The committee met to study the abuse and financial vulnerability of senior women. Witnesses included Lise Courteau and Hélène Cornellier from the Association féministe d'éducation et d'action sociale (AFEAS), Meseret Haileyesus from the Canadian Center for Women's Empowerment (CCFWE), Vishal Khanna from the Sai Dham Food Bank, Jehan Chaudry from the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic, Gisèle Tassé-Goodman from the National Association of Federal Retirees, and Talia Bronstein from the National Institute on Ageing.
Lise Courteau and Hélène Cornellier of AFEAS identified lower retirement income, lack of recognition of unpaid work, and isolation as key factors driving financial insecurity for senior women. They recommended that retirement plans be based on personal rather than family income, that women who cared for children or relatives receive a top-up to old age security, that all pension benefits be indexed to the cost of living, and that non-refundable tax credits be converted to refundable ones. They also called for measures to counter financial fraud and for investment in shelters and housing for senior women.
Meseret Haileyesus of CCFWE emphasized that economic abuse is the most common form of elder abuse and that senior women face a 26.2% income gap compared to men. She urged the federal government to explicitly include senior women's economic abuse in the forthcoming code of conduct on economic abuse, to have Service Canada implement safeguards to detect suspicious activity in federal income programs, and to commit sustainable funding in budget 2026 for organizations addressing economic abuse, with an intersectional and equitable focus.
Vishal Khanna of Sai Dham Food Bank reported that senior women are increasingly accessing food banks for the first time, struggling with rent, food, and medication costs, and experiencing isolation. He highlighted that health care wait times, including 28.6 weeks for specialist treatment and over 103 days for mental health therapy, compound these vulnerabilities. He recommended making affordability easier for seniors and creating special shelters, care, and support for senior women.
Jehan Chaudry of the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic noted that financial abuse is common among senior women, especially racialized, immigrant, and disabled women, and is often compounded by language barriers and dependence on others. She stressed that income supports must be paired with trauma-informed financial education and community connection, and that federal funding should support safe, accessible community spaces and culturally specific organizations. She also highlighted that scams and fraud are serious threats to senior women.
Gisèle Tassé-Goodman of the National Association of Federal Retirees stated that 43% of solo women retirees struggle to afford basics, and that the gender pay gap has remained unchanged since the 1970s. She argued that the 10% increase in old age security for those 75 and over creates two classes of seniors and should be extended to those aged 65 to 74. She called for a whole-of-government approach, including safeguarding OAS, GIS, and CPP, improving access to workplace pensions, and addressing barriers in health care, transit, and housing.
Talia Bronstein of the National Institute on Ageing presented survey data showing that 24% of older women report inadequate income and only one-quarter can afford to retire. She proposed a pension delay guarantee to reimburse estates for CPP benefits not received in case of early death, which would particularly benefit women. She also recommended that the code of conduct on economic abuse include training and protective mechanisms for financial institutions, and that Bill C-16 on coercive control be broadened beyond intimate partners to include relatives and caregivers.
The committee began with the election of Dominique Vien as chair, and later agreed to invite the Minister of Justice to appear on April 21. No procedural debate or votes on motions occurred beyond these items.
AI-generated summary — may contain errors; verify against the official evidence.