Talk about long distance elder abuse
... in the Alps our PM muses about OAS cuts
by Brian Kieran
Here’s a new twist on elder abuse.
Half way around the world and safely isolated from the rage of Canadians, Prime Minister Stephen Harper strutted onto centre stage in Davos, Switzerland last Thursday and baffled the world’s political and industrial elite by declaring that Canada’s elderly have become a fiscal pain in the ass.
In all my years watching politicians embarrass themselves I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed such a cowardly and insensitive performance.
In a swaggering speech to wealthy, world-weary delegates at the Davos World Economic Forum the PM said Canada’s increasing elderly population is threatening the country’s social fabric, the “services Canadians cherish.”
Harper bragged: “We’ve already taken steps to limit the growth of our health care spending. We must do the same for our retirement income system.”
Back home in the Prime Minister’s Office panicked staff quickly assembled the damage control team. PMO “talking points” were hastily blasted to freaked out Tories across the land assuring them that proposed cuts to pensions are several years away and won't affect Canadians currently approaching their golden years.
Let’s just pause for a moment to reflect on Harper’s long-distance message to Canadians. Essentially it is this: Canada’s elderly, who have spent their working lives helping build a rock solid economy that is the envy of the world, are suddenly a millstone around the nation’s neck.
Have I got that right? I think I do. Harper said Canada’s old-age security program is unsustainable. Unlike the well-funded Canada Pension Plan there is no pool of money to support OAS.
Proposed changes to OAS were never articulated by Harper, nevertheless, the mere hint that OAS cuts are being considered strikes fear in the hearts of tens of thousands of low income seniors.
There is no question that in the medium term there are going to be fiscal challenges funding OAS. It's expected that by 2035, the ratio of working Canadians to those over 65 will be two-to-one. Currently, that ratio is four-to-one. The government predicts the cost of pensions, currently about $35.6 billion, will triple by 2030. However, baby boomers will start dying off by 2020 and spending on the elderly will start to decrease naturally.
The NDP called Harper’s stunt a “slap in the face” to Canada’s elderly. Peter Julian, the opposition finance critic, suggested that seniors will soon be forced to work until they are 67 to qualify for OAS.
Interim Liberal leader Bob Rae was all over Harper: "Instead of bringing in the changes our pension system needs to ensure sustainable prosperity, this government is stripping benefits from seniors that they rely on and have earned. This is completely unacceptable."
Rae added that Harper hasn't been clear with Canadians on his approach to the pension issue and he criticized the PM for not bringing his intentions about pensions to the public during the last federal election campaign. "He didn't have to go to his alpine perch to let us in on the news ... he should have told Canadians before the election."
One thing is obvious to Rae and anyone else with the brains that God gave a goose – Harper would not enjoy the majority he has today if pension slashing had been an election issue.
I hope Canada’s seniors, and those who respect their contributions to this country, rise up and challenge the prime minister’s callous insensitivity.
(Brian Kieran is a veteran BC political columnist wordsmithing on the leading edge of the grey tsunami.)
