives have not addressed at all while blowing their usual anti-immigrant horn.
Canada has agreement with certain European nations to give the benefits to the seniors who immigrate to Canada from those countries while denying largely non-European immigrant seniors the same benefits because they come from nations that are not recognized by Canada to grant this benefit, which makes it a discriminatory and a form of extreme racism.
It’s not clear when Davies’ motion will come up for a vote in the Commons.
