Second Reading

 

One week to go in February and Senate debate on C-22, second reading,  began debate 

on Feb 9, only to get postponed. One may well wonder if it has any chance of getting

through this month.

I find it somewhat tragic that this bill keeps getting marooned over conceptual

issues: it is meant to help many who are seriously disabled or chronically ill;

but I also can see where the problem stems from.

The CDB is presented as modelled on the GIS which tops up benefits for

the elderly. The latter is at  federal level program, and  pays out benefits

on a totally similar formula for all, eveywhere in Canada. The talk around CDB

is that it tops up provincial aid, which varies with the means and delivery models

of the different jurisdictions. What ‽

One ends up with amenedments to protect recipients against clawback, and concerns

that federal money won't get lost in provincial administration. Report back to us!! Can 

this ever be a reasonable and comprehensible program.

Heuristically at least, I would be tempted to define a core guaranteed amount. 

From there, one could add a variable amount for disability expenses. by

category of client, not by region.  I would let provincial payments - or work income - 

make up the difference. Provinces would remain free to include payments also given to

the general population. 

This shifts things to the Feds; but provinces are already complaining they cannot

manage care for the elderly and health costs, all at once. Clawback is inevitable, but

only for those who make fair amounts of money from work. That's how OAS/GIS works. 

Only here, core and disability expenses are inviolate.

Just a suggestion...

                                                     *     *     *

The recent earthquakes in Turkey have made me curious. What, geologically, is happening

in that region. Turns out that three tectonic plates or pieces meet in SouthEast Trurkey. 

Map below. The first event, 7.5 on the Richter scale, was on a 'senestre' strike-split fault

between the Anatolian and Arabian plates.. This means that, standing on either side of the 

fault, the opposite block moved left.

                                                         

                                               Wikipedia

                                                                            

I could not help but notice that Ukraine is North of Turkey, on the 

other side of the Black Sea. A year of constant bombings could not have been

a good thing, geologically speaking!