Little for seniors in 2013 budget

As it relates to Canada’s retirees, and near retirees, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s eighth, and some say his last, federal budget has received mixed reactions from industry stakeholders.

They say its provisions neither improve nor impair the quality of life led by the nation’s seniors.

Read: Budget 2013 focuses on deficit taming

The Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP), was first out of the gate to express disappointment, arguing the budget did little to address priority concerns – retirement security, seniors’ poverty, equitable access to healthcare, affordable drugs and home care.

Susan Eng, CARP’s vice-president for advocacy called measures for seniors as modest.

“While primarily a provincial responsibility, federal leadership and funding is needed and the modest measures are welcome but insufficient on their own to make a material difference in how people today can access these services,” she says. “The social safety net has been fraying through neglect or deliberate government action.”

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This article was published by Advisor.ca on March 21st, 2013.

 

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