I appreciate the fact the
Minister agrees we could do better, and I think time is of the essence in trying to come up with something. I believe, as I said in my comments yesterday, that with the increased cost of fuel and electricity, this is going to become an urgent matter for seniors. You’re going to see many seniors unable to cope with these costs as they come upon us this winter.
Mr. Speaker, another anomaly within the support to seniors is the fact that some of the support is
means-tested, some is not. For example, if you are living in public housing, it does not matter how much money you make — some people are even working — or how much money you have in the bank. However, if you want to do a home repair program through the Housing Corporation in order to make your home more energy efficient or just to maintain it, that particular program is means-tested. In fact, seniors would then be called upon to offer up a mortgage on their house.
I’m just trying to think again about the equality. Some are means-tested; some are not. Is that something the Minister’s department or the Corporation is going to look into?