January 2012 Budget Challenge

[Valiant]

Fallen Pixels, Mr. Harper has pronounced a death sentence on the sick, injured, poor and elderly who are underemployed or unemployable. Many Seniors who are not yet able to qualify for OAS or CPP, or Disability and Social Assistance for other reasons since the restrictions became more rigid, are already in dire straits, eking out a living, and deciding if they can pay for their food OR their meds each month. These are weak, fragile folks, who have given their all to this country and are now vulnerable, some of the most vulnerable people in our society.
Many people will die because of Mr. Harper's mandate, and I may be one of those people.
Bandy the ages and figures around as much as you please; but there is a reason why that figure was set at age 65, and it's because of the health problems and unemployability of most people of that age.

Mr. Harper blew our comfortable, initial surplus in the few years he's been in power, and put Canada into serious debt. He spent our money foolishly because he does not know how to properly provide leadership and direction to the people of Canada. He does not understand the people, and he does not know how to make fair and good decisions with our finances. He's more like a spoiled rich kid blowing his inheritance at frat parties, and then waking up one day, looking in his wallet and finding it empty, checking his credit cards and finding them maxed out. So who does he go to to remedy his problem, back to the old folks, and this time he's looking to sell them out, just to bail himself out. And he justifies it with rhetoric that the old folks have had it good for far too long. And he exhibits no conscience about the terrible outcome of his decision.

I survived the awful last few years of Mr. Filmon's government in Manitoba. Prompted by the Reform Party mantra, he had some of the most disabled Seniors I've ever seen, (semi-comatose and with their life-support and IV bottles dangling from their wheelchairs), and with their caregivers behind them pushing their wheelchairs, out every day and in the winter time, being pushed from place to place to get "prospective employers' " signatures on their monthly social assistance "work incentive" form, so they could qualify month-by-month for their SA income.
A SIN AND A SHAME!!!

And I'd like to lay a stick on the behind of anybody in government, and anyone else, who wants to do this to the rest of us Seniors during Harper's rule. They didn't get their @sses paddled enough when they were getting too big for their britches, I guess, and that's why they think they don't have to respect their elders and betters now.

[Valiant]

(Quoted from a post made by Vanessa Hamilton, on "eBrandon.ca")


The Federal Government is one man show, Harper's way or the highway. It's unfortunate for the people who actually voted for him, for seniors who have contributed their share to society are now being regarded as troublesome and a burden to social programs (not that he truly cares about those anyway).

What does he care about? Not seniors, healthcare, workers, the environment or even democracy. Here are Harper's priorities:

1. Paid more than Proctor and Gamble does in a whole year of advertising in Canada on The Economic Action Plan from Jan - March.

2. Approx. $1 Billion spent for Harper's G20 3 day security summit

3. Harper paid the RCMP $500 million at the G20 summit

4. Harper's personal security costs $47 million in just under two years

5.Harper government $2 million fake lake, and $9.4 million dollar G20 fence

6. $29 Billion contract for Lockheed Martin new F-35 jets

7.Harper spending $35-billion for new ships

8.$9 Billion for New super Jails when crime rates are the lowest in 27 years

9. Harper government illegal $50 Million dollar "G8 Legacy fund"

10. Harper spent $23 million on a media centre for the G8 leaders 3 day summit.

11.Federal spending up 22% since Harper took power

12.$226M in proposed veterans cuts by the Harper Government

13.The Harper government dropped more than $10 million on news conferences over the past five years

14. Harper cuts over $200 million in environment spending


Harper's Dictatorship doesn't care about any Canadian

[bobbiegirl2010]

Ok, since I don't really know a whole lot about OAS I looked it up on the Service Canada website. This is what it has to say about eligibility:

We look at three factors to determine if you can receive the Old Age Security pension: your age, your legal status, and the number of years you have lived in Canada.
If one of the two scenarios listed below describes your situation, you may be eligible to receive the Old Age Security pension.
Scenario 1 - People living in Canada

• You must be 65 years of age or older.
• You must live in Canada and be a Canadian citizen or a legal resident at the time we approve your pension application.
• You must have lived in Canada for at least 10 years after turning 18.

Scenario 2 - People living outside Canada

• You must be 65 years of age or older.
• You must have been a Canadian citizen or a legal resident of Canada the day before you left Canada.
• You must have lived in Canada for at least 20 years after turning 18.

