(Photos of Carney in Richmond below)

LIBERAL Leader Mark Carney on Monday announced measures to help protect Canadian seniors and their Canadian retirement savings.

“[U.S.] President [Donald] Trump’s tariffs have ruptured the global economy, and Canadians are rightfully concerned about their retirement savings, their jobs, and their businesses,” said Carney. “In the tough days ahead, we will protect Canadians and build Canada strong. If America won’t lead, Canada will.”

The Liberals announced measures to help Canadian seniors and retirement savings weather this storm:

1. Protect retirement savings by reducing the minimum amount that must be withdrawn from a Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) by 25% for one year. This will allow Canadian seniors more flexibility in choosing when to draw from their retirement savings; and,
2. Increase the Guaranteed Income Supplement by 5% for one year, providing up to $652 more to low-income seniors, tax-free.

These build on previously announced actions to support Canadians and Canadian businesses including:

* Temporarily waiving the one-week employment insurance (EI) waiting period;
* Suspending rules around separation for a six-month period, so workers don’t have to exhaust severance pay before collecting EI;
* Making it easier to access EI by increasing regional unemployment rate percentages;
Deferring corporate income tax payments and GST/HST remittances from April 2 to June 30, 2025, providing up to $40 billion in liquidity to businesses;
* Deploying a new financing facility for businesses; and,
* Providing more funding to Canada’s regional development agencies, so they can better support businesses.

Carney also announced a plan to protect Canada’s natural environment.

“Nature is part of our very identity as Canadians,” said Carney. “In this time of crisis, we need bold new approaches to protect Canada’s natural heritage and defend it for future generations.”

A Carney-led Liberal government will:

• Conserve nature and biodiversity, including by creating at least 10 new national parks and marine conservation areas, and 15 new urban parks;
• Connect Canadians with nature by making access to National Parks and Historic Sites free for this summer;
• Bolster Indigenous stewardship, including by establishing a new Arctic Indigenous Guardians program, and funding Indigenous-led conservation and protection projects;
• Protect our freshwater, including by investing $100 million in a strategic water security technology fund to advance Canadian R&D, AI, monitoring, and data tools;
• Enshrine First Nations’ right to water into law;
• Protect nature where it protects us, including by implementing nature-based climate solutions which deliver measurable carbon sequestration and biodiversity benefits, while supporting community resilience;
• Clean up, maintain, and protect wildlife in and around our coastal waters, including by investing an additional $15 million to modernize the location, retrieval, and responsible disposal of the ghost gear threatening marine mammals and birds; and,
• Champion nature conservation internationally, including by stopping illegal wildlife trade across our borders with modern digital solutions.

CARNEY IN RICHMOND ON MONDAY

Photos by SUKHWANT SINGH DHILLON