Big brother is watching you... Government to start penalizing snowbirds...

[Gerritt]

Worked their butts off all their working life, paid their taxes. Some served our country....

 

And now will be penalized under new legislation for working and feeding the machine for decades.

 

I wonder how this will shake out.....

 

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/politics/canada-border-security-benefits-seniors-1.3290299

 

G

[DRIFTER_016]

Good thing I plan to do my snowbirding in Central America!!!

[Consigliere]

Actually penalized under long in place legislation that you cannot be out of country 183 days. Just easy to track now. Sounds like a good plan to me.

[Acountdeleted]

Some of this has already been in place for a while. With EI I have never been able to leave the country or risk forfeiture of benefits.

[ketchenany]

A short time out is fine; a month, especially if you have family. But some of these "Canadians" come, get a pension and leave and collect, come back for a short time and still have health benefits!!!!!

[irishfield]

Not new, and since passports have been mandatory they've been scanning and tracking for a few years. I know two people that have been denied OHIP for being out of Canada for one day over the allowed 6 months. Many thought it was fine, including my father in law, to spend 5.5 months in Florida.. come home and then spend 3 weeks in the UK on a summer trip. Adds up to more than 6 months and you're booted from the system.

[porkpie]

I don't have a problem with this. I think the allowable time out of country is pretty reasonable.

[fishing n autograph]

It'll change by the time I get to retire!

[DRIFTER_016]

It'll change by the time I get to retire!

 

That's what I'm worried about.

I only plan to spend 4 months or so under a palm tree on a bonefish flat so the 6 month limit doesn't hurt me.

Would suck if they cut it in 1/2 though.

[fishing n autograph]

The way my pension works I can't be out of the country for more than 3 mths at a time

[Paudash]

sounds like a more than fair system to me

[Gerritt]

It's the tracking and sharing of information I am more concerned about, how much will this new registry cost? Who is administering it? Why is it our seniors lose their hard earned income just because they want to enjoy their later years?

 

Big brother is watching, where's my tin foil hat.

[moxie]

At least they aren't citizens of convenience and need to be airlifted out of a danger zone they knowingly placed themselves in only to return when the dust settles. Seems rather punitive and invasive.

Edited October 29, 2015 by moxie

[Oggie]

At least they aren't citizens of convenience and need to be airlifted out of a danger zone they knowingly placed themselves in only to return when the dust settles. Seems rather punitive and invasive.

But I think that's who the enforcement is really designed to catch. Unfortunately if you make exceptions for those that have been life long born-in Canada retired snowbirds you're going to acused of being racist. The same net will catch both fish.