At the 1:30 mark and onwards, Flaherty gives an answer on his OAS age eligibility increase that is receiving some attention tonight. Two callers to the CPAC call-in show that ended at 10:00 p.m. EST remarked on Flaherty’s comment being rude. In tone, the way he emphasized the word “poor”
Continue readingTag: old age security benefit
Impolitical: The greatest show on earth
The big budget circus happens today. The big item, not to be lost sight of among all the other baubles that will be in the window, is in the headline here: “Conservative’s budget to reset retirement at age 67.” It’s a legacy choice by Stephen Harper, he will be the
Continue readingImpolitical: Harper not in step with Canadians on OAS
This is not a well chosen headline for the report that was written: “Harper’s OAS reforms in step with public opinion: poll.” This one was a little better but still off: “Harper’s OAS reforms move in step with public opinion, government polling shows.” What the polling cited in the headlines
Continue readingImpolitical: Austerity for thee, not for me
This is the kind of thing that just doesn’t help when a Prime Minister is eyeing Old Age Security benefits for cuts: “Despite goal of restraint, Harper’s top bureaucrats rack up hefty travel costs.” Terrible optics and poor timing on that one. Elsewhere on the pensions issue, if you missed
Continue readingImpolitical: Why Flaherty was so upset with the PBO this week – part 2
A follow-up here to a post from Thursday morning on the blog on the matter of Flaherty’s visceral reaction to the Parliamentary Budget Officer’s Wednesday report on OAS being in fiscally sustainable shape. In iPolitics on Friday afternoon, this column was published by two very reputable former Finance Department officials:
Continue readingImpolitical: Why Flaherty was so upset with the PBO yesterday
Well, there was the main takeaway from Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page’s report release yesterday on the fiscal sustainability of Old Age Security that Flaherty would not have been too pleased with: “OAS sustainable under current rules, says budget watchdog.” That main point runs counter to the government’s messaging. And
Continue readingImpolitical: More Conservative circular firing squad please
Nothing like those emails and phone calls to MPs to wake ’em up: Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s musings about possible changes to Old Age Security have resulted in a public backlash — and complaints from his own MPs. Conservative MPs have been overwhelmed with emails and phone calls from constituents
Continue readingImpolitical: On nothing burgers
Kevin Milligan, associate economics professor out at UBC is quoted again today on Old Age Security in another report on what experts are saying about the question of raising the age of eligibility. He reiterates the point that our spending on OAS as a percent of GDP is much lower
Continue readingImpolitical: Juxtaposing Harper: OAS version
Harper to the House of Commons, yesterday, when questioned on his proposed cuts to Old Age Security: “Everybody understands that there are demographic realities that do threaten the viability of these programs over the longer term. We will ensure that these programs are funded and viable for the future generations
Continue readingImpolitical: More on raising the Old Age Security age eligibility
A brief follow-up to yesterday’s post on the possibility of a hike in OAS age eligibility here. Here is the first of many analyses likely to come along now that Harper has raised the issue of “major” reforms to Canada’s pension system, namely the OAS: “Does Harper really need to
Continue reading