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Reaction was swift to column about $2.06 OAS raise

Joyce Walter reflects on the response from a recent column she wrote.
ReflectiveMoments_JoyceWalter
Reflective Moments by Joyce Walter

Thanks to the swiftness of e-mail communication, in the space of mere hours I went from being “awesome” and “brilliant” to being an “entitled” person accepting and living on “welfare.”

It all started back a few weeks ago when I wrote a tongue-in-cheek but technically serious column bemoaning the $2.06 raise on the latest old age security cheque. 

Reader responses were quick to materialize. I was congratulated at the grocery store, at a social function and via e-mail. The general consensus was agreement with my own feelings on this tiny amount, being told by one reader that “chintzy” was a too generous way to describe the raise in pension for recipients 65 years and over.

One reader suggested awesomeness and brilliance in the same note. I blushed but accepted her comments with gratefulness. Another said she had a conversation with her youngest son on the topic of how she would spend her own extra $2.06. She didn’t reveal what she decided but I imagined her buying a small coffee and joining her friends to carry on with the topic.

It was inevitable that PM Trudeau would be blamed for our circumstances, with one reader talking about large raises for politicians and noting “it is a sad world we live in” when politicians get thousands more and seniors only get $2.06. Mr. Trudeau’s ears must have been ringing as another reader complained about his government’s waste of money.

One reader was concerned about the quality of existing political parties and wondered if I would be willing to work towards organizing a new party forged from citizens of like mind coming together. Housemate had a laugh at that and I responded with a thank you for the offer but declining because of my aging abilities.

And then came the one that said I had no reason to be outraged at the tiny raise because I had never put a dime of my own money into this OAS pension, that I should be grateful for receiving this “welfare” cheque. Oops. Someone’s sense of humour was absent that day, but at least he read and shared his opinions, even though I don’t agree with him. 

I am very grateful for my monthly cheque even though I regularly use a bit of my own style of humour to chat about the raises and how younger seniors don’t receive equal treatment.

Readers’ comments on this column came from Moose Jaw and Regina as well as points in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia. The topic was obviously one that resonated with a good number of readers — both positive and negative.

The one that really captured my attention summed it up brilliantly when she said, “Amen Sister.”

Back at you, and thanks to everyone who read and responded.

Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication. 

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