MidlandToday welcomes letters to the editor at [email protected]. Please include your daytime phone number and address (for verification of authorship, not publication). The following letter is in response to a letter titled Retirees better off here than in United States published Jan. 13. That letter was in response to a letter regarding the CPP increase, published Jan. 11.
Dear Editor,
In his letter, Mr. Stevens states that "seniors in our country get the wrong info without the facts." This is insulting and I suggest that Mr. Stevens does not have his facts correct.
He asserts that the average pension payment in the United States is $1,650 per month, that is incorrect. It is $1,827 US (about $2,500 CDN).
He then gives his opinion on the cost of health care, but totally ignores Medicare in the US, which is free (or low cost) for seniors over age 65. Additionally, there is "Obama Care" for many people and private plans paid by former employers. No one is denied health care in the United States, and I will agree in some instances it can be costly. In Canada today many of us have to seek care outside the country due to a lack of specialists, as I experienced.
Mr. Stevens then implies that Canadians can receive up to $2,200 per month. Very misleading. The government's own website states that the the average CPP payment in October 2022 was $717, much less than the maximum allowed. Those who are eligible may be able to collect OAS and GIS, but those payments will take a very small number of us up to the maximum of $2,200 per month. Since Mr. Stevens now refers to maximum possible (but unlikely) payments, the maximum paid in the United States is $3,627 per month-------almost $5,000 in Canadian currency.
I would further point out that the cost of living and rates of taxation are much lower south of our border.
I agree with Mr, Stevens' assertion about safety and security vis-a-vis Canada and some major cities in the USA and that is one reason I have preferred the quality of life in Canada.
though given the police murders, mass killings and daily gun violence on the streets of Toronto. We are experiencing significant deterioration in our safety and security and simply feeling smug about being "better" than the US does not help. We don't have to compare ourselves only to the USA, what about Switzerland, Ireland and many other countries as a comparable?
Thank you,
Gerald Duffy
Midland
