Thursday, April 2, 2026
ADVT 
National

Trudeau noncommittal on expanding rebate beyond 'working Canadians'

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 29 Nov, 2024 10:50 AM
  • Trudeau noncommittal on expanding rebate beyond 'working Canadians'

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau does not appear willing to budge on his plan to send a $250 rebate to "hardworking Canadians," despite pressure from the opposition to give the money to seniors and people who are not able to work.

The rebate is one of two affordability measures the Liberals announced this month, along with a plan to temporarily cut the federal sales tax on a list of items that are popular over the holidays. 

The GST holiday bill passed in the House of Commons late Thursday night with the help of the NDP, and needs approval from the Senate before the tax break takes effect in a little over two weeks. 

At an announcement on Prince Edward Island this morning, Trudeau was asked if he would expand the rebate to non-working seniors and people with disabilities, something the NDP and Bloc Québécois are pushing for.

Trudeau says the measure is meant to recognize working Canadians who need extra support, and says the government is looking at other ways to help people who aren't eligible for the money.

The Liberals have not introduced legislation to enact the rebate and it's not clear if they will have opposition support to get it passed.

MORE National ARTICLES

Canadian Medical Association calls for more tracking of health care funds

Canadian Medical Association calls for more tracking of health care funds
The Canadian Medical Association says there should be better tracking of health care spending, following health care agreements the federal government has signed with the provinces and territories. The doctors’ group has released a new report calling for a greater commitment to tracking improvements in delivery and patient outcomes, citing the complexity of the deals.

Canadian Medical Association calls for more tracking of health care funds

4 youth assaulted with bear mace

4 youth assaulted with bear mace
West Shore Mounties say a 32-year-old man is facing eight charges after a group of four youth were assaulted with bear mace last week. They say officers responded to a report of an assault on Wednesday around on the Galloping Goose Trail.

4 youth assaulted with bear mace

Collision in Langley leaves one dead and closes some lanes of Highway 1 overnight

Collision in Langley leaves one dead and closes some lanes of Highway 1 overnight
One person is dead and another has been airlifted to hospital following a crash on Highway 1 in British Columbia. Sgt. Joe Leeson with Langley RCMP says officers were called around 9:40 p.m. Friday night after a tow truck hit the rear of a tractor-trailer unit in the eastbound lanes of Highway 1.  Leeson says the tow-truck driver died at the scene.

Collision in Langley leaves one dead and closes some lanes of Highway 1 overnight

Repair work will keep 60-year-old ferry out of service for half a year: BC Ferries

Repair work will keep 60-year-old ferry out of service for half a year: BC Ferries
The company operating British Columbia's ferries says divers have recovered a propeller that fell off one of its vessels and triggered an oil spill earlier this week, but notes it will take six months to complete the needed repairs. A statement from BC Ferries says the propeller from the 60 year-old Queen of New Westminster -- which weighs about 4,500 kilograms -- was pulled from the seabed Saturday morning after two days of recovery work.

Repair work will keep 60-year-old ferry out of service for half a year: BC Ferries

Whistler RCMP tracks down family of child found alone and barefoot

Whistler RCMP tracks down family of child found alone and barefoot
RCMP in British Columbia say they've found the family of a boy who was found barefoot and wandering alone in Whistler over the weekend. Mounties in Whistler say they responded to a report of an unaccompanied child, who they believed was about 12-years old, on Saturday night at Dairy Queen on Main Street.

Whistler RCMP tracks down family of child found alone and barefoot

Mediated talks aimed at resolving Metro Vancouver accessible transit strike stall

Mediated talks aimed at resolving Metro Vancouver accessible transit strike stall
The union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver says it won't be getting a counterproposal to end the strike until at least Thursday. Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724 says officials from the employer Transdev left mediation talks at the Labour Board just after 8 p.m. Sunday to consider the union's latest proposal.

Mediated talks aimed at resolving Metro Vancouver accessible transit strike stall