Tories to reduce old age pension for prisoners

[rubecube]

This is from a few days ago but I didn't see it posted here.

http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/loc...TorontoNewHome

The Conservative government will act to clamp down on the practice of paying old-age security benefits to seniors serving time in prison.

Human Resources Minister Diane Finley was presented with a petition from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation on Monday, demanding that the government stop paying Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement payments to prisoners.

It also calls for the government to "retroactively revoke" all payments given to such prisoners.

The issue was raised after it was recently revealed that convicted murderer Clifford Olson was receiving more than $1,100 per month in old-age benefits.

About time, IMO. We're already paying for their food, shelter, and well-being. I'd like to see these payments diverted to some sort of humanitarian fund, or to the victims' families.

[Ford Prefect]

I think they should off guys like Olson, turn their corpses into diamonds and make jewelry out of them. I even have a good marketing name for the venture ... Vice Ice. Trademark that puppy.

[CaptainCrunch]

I wonder about the legality of it for prisoners who have paid into the pension and hit retirement age in prison. I mean unless you change their job designation to prisoner and start paying them above the minimum eligible amount they would still be eligible for the pension.

For prisoners like Olson who will probably never get out of prison you can handle them like you handle old agers living in extended care facilities where you direct their pension to their upkeep. But for prisoners who are going to get out and are past their retirement age, you almost have to keep paying them.

I would expect that this will get challenged in court.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I wonder about the legality of it for prisoners who have paid into the pension and hit retirement age in prison. I mean unless you change their job designation to prisoner and start paying them above the minimum eligible amount they would still be eligible for the pension.

For prisoners like Olson who will probably never get out of prison you can handle them like you handle old agers living in extended care facilities where you direct their pension to their upkeep. But for prisoners who are going to get out and are past their retirement age, you almost have to keep paying them.

I would expect that this will get challenged in court.

I could be mistaken, but I believe it's only talking about cutting off their payments while they're incarcerated.

http://www.taxpayer.com/node/11725

[CaptainCrunch]

Even a reduction could be seen as something that can be challenged though.

[Ironhorse]

Cutting of their payments while they are incarcerated would work for me. Just funnel the payments to the prison system to help pay for the prisoner's upkeep.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

Cutting of their payments while they are incarcerated would work for me. Just funnel the payments to the prison system to help pay for the prisoner's upkeep.

Yeah, that would be fine by me. Anything to lessen the taxpayer's burden.

[Blaster86]

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

Cutting of their payments while they are incarcerated would work for me. Just funnel the payments to the prison system to help pay for the prisoner's upkeep.

And then when they get out of prison they have nothing?

[Flames0910]

Originally Posted by Blaster86

And then when they get out of prison they have nothing?

so they commit another crime and go right back in.

the system works!

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by Blaster86

And then when they get out of prison they have nothing?

Well at that point they could start collecting their pension again.
It's no different than any other old person who can no longer work, and wasn't able to save for retirement.

I don't think there should be a "Prison Savings Plan".

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

Cutting of their payments while they are incarcerated would work for me. Just funnel the payments to the prison system to help pay for the prisoner's upkeep.

I think any prisoner with a source of income should be charged for the little extras that make jail a little easier, cable, smokes, being guarded in the showers etc.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Blaster86

And then when they get out of prison they have nothing?

Presumably, once they've paid their debt to society, they still qualify for their pension. However, given a pension is supposed to help pay for shelter, food, etc, then logically, that money should to go pay for the food and shelter that the prison system is providing them while they are incarcerated.

[Azure]

The state is already PAYING to house them in a prison. I don't see why they should be able to collect a pension on top of that.

[flip]

Well OPP is going to run out by the time people my age are seniors anyways so I think this is a good move. We already pay for millions of people that never paid in a single penny so anything that helps the OPP last a few years longer is good in my books.