Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION
MP supports caregivers of disabled spouses
OTTAWA - Manitoba NDP MP Judy Wasylycia-Leis wants the government to recognize spouses caring for a disabled husband or wife are equally deserving of recognition as parents and siblings.
The Winnipeg North MP plans to introduce a private member’s bill to extend the caregivers tax credit to spouses. Currently the credit - worth a maximum of $4,198 for the 2009 tax year - is available to those who live with and care for a dependant with a physical or mental disability. But to qualify that dependant must be your or your spouse’s adult child or adult grandchild, sibling, niece, nephew, aunt, uncle, parent or grandparent.
A dependant spouse with a disability is not eligible.
The $4,198 credit would be worth about a maximum of $600 in federal tax savings. It may not sound like much, but Lynn Waterman said it would allow her to get some time off from helping care for her husband. Wayne Waterman was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 30 years ago and was forced to stop working a few years later.
Since then Lynn has been the family’s sole income earner and Wayne’s sole caregiver.
"To have a little extra income would allow me to take a break," she said.
She also said it would give her the sense the government sees her caregiving as equal to that provided by siblings, parents and grandparents.
Wasylycia-Leis said it is true spouses can already claim an amount on their taxes for a dependant spouse with little or no income. But she said that is available to you whether the dependant spouse needs caregiving or not.
"It doesn’t recognize that person may have added responsibilities as a caregiver," she said. "We think they should get both."
Wasylycia-Leis said it wouldn’t affect a large number of people and the cost to government would be minimal.
"It’s a little bit that will go a long way," she said.
Chisholm Pothier, a spokesman for Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said the government "will respond to Ms. Wasylycia-Leis’s bill in the context of the legislative process."
Wasylycia-Leis’s caucus mate, Jim Maloway, was also touting a private members’ bill Thursday. He unveiled the details of his plans to make car manufacturers more open about safety problems.
The bill - which Maloway first spoke about to the Free Press last month - would require car companies to report safety defects to Transport Canada. It also would require companies to notify the government about lawsuits and recalls occurring outside of Canada.
The bill is in response to concerns about the lack of information to the public about gas pedal problems in Toyota vehicles. Maloway hopes to introduce it when Parliament resumes next week.
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