Ok, from looking at the eligibility list I can see two obvious places the government could save money without raising the age to 67 for everyone.

1) The government could put financial eligibility restrictions in place for person's under the age of 70. If you already have a nice company pension and are collecting CPP do you really need OAS????

2) The government could restrict OAS to Canadian residents only. If you no longer live in Canada should the Canadian government really be giving you money?????

[Giving-Small]

lekate - way to go - just 4 months!

Valiant - I so hear you and your concerns about raising the pension age etc. It effects my family a great deal and so did the changes to taking CPP early.

The irony is that this comes down to priorities doesn't it and shows where seniors are at.

Obviously after Chinook helicopters and any tendering process - and
providing estimates they knew were off base.

"Auditor General Sheila Fraser revealed that the Conservatives have presided over an avalanche of problems, delays and cost overruns in acquiring 15 Chinook helicopters. They proceeded with the purchase without telling Public Works why this aircraft was chosen, they identified the operational requirements only after announcing the procurement, and they provided a cost estimate – $4.9 billion – that they knew was too low."

Renaming the armed forces (oh we could afford that one and not consult with them either), the G8 Summit in Toronto with the fake indoor lake, not to mention the people who awarded communities dollars to build stuff with no papertrail or accountability.

A draft of a confidential report by Auditor-General Sheila Fraser seen by The Canadian Press alleges the Harper government misinformed Parliament, and may have broken the law, in order to win approval for a $50-million G8 fund. Fraser’s report, which is not due to be released until after the May 2 election, reveals that Industry Minister Tony Clement, Huntsville’s mayor and the general manager of Deerhurst Resort chose 32 projects that would receive the funding without regard to government criteria or the needs of the summit. Huntsville is in Tony Clement’s riding, and the Industry Minister has been accused of showering the Conservative riding with funds for questionable projects in the run-up to the G8 Summit at Deerhurst Resort.

I hope that they hear loud and clear from people, this is not the way forward to create a better Canada for all.

[sotsuguyou]

The political CBC guy mentioned tonight that this might be a detour move on the part of Mr. Harper. Canadians...watch your backs. Something else bigger might be on the budget chopping table. And if it isn't this is still horrible. It's a lose lose scenario unless Harper comes back to Canada and starts apologizing profusely...

Seriously...is he so chicken that he decides to announce it outside of the country? o.o

[Valiant]

Up till 2AM last night, dears, reading 132 pages of reaction by Seniors to Mr. Harper's proposals to interfere with their pensions. Read about 100 pages on other sites too, so that's roughly about 2,000 posts, with a wide spectrum of people expressing their viewpoints. Mostly, one of outrage and cold determination to vote Harper out of office ASAP, better if it could be done through a vote of non-confidence by his own party, and never to allow another Conservative majority, now that the wolves have dropped their sheeps-clothing outfits and shown themselves for what they really are.

So, Seniors unite, and get going on contacting the powers-that-be with your stand on this crucial matter.

GREY POWER !!!

As one poster said:
Stevie, we took care of you, and now you can take care of us. And if you don't take care of us, we can still take care of you...in a different way, of course.

Mr. Harper has proven himself to be incompetent to run the affairs of Canada, most particularly our finances.

[sotsuguyou]

So, Seniors unite, and get going on contacting the powers-that-be with your stand on this crucial matter.

GREY POWER !!!

As one poster said:
Stevie, we took care of you, and now you can take care of us. And if you don't take care of us, we can still take care of you...in a different way, of course.

Mr. Harper has proven himself to be incompetent to run the affairs of Canada, most particularly our finances.

"We can still take care of you..." Love that line!

I'm not a senior but I'll join the rampage as an honorary member!

To do list for today:
1) Clean my room and if I have more energy the living room (got guests coming over next Saturday )
2) Laundry
3) Make a batch of curry chicken triangle finger food/appetizer for a party next Saturday (currently got the chicken thawing)

Cheers.

[Valiant]

Today's To-Do's:
- check the fridge & make meals with perishables, make salad; oh my, that homemade banana pudding that I made last night was so good; how can people buy & eatcanned pudding instead?
- bleach all my water jugs (large 10L. and small 4L)
- divide the 2 family-packs of ground beef into 8 portions each, bag flat and freeze = 16 portions.

