Toronto teacher denied Old Age Security pension needs proof of immigration

Elisabeth Horley McLeod has a Canadian passport and citizenship, and annual income tax returns to prove she is Canadian. She has lived and worked in this country for more than 60 years.

But the retired Toronto school teacher, who turned 65 last year, was denied her Old Age Security when she applied for the government-funded pension.

The reason: She couldn’t produce the landing papers to show the date she arrived from England with her family when she was four.

“I have taught at Woodfield Public School, which is now Duke of Connaught, Fairmount, now Bowmore Road Public School, and Leslieville Public School, which was just Leslie then. I have contributed to the system all my life and I have my passport,” said McLeod.

“Obviously, that wasn’t enough. They said I still couldn’t prove when I came to Canada.”

She has been fighting the federal government for almost a year, and wants other naturalized Canadians to hear her cautionary tale before they consider tossing their immigrant landing papers once they become Canadian citizens.

Old Age Security could add another $450 a month to her income from government and teachers’ pensions.

McLeod came to Canada from Norfolk, England, with her parents and elder brother in 1950.

Having worked for the Toronto District School Board for 32 years, McLeod, who still supply-teaches, thought her work history, along with her Canadian passport, would suffice to prove her residency and citizenship when she applied for the income supplement last year.

For those citizens not born in Canada, Service Canada insists on proof of the date of entry into the country. The government website states a minimum 10 years of residence in Canada after reaching age 18 is required to receive a pension.

Earlier this year, McLeod was told her application was deemed abandoned because she had failed to show any landing papers. She called a 1-800 Immigration number and was told to search for an application form for replacement on the government website.

After a futile search and further inquiries, McLeod enlisted the help of her MP, Matthew Kellway (Beaches-East York). In February, his office helped her apply for a ‘verification of record of landing’ from the immigration department. The replacement fee costs $30.

Immigration officials finally got back to her in June — four months after her submission — with a replacement of her original record of landing that proved McLeod arrived in Canada through the Niagara Falls port of entry on March 3, 1950.

McLeod immediately reapplied for her Old Age Security, but has yet to hear back from the government department.

McLeod, who lives by herself in a modest condo, said she is already behind on bills and the hassle over her OAS application has taken a toll on her health. She is recovering from a stroke and has been diagnosed with high blood pressure and stress.

“This is disgusting,” said her friend and former neighbour Margaret Haliburton. “It just makes little sense that they insisted on the proof of entry.”

Original Article
Source: the star
Author: Nicholas Keung