Senator Downe Asks Auditor-General to Examine the Flaws in the Delivery of the Guaranteed Income Supplement
January 13, 2005
Senator Percy Downe has asked the Auditor-General to examine the Guaranteed Income Supplement program to determine why so many eligible Canadians are not receiving assistance.
In a letter to the Auditor General, Sheila Fraser, Senator Downe says “the (GIS) program has a tremendous potential to help Canadian seniors. But as it currently operates, it is unable to reach all those in need.”
Although some outreach steps have been taken by the federal government there are still eligible seniors, not receiving the benefit.
“At $550 per month, the GIS can make a tremendous difference in the lives of seniors,” Senator Downe said. “I believe the federal government can do much more to ensure that everyone who deserves this assistance actually receives it.”
During the last decade, the GIS helped to decrease the poverty rate among Canadian seniors. According to Statistics Canada, the poverty rate has been reduced from 11 to 7.3 per cent over the last ten years.
“However, many seniors are still slipping through the cracks,” Senator Downe said.
The source of the problem lies with the way the federal government determines who will receive the assistance.
If a senior does not file an income tax return - for any reason - they may be unaware of their eligibility.
“The federal government spends huge amounts of money to ensure that Canadians pay their taxes,” Senator Downe said in his letter to the Auditor-General. Therefore, “it must also ensure that it pays the money owed to citizens in return.
“The government has not taken all the necessary steps to ensure that they pay low income seniors the money they deserve. The program has a tremendous potential to help Canadian seniors but as it currently operates it is unable to reach all those in need. I hope that your office can examine the G.I.S. program and recommend changes to correct this worthwhile but fundamentally flawed program.” |