NOTE: Sometimes people don't avail themselves of buying in bulk and then bagging it in portions because it seems too messy or time-consuming. But it's easy to bag ground beef (or other meats); just remove the top plastic wrap from the package. Then cut deep across the meat to make 8 portions. Turn a plastic bag inside out, and put your hand inside it, lift one portion of meat with your egg-flipper and place inside the bag, grasping the meat with your bag-encased hand, pull bag around meat with other hand, flatten the meat and tie. Your hands don't have to touch the meat, and it's done, nice and sanitary. For bagging meat, I use clean bread-bags, and other sturdy bags on hand (cereal bags are great); expensive new plastic bags are not essential.

[marstec]

It's a good idea to re-bag/re-portion those big bags of meat as soon as possible - leads to less waste. I've learned my lesson.

[itchy54]

interesting thread.....some great comments.
I just have to say that even when doing our retirement budget we always negated the OAS...it has been hovering for far too many years for anyone to even want to rely on it as a guaranteed source of income.
Am i happy about it, no....of course it would be great to be able to have this extra income..but I am not counting on it.

I see some great budgeting here....good work for all involved in this very interesting thread, I just love to come here and read some of your super ideas.

[Giving-Small]

My Goals: Less stuff, less emails, better meals, more $$, paperwork

Better Meals: One big meal a week
- did this weeks 2 and 3
- didn't make week 4 Tried to find some "everyday" type slow cooker recipes that looked good and were proven but not much luck.

- did snag some broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce for free from a place I volunteer who got 4 extra boxes for free and no way to distribute it all on Friday. Free veggies - love it and just cooked some up

Less Emails:
- week 2 Unsubscribed 2x
- week 3 Unsubscribed till at least 15+ things
- week 4 Unsubscribed 20+ including one complicated on - Barnes and Noble was going to automatically renew and charge me for a year's membership

"Free Site" Earnings YTD
week 2 $95 in kind $85
week 3 $140 In kind $65*(revised, overestimated coffee value)
week 4 Earnings $145 In kind $65

$10 ordered from Superpoints
$5 MasterCard RAOK from Scer
In kind $30 KCups packages (gift cupboard) ($20)
In Kind $10 Hanes 6 pack panties for dd
Mastercard Card RAOK $5
Posting content on another BBS site $25
Superpoints jan18 $10
Jan 23 - Superpoints $5
Home Depot gc (free for signing up with ebates & buying) $5
coffee sale $20; Superpoints $5 redeem, banking points for very big redemption on Swagbucks.

Tidy/Declutter
Old cell phone and parts - recycled
Posted 2 DVD sets on Kijiji & Humidifier
Brought puzzles in to post
Posted cuisinart grill on Freecycle and puzzles - spoken for
Put up beautiful painting (at last)
Dropped off box of donated health and beauty
Dropped off box of donated clothes
GONE humidifier wheel lock cuisinart grill puzzles
Coffee posted kijiji 2 boxes gone: 1/2 money for charity; 1/2 for earnings
Book purchased on kijiji


Paperwork
3 reminder actions added to list
Year End for company: debrief w/ accountant, picked up books, 1 new to do action
Put donation receipts in order for data entry
Tackled a expense claim at work
Completed April - September donation receipts
Booked flight for work

[Tresmom]

Can I please get your pudding receipe when you have a moment? It sounds amazing.

[Valiant]

interesting thread.....some great comments.
I just have to say that even when doing our retirement budget we always negated the OAS...it has been hovering for far too many years for anyone to even want to rely on it as a guaranteed source of income.
Am i happy about it, no....of course it would be great to be able to have this extra income..but I am not counting on it.

I see some great budgeting here....good work for all involved in this very interesting thread, I just love to come here and read some of your super ideas.

If you already have money in place for your retirement (and it's easier to plan for it as a couple according to our government rules), that's great. In your case, the OAS is only an extra income that is not crucial to your survival as a Senior.

However, there are many Seniors, mostly single women, who desperately need this OAS income as soon as possible. For them, it will be the only income they have, (about $550 per month), and with the GIS of about $400 per month, they could manage to survive. But since nobody can get the GIS (Guaranteed Income Supplement) until they are also collecting OAS, this will place many Seniors in serious jeopardy.

