February 7, 2024
Legault in the House
Many of you have received a reply from your Member of National Assembly that simply repeats the Caquist government's established key messages.
Here are some arguments to respond to this messaging, which you are welcome to use.
This is nothing less of a SHUTOUT FOR US! We're winning 6-0.
Don't give up, gang! Pressure must come from both the outside (media, opposition, allies, ombudsman, petitions, etc.) and the inside of the party, hence the importance of continuing to raise awareness about our cause among Caquist Members of National Assembly—some of whom have already privately expressed their discomfort when it comes to our file.
Arguments to Respond to the CAQ Government’s Misleading Key Messages
CAQ’s FIRST statement:
...our government has increased QPP benefits for disability pensioners by $90 million annually ... have been adopted while taking into account the repercussions on the fiscal viability of the QPP ... notably, they have made it possible to increase the pension of more than 71,000 retirees since January 2022...
Our argument:
According to your own figures, the room for manoeuvre for the QPP in 2022 was more than sufficient to eliminate the entire penalty, but you were content to only reduce it by a third. What's more, according to the October 2023 actuarial valuation update, the leeway amounts to around 304 million, while the cost of eliminating the remaining two thirds of the penalty is estimated at 180 million.
CAQ’s SECOND statement:
The increase for a person who began receiving a disability pension before the age of 60 varied between 17% and 19%.
Our argument:
Making it sound like it's an increase in the pension when it's in fact a reduction in the penalty is a very "misleading" way to portray the situation. Let us remind you that the penalty remains just as discriminatory at 24% as it was at 36%.
CAQ’s THIRD statement:
In addition, as of January 1, 2024, the QPP provides a new calculation for people aged 60 and over.
Our argument:
In fact, it's more like a new way of doing things—a “no other choice” scenario that perpetuates the penalty for disabled seniors. Cutting the disability pension at age 60 is what led to this “no other choice” scenario. On the other hand, being automatically deemed to have voluntarily chosen an early retirement pension with penalty at age 60 is not a choice either.
CAQ’s FOURTH statement:
Between the ages of 60 and 65, people with disabilities are able to receive a higher total benefit amount than the current amount of the disability pension.
Our argument:
The increase is so minimal, ranging from around 0.5% to 3.5%, that you should be embarrassed to talk about it. And who would be interested in accepting a pittance for a few years, in exchange for a penalty of almost a quarter of their pension for the rest of their life?
CAQ’s FIFTH statement:
The amount paid out at age 65 is also higher.
Our argument:
There will be no change to the amount paid at age 65 in 2024 (apart from the legislated annual cost-of-living adjustment, as is the case every year). In 2022, the penalty was reduced for people with disabilities aged 65 and over, but nothing will be added for them in 2024. Your message is confusing and misleading.
CAQ’s SIXTH statement:
...other provisions will, as of January 2024, increase access to disability pensions for people aged 60 to 65.
Our argument:
This statement is correct. There will indeed be increased accessibility to disability pensions for people aged 60 to 65. But allow us to put this statement in perspective. In response to an Access to Information Request, we learned that you estimate the total annual number of people affected for the entire province of Québec at only 250: “Overall, these changes would enable approximately 250 additional people each year to benefit from a uniform disability benefit between the ages of 60 and 65".
ADDITIONAL NOTE:
We remind you that the legislative changes the government made in 2022, without public consultation and only a few months prior to a public consultation prescribed by the QPP Act, circumvented the discriminatory penalty, thus maintaining it.
We also must point out that, while we welcome the penalty reduction that occurred on January 1, 2022, it was the cut to the variable portion of the disability pension at age 60—a cut the government introduced and adopted—that made this reduction necessary. Otherwise, the total amount of the mixed pension between ages 60 and 65 in 2024 (fixed disability portion + retirement pension) would have been significantly lower than the former total disability pension (fixed disability portion + variable disability portion) that was paid during those five years.
source: invalidesaufront.ca
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