The Trudeau Liberals initially said they were open to the idea of raising the eligibility age for OAS and CPP to 67, but now the government’s rejecting that idea from its own advisory council on economic growth.

The council’s thinking was encouraging older Canadians to work longer to address the impacts of the country’s aging society and longer life expectancies.

Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos says raising the eligibility age would throw vulnerable seniors into poverty, but that the government’s looking at incentives to keep Canadians in the work force longer, if they’re able and willing.

The president of Zoomer Media and CARP, Moses Znaimer, told Zoomer Radio’s ”Fight Back” … that makes sense.

”Creating incentives for people to take their pensions later, I think, is a good idea and I think in some ways these things will settle themselves out because more and more people are discovering that aside from having to work because you have to finance these wonderful extra years, we like to work.   We like to have a purpose.  We need a purpose in life and in fact it’s when people withdraw frequently from those things which gave them identity that they begin to decline.”

Meanwhile, CARP says any changes to the system should see safeguards for those unable to continue working past age 65 due to declining health and increased protection for those who continue working, with equitable access to benefits in line with their younger colleagues as well as freedom from workplace and hiring discrimination.