I’m writing to you about an urgent petition from Leadnow member Patrick, who is calling on Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and Minister of Disabilities Kamal Khera to protect the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) from clawbacks. Patrick is calling for the CDB to be non-reportable for taxes to ensure people are receiving the support they need and deserve.
Here's a brief explanation of the campaign:
If the CDB has to be reported at tax time (even if recipients do not have to pay taxes on it), it may be used to calculate eligibility for other federal benefits and credits. This could result in clawbacks. If the federal government cannot guarantee that their own benefits and credits won't be clawed back by the CDB, how can they expect the provinces and territories to not claw the CDB back from their social assistance programs? We are asking that the Income Tax Act be modified to treat the CDB like the Canada Child Benefit by making the CDB non-reportable for taxes.
The disability community has seen nothing but red tape and delays since the Canada Disability Benefit first hit the floor of Parliament.
After years, it finally passed in June, but with a woefully inadequate maximum of $200 per month. Now, the details of the regulations are being worked out by the government. This small modification of the Income Tax Act, using an existing benefit as a model, can be the government's way of continuing to honor its commitment to ending the disability poverty crisis.
Benefits of making the CDB non-reportable on taxes include:
· No clawbacks of federal benefits or credits for CDB recipients.
· Less likelihood of the CDB being clawed back by provincial and territorial social assistance.
· Reduced stress for CDB recipients at tax time because they don't have to report it on their tax return.
· A show of goodwill from the federal government towards the Disability community, who have waited so long (and are still waiting!) for the CDB. Minister of Disabilities Kamal Khera has said that implementing the CDB is expected to take a minimum of 18 months.
As the details are being worked out, we have an opportunity to make sure that once it's implemented it provides the support for people with disabilities to live with dignity. The federal government has called the CDB a historic bill to help lift people with disabilities above the poverty line. But in its current form, it is far off track of bringing the 2 million people with disabilities in Canada out of poverty. This is unacceptable.
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