Province’s Liberals are ignoring seniors

Province’s Liberals are ignoring seniors:

The Graham government’s decisions have had an impact on every group in New Brunswick, and some are able to adapt easier than others. However, one group that has been struck hard is our seniors.

In the March budget, the Graham government hasn’t done anything to help our most vulnerable, but instead has made their lives more difficult, especially financially.

The government has raised the cost of the prescription drug program by $200 a year, making it more difficult to pay for the costly pills. It has reinstated the $130 ambulance fee, adding to their health care costs. The seniors living in a nursing home have seen a $4,800 per year increase to nursing home fees. It is also clawing back the disability pensions of veterans living in nursing and special care homes.

How can the Graham government pretend these increases help their quality of life?

Many indirect cuts also affect our seniors. For example, the cancelled Warm Hearts, Warm Homes program helped hundreds of seniors who couldn’t afford home heating costs. This problem will only get worse as there’s an increase in power rates. Another issue is skyrocketing property taxes, with no relief for the homeowner. All these have an impact on our seniors.

I ask the Graham government to recognize that these cuts are attacking our seniors. It’s difficult to budget money for prescriptions, nursing home fees, home heating costs, etc., in the good times, but amidst these countless cuts and hits to our most vulnerable, it is next to impossible.

JACK CARR
jack.carr@gnb.ca
Opposition critic for issues relating to seniors