Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to raise an issue I have raised in this House several times, and it still continues to burden the people that we are supposed to serve and make things simpler so they can understand and be able to access programs and services for this government. Mr. Speaker, I am talking about our seniors. Regarding the seniors' property tax collection notice, there is an opportunity for our seniors to be exempt from property taxes. Mr. Speaker, year after year, our seniors have the difficulty of being given notices and then having to fill out applications to be re-established on the tax exemption list. The same thing applies, Mr. Speaker, in the seniors' fuel subsidy. Year after year, our seniors are put into the situation of having to continue to fill out applications. Mr. Speaker, I have raised this issue in this House and so have several other Members. I, for one, believe there is a simpler solution and that this government should seriously consider looking at the possibility of streamlining these programs by simply allowing an elder to consent that information relevant to different programs be accessed by those particular departments.
You hear concerns from the department saying well, there is a question about conflict in regards to access to information and their pensions. I believe there is a process that we can use, which is a consent of the senior and the person who applies to these programs, once they apply they consent through a form and the department automatically puts their name into the system and every year it rolls itself off where these people do not have to continue with the burden of filling out these applications year after year and be able to access these programs and services without having to worry about another concern and which they should be enjoying their retirement and enjoying the time that they have with us so that they can continue on with life knowing that they have put their time in, they paid their taxes and now let us help them out to have the rest that they earned without having to bear the burden of filling out applications year after year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
--Applause