NDP and Bloc demand inclusion of retirees in $250 cheques
- NDP and Bloc Quebecois leaders criticize the government for excluding vulnerable populations from $250 payouts.
- Prime Minister Trudeau defends the current plan, stating many seniors still receive the financial support as workers.
- Growing political pressure for the government to revise its afforability package to include all affected groups.
In Canada, concerns have been raised over the government's affordability package that includes $250 cheques. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh highlighted that this plan excludes retirees, students, and individuals with disabilities, prompting his call for revisions. Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-François Blanchet also expressed his party's conditional support for the package, emphasizing that seniors should be included to target those who need assistance the most. Despite these pleas, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland have defended their stance on limiting payments to working Canadians, arguing that many seniors are still active in the workforce and will benefit. Additionally, provincial premiers have shown skepticism regarding the GST cuts and their implications for local tax revenues, with some, like Ontario's Doug Ford, already having acted on tax relief for specific groups, while others await federal compensation. The government faces growing pressure from multiple fronts to properly address the needs of vulnerable populations amid ongoing inflation concerns.