Timely access to benefits

Photo: Lore

Constituency week

This week is a constituency week, meaning the House of Commons is adjourned while Members of Parliament are back in our home ridings. 

For 2016, there will be roughly 26 break weeks and 26 sitting weeks, depending on when the House adjourns in June. From my perspective, this is an effective balance on time spent equally between Ottawa and our home ridings, and why I remain opposed to efforts in Ottawa to further decrease the House of Commons work week by removing Friday sittings.

Why is time in Ottawa important? 

Debates, scrutiny of bills and legislations, and passing or amending (and in some cases repealing) new and existing laws is critically important. Likewise passing of the federal budget, policy discussion, and implementation as well as Parliamentary committee study. They are also much needed aspects for our legislative process.

However, one overlooked item is problem solving. It is common for citizens to provide input and seek assistance from MPs on a variety of different issues. In some cases, a pattern may be shown over time that raises the question, “Can a new and more effective ways of doing something be found?” 

Often these answers must be found and resolved in Ottawa. Researching through the Library of Parliament, and meeting and consulting with civil servants, Officers of Parliament and Ministers along with senior department management often plays a role in the way a particular problem on a local level is solved.

Obtaining Old Age Security benefits

As an example, one concern I have recently been working on involves Old Age Security (OAS).

Although most citizens have little difficulty obtaining OAS benefits, there are some who do, despite having worked and paid taxes in Canada for decades. 

This may, from a bureaucratic perspective, be due to having resided in another country, or having immigrated at a young age. There may be a need to provide evidence of residency to show eligibilty.

More often than not these situations can be resolved, as other departments within the Federal Government may have the missing necessary information. However, the onus is on the individual to locate, obtain, and ultimately provide the information from one federal Government agency to another. 

This process is not only administratively complex, it is also slow, and can delay a person in need from receiving benefits in a timely manner. In addition some citizens may have physical or mental difficulties, thereby lacking the ability or capacity to obtain this information. They can end up falling through the cracks.

Is there a better way to help people in this situation? 

If various departments within the Federal Government already have this information, why not electronically share the information between them to help citizens in an easier and more timely way? 

The reason this does not yet occur is related to personal privacy - in many situations, Government departments are prohibited from sharing personal information. 

For the record, I am not proposing to eliminate the prohibition on personal information sharing within Government departments. I am researching the possibility of departments having the ability to share specific information if the citizen in question provides written permission in advance to do so.

As we have many seniors in Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola who have encountered this challenge, I believe this would be an effective solution to provide assistance.

Your thoughts

I would like to hear your thoughts on this proposal. Personal privacy is a subject that all citizens and elected officials should take seriously, so I welcome your comments, questions and concerns on this proposal or any other matter before the House of Commons. 

I can be reached at [email protected] or toll free at 1.800.665.8711.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.