As well, the government has determined that Age 67 is the beginning of the 'die-off' age (their words, not mine; to me, that's a very offensive expression). So, by their own admission, they are actually raising the pension eligibility age to coincide with the time that people begin to 'die-off', and therefore people may not actually live long enough to be able to collect pensions. And that's true, for in their weakened, vulnerable state, many Seniors already living in poverty aren't going to be able to survive long enough to be eligible to collect a pension. Whatever money they've managed to save up for their retirement will dissipate quickly enough, what with health & medication needs and living expenses.

I've been saving for many years for my retirement, but the money I've managed to squirrel away is not going to last me till age 67. And I've been crippled since 2007 from my flu shot, head to toe, and my employment is dwindling every year because of it. I'm only able to earn about two thousand dollars a year now. As I've said before, the medical system has done nothing to assist me in any practical way, so I've had to take money from my retirement savings to supplement my employment earnings, just to survive on a bare basics monthly budget. I've been able to survive on about $3,000 - $4,000 per year, and am lowering that amount as much as possible by cutting expenses more and more.

To those who complain that they are paying into a pension that they will not collect from themselves, I ask you...could you live on $3 - $4 thousand a year. Haven't you been enjoying all your lives the best that this country could offer you, on the backs of the Seniors who build up Canada for future generations to enjoy. We worked for a dollar a day, 6 days a week, for 18 hour days, no benefits, no system in place to fall back on. We slaved to provide you with a home, education, jobs, benefits, rights and freedoms, a future. How many of you spend over $500 (a Seniors' monthly OAS pension amount) in a bar or restaurent in a few nights, or on a designer haircut, manicure, pedicure, body piercing, a few CD's, DVD's, a couple of items of designer clothing, a party, on a dose or two of an illegal drug?
You should be ashamed of yourselves to ever complain about the support that goes to Seniors, when you squander money like you do. My advice to you: stop wasting your money, make the most of it and every opportunity that you have to earn it, be willing to contribute your fair share towards our country, and start squirrelling money away for your own retirement, because never before in the history of Canada have things been so good for you to be in a position to earn a living, unlike the circumstances of your elders.

Our government, which spends our money like water, and then comes after the vulnerable Seniors when the coffers are empty, doesn't know and/or doesn't care about the real circumstances of Seniors in Canada. In truth, most Seniors have contributed a lifetime to the building up of our country throughout faithful service to their families, churches, schools, communities and businesses, work which has largely gone unacknowledged and unrewarded.
But Seniors are going to let government know with GREY POWER, and we want the support of the public as well.

Mr. Harper's plan to phase in these changes to the OAS gradually, and to give Seniors time to adjust is completely unrealistic and ridiculous. If he even knew the circumstances and state of most Senior's health and work employability, he would realize that most Seniors of that age are unable to support themselves due to health factors which impact on their employability. It makes no difference if he tells them now that they will have to wait another 2 years to qualify. They won't be able to do it.

I wonder if Mr. Harper has ever thought about the suffering of the elderly and needy who will be dying because of his policies.
Not likely...because of the prospects of his own fat pension, which our government MP's made haste to secure for themselves?
Do you think Mr. Harper worked long and hard enough to collect the pension he's going to enjoy at his retirement? I don't think so; his own life's work record and contribution to the GNP of Canada is absolutely pathetic.

"He that turns away his ear from the cry of the poor, shall himself cry, and not be heard."
"Honour your father and your mother".

[Valiant]

For the next 3 days, the PC government is going to push through a "new pooled pension plan". This activity will divert attention from the looming plight of Seniors as it pertains to Mr. Harper's proposed change to raise the eligibility age from 65 to 67 for the OAS Pension Plan. Bear in mind that there was no reference to these changes on their last election platform, and that MP's have not looked for input from those who will be affected OR even from the general Canadian public before announcing these proposed changes.


Please voice your concerns to our government while you can still make a difference.

http://www.parl.gc.ca/MembersOfParli...pleteList.aspx

[itchy54]

hey valiant, did not mean to sound disrespectful....
Why are you not collecting a disability pension? If you are disabled and cannot work you are certainly entitled if you have contributed to CPP over the years
http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/oas-cpp/c...ty/index.shtml
....YOu are living far below the poverty line and i am sure there is help out there...