To quote Tom Keogh’s letter (Penticton Western News, Aug. 1, The mayor’s comments on crime) “senior citizens in our midst are ignored and left to wallow in poverty.” I quote Mr. Keogh several times in my letter.
I am 67 and drive a 1995 vehicle. All the seniors I encounter drive vehicles at least 2001 vintage or newer, often a Ford F150 worth $45,000. Perhaps I do not see the few wallowing in poverty.
Is no one aware that after being eligible for Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS) the Canadian federal government also offers a Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), which guarantees a minimum income of $18,096 annually for a single senior and $23,904 for a couple in which only one is a senior, and higher amounts depending on the situation?
If that is wallowing in poverty then tell that to the families of four (two parents and two children) working at the clerk level in grocery stores, clothing and hardware stores, restaurants, coffee shops, dollar stores, banks, dry cleaners, hair salons and barber shops that serve these seniors for minimum wage of $12.65 per hour, thus earning about $30,000 annual amount because who can get more than 25 hours per week at any of those jobs now?
Even if they both work two jobs to get 40 hours per week each, that only totals $48,000 gross for a family of four, or $12,000 per person, same as that senior couple I described above.
If seniors are that hard up that they are trying to survive on day-old handouts from charities “supposedly” after “working and being productive all their lives” as Mr. Keogh stated, then what did they do to fall on “really tough times,” as he put it? Possibly those are also “self-inflicted” as well.
I understand the cheapest cigarettes are $10 a package. Smoking a package a day costs $300 per month minimum.
This is a “self-inflicted” addiction, too, and there is free help to kick that habit and improve your health at the same time.
There are adequate income supports for seniors already.
There is subsidized housing for seniors already.
No senior has to “wallow in poverty.”
Deborah Webb
Penticton