Hansard Debates
Greg Rickford, M.P.
Kenora

Mr. Speaker: Seniors are understandably worried about their nest eggs.  They want to ensure that they will be able to retire in comfort and they want to know that their government is listening to their concerns and taking action.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance please inform this House as to what this government is doing to help seniors retirement savings during this time of global economic downturn?

Ted Menzies (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance):

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for that question and welcome our new Conservative member for Kenora to this House. I congratulate him on his election.
   
To answer that, it is nice to have a positive question that actually reflects on what we will be voting on here soon. I might remind hon. members that this is a suggestion in the economic statement, and that is to reduce the required minimum withdrawal amounts from RRIFs by 25%, but I answer this with great concern because I understand the opposition may be voting against this. That is what seniors asked us to do. I would encourage all hon. members to respect that request.