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Government Clawback of OAS Pensions/Family Allowances

90.4 Government Clawback of Old Age Security Pensions/Family Allowances

Whereas, The principle of universality of benefits is basic to the Canadian social welfare system; and,

Whereas, The clawback plan is discriminatory in that it targets specific sources of income instead of increasing the rate of the general surtax; and,

Whereas, Senior citizens have already contributed towards their OAS pension, originally through a special tax levy and since 1972 through general taxes, and have counted on the OAP as part of their retirement package; and,

Whereas, An increasing number of Canadians will be subject to the clawback if the formula for indexing the rise in the recovery threshold is maintained indefinitely; therefore be it,

RESOLVED, That The National Council of Women of Canada urge the Government of Canada to:

  1. Withdraw the plan to clawback OAS and Family Allowance benefits; and,
  2. Secure the needed extra revenue by reforming the tax system to ensure that income is taxed equitably and progressively according to income level, no matter what its source.