Seniors

[Topaz]

Article out today says that the low-income seniors have been cheated out of money from the GIS for many years and it was just caught by the NDP government in Alberta. When asked about from the MIN.OF STATE ALICE WONG, SHE REFERRED it, TO Employment ans Social Development Canada, I think better know as Pierre Poilvere. http://www.lfpress.com/2015/08/18/federal-government-error-may-have-shortchanged-thousands-of-low-income-seniors

[overthere]

Nothing was caught by the Alberta government.

Front and center in your own link:

And this inexperienced retard running Human Services in AB might want to note that OAS is a federal program, none of which has much to do with Alberta. It does of course affect Albertans. The sole way the AB govt might be marginally affected is in the seniors supplements it provides- though OAS and the supplement are generally not inculded in taxable income\seniors benefits topups.

Federal officials notified the province of the problem late last week, Human Services spokeswoman Kathy Telfer said.

“We were just made aware of the situation by the federal government, so we’re awaiting for them to finish their file review and that will give us a far better idea of the scope and the impact on Alberta,” Telfer said. “Until we get more information from the feds, it’s pretty difficult to evaluate the extent of this.”

Edited August 18, 2015 by overthere

[Vancouver King]

Harper's Conservatives short changing our most vulnerable seniors? Why am I not surprised - it has the political ring of truth to it.

[Argus]

Harper's Conservatives short changing our most vulnerable seniors? Why am I not surprised - it has the political ring of truth to it.

Which is why the federal government found out about it, notified other governments, and is fixing it, right? Can you stretch your conspiracy theory to explain that?

[Vancouver King]

Which is why no report or specifics will be available until after the election. Can you imagine the lightning speed Harper would rectify an oil company short changed of it's annual taxpayer subsidy?

[Argus]

Which is why no report or specifics will be available until after the election. Can you imagine the lightning speed Harper would rectify an oil company short changed of it's annual taxpayer subsidy?

You and the rest of the Left continue with this theme of Harper loving the oil industry without a single shred of evidence to support it. It's just conspiracy theories on the part of people who don't understand industry, government or taxation.

[Topaz]

You and the rest of the Left continue with this theme of Harper loving the oil industry without a single shred of evidence to support it. It's just conspiracy theories on the part of people who don't understand industry, government or taxation.

What about the fact this dad work for Imperial OIL and too, did Harper, plus his two brothers do now.

[waldo]

... Harper loving the oil industry without a single shred of evidence to support it.

ask me for the evidence... and here... pull my finger!!!

[waldo]

And this inexperienced retard running Human Services in AB might want to note that OAS is a federal program, none of which has much to do with Alberta.

oh my! Perhaps you should actually read what the AB Minister said! And if it hasn't "much to do with Alberta"... why is the 'federal government' notifying all the provinces?

and what's this! The Harper Conservative Minister responsible for the area in question, chooses not to answer questions... instead chooses to refer inquiries to "media relations"! Oh my!

in any case... up to 7 years of retroactive payments due to the error - for the most impacted of seniors on fixed incomes... those requiring the supplement! As succinctly stated:

Former Conservative caucus member Brent Rathgeber, who is now running as an Independent in St. Albert-Edmonton, said the Stephen Harper government doesn’t want to talk about the mistake until after the election because it’s “an embarrassment and a political liability.”

“Had Parliament been sitting, no doubt there would have been tough questions asked of the minister responsible,” he said. “Sadly, the details are going to have to wait until after the election. I think that’s unfortunate because there will be individual Canadians caught up in the interim who will have a difficult time making their ends meet.”

[msj]

It is a mistake.

I'm sure Harper isn't the one personally making sure the calculations are being done right so lets get it fixed and move on from this political BS.

[waldo]

It is a mistake.

I'm sure Harper isn't the one personally making sure the calculations are being done right so lets get it fixed and move on from this political BS.

it's a mistake that doesn't have the HOC to examine... instead of having the responsible area Harper Conservative cabinet minister assume that responsibility and speak to details/resolution of the mistake, queries are referred to "media relations". And, of course, politicians aren't directly responsible for presumed low-level workings... but there is an accountability at play.

[msj]

Sure there is accountability here.

Some bureaucrats made a mistake.

Send them for training.

Fix the spreadsheet.

Pay the people; sorry about for the ones who have passed in the meantime.

Edited August 18, 2015 by msj

[overthere]

who is now running as an Independent in St. Albert-Edmonton

Waldo I just love your sources.

Any comment from other candidates?

[waldo]

Waldo I just love your sources.

Any comment from other candidates?

not "my source"... that's the source provided within the provided OP article. Is it your position that a currently positioned MP, one running for re-election, is not quote-worthy? If you have comments from other candidates, I trust the OP would encourage you to add relevant information to the thread... it is a discussion board after all - yes?

