Following new information from Statistics Canada that the cost of essentials such as food, housing and gasoline are rising, North Island-Powell River MP Rachel Blaney is calling on the federal government to stop clawing back support from Canadians who need help.
According to a media release, last week, the NDP asked that the 80,000 low-income seniors who were cut off the guaranteed income supplement (GIS) for receiving pandemic supports continue to get the help they need. New Democrats are also asking for urgent action to help the low-income families who have had the Canada child benefit (CCB) they count on taken away from them.
“Low-income seniors and families cannot afford to have these vital benefits taken away, especially with the rising cost of living,” stated Blaney. “The Liberal government needs to address this crisis immediately.”
The release stated that media reports have confirmed that the government knew in May 2021 that low-income families would see the support they received from the CCB drop. So far, the Liberal government hasn’t taken the necessary action to fix the problem, the release stated, and 30 per cent of the families who are seeing the sharpest drop in their benefit have total incomes less than $20,000 per year.
On November 18, Statistics Canada indicated that the cost of living is rising across the country; the price of gasoline rose 41.7 per cent from last October, according to the release. New Democrats are saying this will make it even harder for Canadian families to afford the things they need.
