Human Resources committee  Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity. Because of the time constraints, I would like to reduce the presentation I submitted to you earlier. I would like to concentrate on the points where this issue is opposed in general. I have already appeared at some other forums on Bill C-362, and I presented certain views that might be in common with what I say today, but they are relevant here more than before.

Human Resources committee  Yes, my friend Michael has made my point, that only a very insignificant population of people past 65 are deprived of this payment. In the family, in the reunification, they are indispensable members. They have wisdom, they have experience, they have knowledge. Some of them are retired people who have a lot of knowledge in a technical and professional background, which is highly useful to the younger generation.

Human Resources committee  The head office in Vancouver of the Old Age Benefits Forum has researched it and come up with the figure, which is that only 5% of the over-65 citizens are not getting this benefit because of residency conditions--only 5% of the seniors population; 95% are getting this benefit. If you like, I can send this information to you.

Human Resources committee  This is a fight. They have joined with us.

Human Resources committee  Common people, ordinary people are being affected because they are deprived of this benefit, I should say. I should not say “pension”. It's a benefit. A sector of the people should not be deprived of the benefit. Canada is a great country because the medical facilities are provided after three months, and on them there's no residency condition.

Human Resources committee  No, the Old Age Benefits Forum is a Canadian-registered body, but we joined with the other organizations in objecting. They joined with us to strengthen this case because they too are suffering. The Chinese are suffering. The Africans are suffering. People from Arabic countries are suffering.

Human Resources committee  I'd like to say the simple thing, and my point is very straight. You know that GIS is a guaranteed income supplement--guaranteed. If it is a guaranteed one, a citizen of Canada should not be deprived of his guaranteed income supplement. Is it a reasonable justice to a man who is a citizen of Canada but is not getting any guaranteed income supplement?

Human Resources committee  Yes.

Human Resources committee  It is my contention that old age security income still is old age income security. If you are attaching residency, then where is the income security? It is the residency that is secure, not the income. My point here is that if one becomes a Canadian citizen, then no such condition should apply if other Canadians, after one year, start getting it even if they are not citizens of Canada.

Human Resources committee  Yes, I like that GIS is assured to me without any condition on years of residency, because it is an income supplement to provide minimum income security, so it should not be tied or tagged to 10 years of residency.

Human Resources committee  I estimate that the first one is the most significant and important, because it concerns income security for seniors. The others were just general resolutions by all the communities of the GTA, which I have mentioned--that is, Africans, Chinese, Hispanic, South Asians. All the rest of the points can be taken up by respective governments, but the first one, which is concerned with the federal government, is the condition of 10 years of residency for old age security income.

Human Resources committee  Yes. I think it should be the same as it is for others who get these benefits after one year of their residency here. I'd like it to go to the extent that the moment he becomes a citizen, after three years, no condition of residency should be tagged on his back because he is coming from a particular country.

Human Resources committee  I'm concluding. These measures are jointly recommended so as to reiterate our joint commitment to the principle of respect for human dignity. The seniors network has also drafted a public petition, which is based on the all-party resolution, in order to demonstrate public support for the issue.

Human Resources committee  Okay. It would be opportune to give a brief glimpse of the story of our struggle for the amendment of this section of the OAS Act. The Right Honourable Paul Martin, in a number of meetings with the OABF in Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver, expressed his unequivocal support and commitment--and also publicly announced this on certain occasions--to resolve this genuine issue.

Human Resources committee  Hello. Good afternoon. Mr. Chair, members, ladies and gentlemen, my topic is equitable treatment of all Canadian seniors in the granting of old age benefits. We, the members of Old Age Benefits Forum, Ontario chapter, under the leadership of the Old Age Benefits Forum of Canada (Registered), which is based in Vancouver, are struggling to amend the Old Age Security Act to remove the unfair 10-year residency clause for certain immigrants who come from China, South Asia, Arabia, South America, Eastern Europe, Africa, and others.