[Argus]

What about the fact this dad work for Imperial OIL and too, did Harper, plus his two brothers do now.

I worked for Canada Revenue but I'm not exactly in love with them.

[overthere]

not "my source"... that's the source provided within the provided OP article. Is it your position that a currently positioned MP, one running for re-election, is not quote-worthy? If you have comments from other candidates, I trust the OP would encourage you to add relevant information to the thread... it is a discussion board after all - yes?

I've been trying not to embarrass you by pointing out WHY the provinces, or at least Alberta, are notified. I can see you cannot help yourself though, politicizing a situation and thereby demonstrating that you don't understand and worse don't give a rats ass about those affected and what the actual result will be for them.

I'll explain it slowly and simply, then you can jump in and start blustering again.

The GIS supplements are paid only to low income seniors. If you have even a middling income, you don't get them at all in addition to OAS. In Alberta, the Alberta Seniors Benefit Program tops up the seniors income, and one of the qualifying criteria is that you are receiving GIS.

So what is the net result? Follow carefully here Wally! If the senior was underpaid by OAS, they'll be overpaid by the Seniors Benefit. They will have gotten what they were entitled to, but from the wrong funding source. Most of the OAS underpayment is going to end up with the province, because the seniors have already been paid.

[waldo]

I've been trying not to embarrass you by pointing out WHY the provinces, or at least Alberta, are notified. I can see you cannot help yourself though, politicizing a situation and thereby demonstrating that you don't understand and worse don't give a rats ass about those affected and what the actual result will be for them.

I'll explain it slowly and simply, then you can jump in and start blustering again.

If the senior was underpaid by OAS, they'll be overpaid by the Seniors Benefit. They will have gotten what they were entitled to, but from the wrong funding source. Most of the OAS underpayment is going to end up with the province, because the seniors have already been paid.

notwithstanding your blustering disparagement of the spokesperson (your "inexperienced retard" labeling)... in that same initial post, you referred to the underpayment as OAS... and you've done it again in this latest post I'm replying to. Do you know the difference between OAS and GIS?

if I actually give you the benefit of the doubt and you meant to say GIS (through multiple posts now), you don't know what you're talking about! That provincial benefit is based upon taxable income level... as a social benefit, GIS is not taxable income. Your presumed federal underpayment balanced against provincial over-payment is nonsense. As your above post opened, "I've been trying not to embarrass you"!

[msj]

Waldo, GIS does show up on tax returns.

It goes on line 147 to be included in total income (line 150) and net income (line 236).

OAS shows up on line 113 (and does not get deducted unless it is clawed back - at line 235 - prior to calculating one's net income).

One's net income is then subject to further deductions, such as the deduction of the GIS at line 250, before arriving at taxable income at line 260.

So, yes, the GIS does show up on the tax return as "an in and an out."

How it gets factored into the Alberta calculation I do not know because I am fortunate enough to live and practice in BC.

[waldo]

thanks for confirming my statement that the social benefit GIS doesn't factor into taxable income... it appears member 'overwhere' has gone walkabout!

[overthere]

I've been trying not to embarrass you by pointing out WHY the provinces, or at least Alberta, are notified. I can see you cannot help yourself though, politicizing a situation and thereby demonstrating that you don't understand and worse don't give a rats ass about those affected and what the actual result will be for them.

I'll explain it slowly and simply, then you can jump in and start blustering again.

The GIS supplements are paid only to low income seniors. If you have even a middling income, you don't get them at all in addition to OAS. In Alberta, the Alberta Seniors Benefit Program tops up the seniors income, and one of the qualifying criteria is that you are receiving GIS.

So what is the net result? Follow carefully here Wally! If the senior was underpaid by OAS, they'll be overpaid by the Seniors Benefit. They will have gotten what they were entitled to, but from the wrong funding source. Most of the OAS underpayment is going to end up with the province, because the seniors have already been paid.

something has gone wrong with my computer. I see references to GIS and the difference between GIS and OAS. Wally does not.

I expect the feds to pay the provinces much of the underpayment for the GIS, and leave it to them to give the oldies a bonus cheque or not.

Sadly, Grandma s not a victim here, much to Waldos chagrin.

[msj]

thanks for confirming my statement that the social benefit GIS doesn't factor into taxable income... it appears member 'overwhere' has gone walkabout!

Well, after looking into the Alberta program it appears that they do this:

They take Total Income (line 150) and then make some adjustments.

One of those adjustments is to remove the GIS.

So, the GIS does go in and then is taken out of their calculation without reference to taxable income.

As such, I would expect that it should have no impact on the Alberta benefit at all.

I ran a couple of scenarios through the estimator calculator and it appears to confirm this.

Which is not to say that it would not impact one of the other related programs (optical assistance/dental assistance) but I do not have enough experience with this program to begin to consider those.