QUESTION PERIOD — Employment and Social Development
Common Benefit Delivery Platform
February 4, 2026
Honourable senators, my question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate. Our seniors have been waiting for months for their Old Age Security benefits, while your government has caused the cost of a program to skyrocket from an estimated $1.8 billion to $6.6 billion. Deloitte has already collected $388 million, double the amount of its initial contract, and yet departmental employees are saying that they have been left to fend for themselves. Why is the government continuing to give tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars to Deloitte, actuaries and others with no accountability or explanations, while Quebec seniors are not getting the payments they are entitled to?
Thank you for the question. I had the opportunity to answer a question from Senator Forest on this same issue yesterday. At that time, I said that 7.4 million files had been transferred to the new system.
The goal going forward is for the new system to be more efficient and cost effective and for seniors to get their benefits on time.
Of the 7.4 million OAS files that were transferred, over 98% of cases have been resolved and the payments were made promptly. I am told that the department is actively working to quickly resolve the small number of cases still pending, the remaining 2%, because, of course, even 1% is too much.
Surely you agree that this program exists to benefit seniors, not consultants. This is not the first time your government has failed to deliver on a federal program, both in terms of deadlines and budget.
When will you finally start managing taxpayers’ money responsibly instead of making Canadians pay for your failures?
Yes, the program exists to improve the situation in the years to come. Governments, whether federal or provincial, often have IT failures. I am prepared to admit that, Senator Housakos.
However, in the huge file we are dealing with, 98% of the cases are processed on time. You are right. I agree that these programs should be designed first and foremost for Canadians, not for consultants, but sometimes consultants can help to ensure that the programs work properly.
